One of most effective forms of  marketing? Client testimonials and reviews.

You’ve probably seen them yourself – those glowing, gushing words of praise for the service or experience one business person gave another that can be the trigger to help you choose one service provider over another.

But how do you get them for you own business and how can you make yours stand out from the pack?

How to ask for reviews or testimonials

Asking for a positive review of your work efforts is a tough thing for many business owners – but if you get it right, it can become an important marketing tool that attracts more clients to your business. 

One easy way to get a testimonial from your happy clients is to implement a request for one as part of your standard after-sales follow- up. Creating a simple and brief survey at the end of a project milestone is a stress-free way to ask for a testimonial and it comes at an exciting time – that moment when their anticipation is met with your great product/service and they are happy to receive it.

1. Make It Easy

The more streamlined the process, the easier it is for everyone involved.

Here are some simple ways to make surveying your happy clients easy:

• Google Forms. Setting this up is quick and easy, and one added bonus is that the answers are automatically populated into a Google Sheet for you to check later. 
• Survey Monkey. This platform provides a quick and efficient way to create and distribute customer surveys. Once you create it, the same survey can be used for similar clients – simply by sharing a link.

2. Social Media Sharing

If you have a social media presence – whether that’s a Facebook business page, a LinkedIn profile, or a Twitter account for business, inviting people to post their recommendations online can be good for business. At the touch of your device, that lovely testimonial becomes shareable and visible – a reminder to all your followers that you are good at what you do.

On the flip-side, be prepared for occasional negative comments from clients who may not have had a rosy experience with your business.

The best way to deal with it? Don’t ignore it – and don’t get into a debate. Simply address it in the public space quickly and politely – offering a sweetener to smooth the experience. If they are up for an argument, don’t bite back on social media. It’s a bad look and one that can seen by a lot of people.

3. Video Testimonials Get Results

Smart phones put great quality cameras at your fingertips and if you are able to shoot a video of a finished product, or a happy thank you from a satisfied client, video is a great addition to your website or social media pages. Make sure you have the permission of the person you film and that they understand where you will be using their video.

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