Long past are the days where a customer’s referral only extended to their immediate social circle. The internet has immortalized our opinions, fully in view of customers researching your business. However, beyond Amazon, Yelp, and other review platforms, there’s another powerful marketing tool that often goes underutilized: testimonials. Testimonials serve as a vote of confidence for your business and can be the leading force behind your conversion rates. Let’s discuss how to properly apply your testimonials to your business’s marketing strategy.

Why Are Testimonials Important?

Testimonials differ from reviews in that they are always requested by the business from the client. They’re a testament to your relationship with your audience. According to Big Commerce, 92% of people read testimonials before making a buying decision. That’s an overwhelming majority of people that rely on the words of others more so than your own. While establishing your brand identity is important, customer testimonials can back up your character. Customers trust other customers over companies, so it lends far more credence to your business when they have something positive to say.

How to Earn Testimonials for Your Business

The best way to earn testimonials is to simply ask for them. We’re not saying to chase your customer out the door with a pen and paper but instead approach the subject professionally by integrating the testimonial process into your business practices. Some ways you can ask for testimonials without being pushy include:

• End of Purchase or Project Interview: When a customer completes a purchase or you finish a project for them, ask if they’ll take the time to answer a few questions. Even sending them a link to a quick online survey can provide valuable insight and favorable testimonials.
• Swap Testimonials: Does your business partner with a lot of B2B companies? If so, consider offering an exchange of testimonials – you write a testimonial about their company and they’ll do the same for yours.
• Existing Praise: If you’ve been in business for some time, chances are reviews about your company already exist. Search social media platforms, email accounts, and review sites like Yelp for customers singing your praise and seek permission to use their comments as a testimonial.

When asking for permission to use a customer’s comments as a testimonial, make sure you thank them for their patronage. Providing a simple compliment will boost your reputation and may convince them to elaborate on their positive remarks.

Ways to Apply Testimonials to Your Business’s Marketing Strategy

Once you’ve gathered some testimonials, you can incorporate them into your marketing strategy to build your business’s credibility. You’ve probably visited other companies’ websites and seen customer testimonials in a homepage slider or displayed on a separate page, but these testimonials can serve you beyond just your website. In fact, they can be used to drive people to your site. Some additional uses for testimonials include:

• Social Media: Your ideal client likely spends way more time on social media than on business websites. Retweet or highlight a customer’s kind words on social media. It may even encourage others to express their feelings to gain recognition from one of their favorite brands.
• Testimonial Videos: If you can convince a person to create or participate in a brief testimonial video, it will be much more effective than a normal social media post. According to WordStream, videos on social media generate 12 times more shares than text and images.
• Case Studies: Data-driven metrics are an excellent way to determine the worth of your business. Using a particularly amazing testimonial in a case study can be used to back up positive results.

You should also never neglect any testimonials. Take the time to address everyone’s opinions, as it will help build your reputation and establish lasting rapport.

When you apply your testimonials to your business’s marketing strategy, you’re generating more leads and higher conversion rates by building reliability and credibility. Of course, to receive winning testimonials, you need an effective marketing strategy to promote your business. At Vision Advertising, we’re well versed in expert social media management, web design, and brand management to ensure your marketing matches your business’s virtues. If you require help with your marketing or are unsure of how to integrate testimonials into your strategy, contact us today.