We’ve all seen the small statuettes of the three wise monkeys, one covering his eyes who sees no evil, another his ears who hears no evil, and another his mouth who speaks no evil. But what has this to do with gaining testimonials?
The proverb has many associations with being of good mind, speech and action. Which is exactly what testimonials will do for your business. Testimonials prove that your business is reputable, that the good things people hear about your business are true and that you can do what you say you can do.
The three monkeys approach to gaining testimonials is simple and easy to remember - LOOK, LISTEN, ASK
Look
Look through all your online platforms (social media, web forms, online business listings) for praise, positive comments and feedback. Review your customer email correspondence. Check out the comments on your blog.
Testimonial statistics* show that 88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family. So use your online channels to drive attention to the great things people are saying about you.
Listen
Another way to get testimonials is to listen to what people are already saying about you and your business. For example, a customer might tell you in conversation how much they’ve enjoyed their experience with you. Or someone that you network with might tell you how much they’ve enjoyed reading your content. This can be used as a testimonial.
Thank them for their kind words and ask for permission to use their words as a testimonial. To make their permission ‘official’, send a quick email with their words or comments for their approval.
Ask
Send an email asking for testimonials.
This is one of the most effective ways to get testimonials because you are sending your request direct into your customer’s inbox. To get even more testimonials, email your customers straight after they’ve had a positive interaction with your business such as receiving their first order, successfully resolving a customer service issue, or completing a major customer project.
Here’s two email examples you can use or adapt for your business.
EXAMPLE 1:
Hi Bob,
We really value your business and would love to hear what using our service means to you and your business?
When you have a spare minute or two, simply hit reply to share your thoughts on your experience with us. Why did you choose us? How have we helped you achieve your goals? What benefits have you enjoyed by partnering with us?
Your testimonial will help our customers see that they can trust us and get great results.
If you’d prefer to give an online review, then simply pop on to our Facebook page and give us a review or visit our Google My Business Page and leave us a Google Review.
Thank you for your time.
Best wishes,
{Your name}
P.S By the way, if you are unhappy in any way with our service, I’d still love to hear from you. Your feedback is important to me.
EXAMPLE 2:
Hi Bob,
I’m sending you this email as you’ve recently purchased from us. Now that the order is complete, I’d love to get your feedback while things are still fresh in your mind.
If you have had a good experience working with us and think we are awesome, please hit reply and comment on your experience with us.
Your testimonial will help our customers see that they can trust us and that we can do what we say we can do.
If you were not blown away by our service, then I’d love to know why. That way we can improve what we do to ensure that everyone thinks we are awesome.
Either way, thanks for your time and for choosing us.
Best wishes,
{Your name}
Testimonials are a fantastic and low cost way to create credibility, reinforce your message and drive sales by helping to seal the deal when a customer is making a purchase decision.
Finally, make sure you share the love and give testimonials yourself. If you’ve had a great experience with a brand or company then let them know, endorse your contact’s skills on LinkedIn or give them a review on Facebook.
Look through your online platforms, * 30 Impactful Statistics about Using Testimonials in Marketing