Testimonials from industry experts can be rocket fuel for your marketing campaigns. That’s why you should always have a repeatable system in place for collecting them.
In my last post, I revealed the first three of my five proven steps for getting great testimonials. This week I am unveiling steps four and five. Before I do, here is a review of steps one through three. 
STEP 1
Always have your “testimonial radar” toggled to the ON position.
STEP 2
When satisfied clients send you raw testimonials, ask permission to polish them up and make them sound authentic and concise (example coming in a moment).
STEP 3
There is no reason to be shy. If you feel a client will be willing to give you a testimonial …ask them for one! Now, let’s move on to…
STEP 4
This may sound bold, but it is a very common and acceptable practice: Write your own testimonials! When you ask clients to give you testimonials and they say, “Yes,” the question they almost always follow up with is, “What do you want me to write?”
When you find yourself in this moment, it’s perfectly fine to say:
“I know you are very busy and you have a lot on your plate. So, to save you time, how about if I write a testimonial and e-mail it to you for your review and approval? As you review what I’ve put together…feel free to make any changes or edits, so your testimonial truly reflects how you feel about my work.”
I have proposed this idea to my clients many times during the 16-year life of my business, and the answer I have always received is, “Ok Casey, that sounds fine.”
Using this simple strategy allows you to collect the type of testimonials you are looking for. Plus, your clients gain free publicity from being featured in your marketing materials (include their photo and they’ll be extra happy), and you save them the time it would take from their day to write your testimonial.
STEP 5
Keep your testimonials crisp and to the point. You may enjoy reading extended testimonials about you and your work (who doesn’t!), but trust me on this …very few people take the time to read long testimonials. And if people don’t read your testimonials, it really defeats the purpose of collecting them.
So, keep your testimonials crisp and exact. When clients send you a long testimonial that rambles a bit, convert it into a quick-hitting statement that only takes a few seconds to read.
Here is an example using a testimonial I received from a happy client.
EXAMPLE
“I always give Casey Demchak a call when I need Core Message Platforms for my products. His direct-response marketing messages really grab my prospects, and motivates them to take action and buy my products. His writing is persuasive and professional, and working with Casey is enjoyable because he has sound strategic ideas, and he is fun and easy to work with. ”
Here is how I converted this raw statement into a tight and concise testimonial:
“I always turn to Casey Demchak when I need persuasive messaging for my products that motivate my prospects to buy. I really enjoy Casey because he has sound strategic ideas, and he is easy to work with.”
After shoring up and polishing my client’s raw testimonial, I ran it by him and he was happy to sign off on it because I made him sound sharp and to the point.
So, follow the five steps I have outlined in my last two posts, and you will always have a nice stash of attention-getting testimonials that increase your credibility and do your selling for you!
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