Cultivating client testimonials - Part 2
Testimonials seem to scare people. Certainly not the readers. Readers love testimonials. Most fear is exhibited by the people asking for a client endorsement ... closely followed by people giving the testimonial who fear not knowing what to say, or how to say it.
In this fear lies a competitive advantage just waiting to be unleashed. If your clients are speaking on your behalf when you competitor is too scared to ask - or doesn't have any delighted clients to approach - your company gains the credibility advantage.
There are many ways to collect client testimonials, but they all follow a similar path ...
Step 1: Identify the market segments you wish to receive testimonial coverage in.
Step 2: Within each segment, identify clients who you know have experienced your product or service and are delighted with it.
Step 3: Ask the client if they would be prepared for you to use their story with your prospects.
Step 4: Offer to write it for them. They probably don't have the time or the skill. Interview them with a digital recorder, have it transcribed and then edit it to clean it up ... but don't change the meaning of what they said. They will love you for it.
Step 5: Send the finished version to your client for their final editing and approval.
But what should be included in the testimonial or success story? Here are a few starter ideas, but once you get going, there's no end to the ideas you can include.
What was the problem? Why did the customer need the solution you provided? Why were they feeling 'pain'?
What was the client brief to your company? Was it a complex or unusual brief? Was it a brief that required a creative solution? Was the brief to supply goods at a lower price or higher specification? Were there particular regulations, ethical considerations or restrictions?
What was your solution? Have the client describe what your company did for them to rectify or overcome their problem. Did your solution exceed their expectations? How? Did you customise the solution or was it 'off-the-shelf'?
What was the result? Give specific and concrete numbers. Saying that "sales rose 43.1 per cent" is much more believable, credible and powerful than "the campaign was a success". Was it money saved or profit gained? How has this made your client different from their competition? Why was your solution successful where others may not have been? Was your product delivered on time and on budget? By using your product or service, how has your client been positioned for future success?
What does the customer think? This is the opportunity for your client to say what they think and feel. Often gems are discovered here that would otherwise remain covered by the detail of your product or service.
Each of these elements, in itself, is not powerful. The power of a client testimony comes from crafting each of the elements into a client story that highlights to prospects how your company can help them success in their chosen field of endeavour.