Picture this: you’ve stumbled upon a coach who promises to help you meet your goals in three months or less. Sounds like a dream! Are you buying?
If you’re anything like 90% of buyers, not before reading at least one review. Or four reviews, like 54.7% of buyers do.
Your buyers want to see social proof too! So today we’re exploring how to collect and use reviews and testimonials.
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I’ve spoken about social proof, its types, and its importance before. After I published that issue, many of you told me you were struggling with collecting reviews and testimonials.
Let’s fix that!
We’ll start with the root of the issue:
Scared of demanding more of your clients’ time? Don’t be!
Yes, everyone’s time is limited. But people actually LOVE being asked for feedback. Who doesn’t love to know their opinion matters?
Well, 24% of people because the other 76% will leave a review when prompted to do so.
“Prompted to do so” is key. Don’t assume they know you want/need their feedback.
TELL.THEM!
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How to ask for testimonials and reviews
Things are pretty simple here:
- Tell them why you need it
- Tell them where you’ll be using it and how it will help you
- Incentivize them to leave a review
- Screenshot every comment or DM that sings your praises and don’t forget to ask for permission to use it!
Hey, [client’s name],
I’m glad you enjoyed [product]. We love sharing that kind of stuff with our customers so they can feel more confident in their decision. Would you mind leaving a testimonial about your experience? We’ll use it on [website/website/email/social media platform]. If that’s OK with you, we’d love to tag you/link to your website so you can gain some visibility out of it too.
The last part works like a charm in B2B because it’s a wholesome, healthy quid pro quo. Getting and retaining attention is hard — they know it and you know it. Why not help each other out?
For B2C clients, you can always gift them a discount coupon for future purchases. Beware, though! Some platforms (like Yelp) have a strict no-incentivization policy. You can ask for reviews but you can’t offer anything in exchange.
Don’t assume everyone knows how to write a testimonial
Guide your clients — it makes their lives easier and, thus, they’re more likely to do it. Plus, your social proof will touch on all the points you want it to touch.
If the person you’re talking to isn’t in marketing or sales, help them out. Ask support questions:
- What was your biggest struggle before buying [our product]?
- How did [our product] help? How did your life/business change after using it? → these questions are key to helping you paint a before-after picture.
- How was your purchase experience?
- How did you use [our product]? → your clients may surprise you and you’ll find new use cases for your product.
- What would you tell someone who’s thinking about buying [our product] but isn’t quite sure yet?
Don’t use all of these questions; you’re going to overwhelm your clients. Choose the ones that fit your product/service and allow for as much leeway as possible — you want to capture your clients’ words, not your own.
When should you ask for reviews and testimonials?
Short answer: as soon as possible! Get feedback when your clients are still excited about the purchase and definitely don’t wait until they’ve forgotten all about it and it’s become a mundane part of their lives, something they take for granted.
eCommerce brands, for instance, ask for feedback the day the parcel is delivered. You just did the unboxing, the product is new and shiny, and your excitement is as high as it’s going to get.
In B2B and non-physical products/services, timing is tougher to get right. Here’s what I do, perhaps it will inspire you:
→ For my 1:1 strategy sessions, I ask for testimonials at the end of the call. My clients are buzzing with excitement and eager to get started on implementing what we discussed and readily agree. Plus, the testimonials are great, as you can see on the product page.
→ For my other two products, the 5+1 launch email sequence and The Guided Strategy Template, I have an automated email that goes out to my clients a couple of days after the purchase. Enough so they have time to read/use them.
→ If I have a modicum of connection with the buyer (i.e.: we engaged with each other’s social media posts), I’ll reach out to them directly via DM. This approach has much better results than automated emails.
What’s the ideal format for social proof?
Photo, video, a screenshot, a slideshow, “a wall of love”? They all have their place.
- Templated testimonials (the kind you collect and add to your branded template) and videos do better on landing and sales pages, as well as emails.
- For social media, a screenshot works better — it feels more genuine. So does video, because your audience can read facial expressions and gauge honesty better.
- Walls of love are ideal for landing/sales pages, especially when you’re targeting a cold audience, people who haven’t heard of you yet. Your goal is to positively overwhelm them with social proof.
The format that works best across channels, however, is the format your audience prefers. Do they like to read or watch? Do they have the patience to read an in-depth customer success story or should you bullet-point it?
Answer these questions and you’ll know what format and what length to use.
Should you automate review and testimonial collection?
In-person, 1:1 asks always work best. But sometimes that’s untenable. If you have a lot of clients or if you don’t have direct contact with them, automating collection makes sense.
You can do that either through:
- Automated email sequences
- Surveys sent right after the purchase
- Tools like Famewall, Testimonial.to, Senja. Senja has the most generous free plan but please note I haven’t used any of them, so this is not a personal recommendation.
How much social proof do you need?
If you’re a regular here, you know I typically advocate for balance.
Don’t get extra salesy — you’re gonna sound like a bro.
Don’t send me 20 emails about your offer. 5 is more than enough.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify. Balance things out.
Social proof is different. It’s hard to hit the “too-much” ceiling.
So go all in. Add so much social proof to your offers that it looks obnoxious. Go on, you have my permission! (Not that you needed it).
Know why?
Because it’s not you, it’s them. People will get tired of hearing/reading your voice incessantly but they won’t get tired of their peers’. Because it’s just like theirs and everyone likes the sound of their own voice.
Plus, user-generated content is six times more powerful in driving purchases because it’s seen as more authentic.
So, collect as many reviews and testimonials as possible. I have a folder called “Testimonials” on my computer and, within it, other folders with testimonials for everything I do, from this newsletter to every product or service I ever offer.
Pro tip: testimonials and reviews are great pick-me-ups too. We all feel down from time to time — that’s when a quick peek into folders like this helps. It helps to see how many people you’ve helped and how valued your work is.
How to use social proof
Use it everywhere:
- Landing pages
- Paid ads
- Social media posts
- Emails
Your buyers expect to see social proof for everything you sell. If you don’t have any yet, try offering your services/products for free or with a huge discount in exchange for social proof.
If you have it, don’t hesitate to use it in every asset you put out there.
Take a page from my friend Sophie van Tiggelen’s book. She took it to the next level. Sophie is an online course expert who helps creative entrepreneurs build and sell courses.
And this week she blew my mind. She hosted an online event and asked a client of hers to talk about her experience working with Sophie.
This is brilliant on so many levels! The fact that her audience could see a buyer rave about their experience makes all the difference in the world.
For ideas on how to use testimonials and reviews, I strongly encourage you to read my previous issue about social proof. You’ll find everything in there, including the limitations of this tactic.
How are YOU collecting and using social proof, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE]? Reply and let me know, I’m always looking for more inspiration!
Finally, a word about giving. Testimonials and reviews are valuable beyond the financial aspect, especially for micro businesses or small companies.
Oftentimes, they’re what keeps entrepreneurs going, the thing they cling to when the going gets tough. Don’t be stingy with praise and feedback! Tell those who have helped you how much it meant to you.
If they’re doing social proof right (like you will be now), there will be some visibility in it for you. More importantly, you may make someone’s day, week, or month.
That’s it from me today!
See you next week in your inbox.
Here to make you think,
Adriana
P.S.: This topic was suggested by Gabriela Vornicu. Want your topic explored in an upcoming issue? Submit it here.
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