What’s a customer testimonial?
A customer testimonial is a written or video recommendation from a happy and satisfied customer who affirms and verifies your product or service.
Essentially it gives your business credibility that prospects often lean towards when making a purchase decision.
In fact, customer testimonials that are placed alongside more expensive products and services increase conversion rates by a whopping 380%.
By adding these testimonials to your website or booking pages, you’ll effortlessly succeed as you receive the third-party verification that you deserve.
The difference between customer testimonials and reviews
Customer testimonials and reviews serve the same purpose, verifying your products and services.
Testimonials are gathered by you to use as you please on your website, booking pages, brochures, or other marketing material. They’re usually more in-depth and impactful. A customer has the chance to explain how your product and service changed their lives and solved their problems.
A review is a snapshot of a customer's experience. They’re shorter than testimonials and will describe the general overview of a customer's feelings towards your products and services. The customer can give you a star rating. Reviews are usually found on third-party sites such as Yelp.
The downside to a review is that you often don't have control over them. Reviews can be compelling to persuade a prospect into purchasing from you. However, negative reviews can flip the switch quickly.
The grand thing about testimonials is that you control them, and any customer willing to sing your praises is usually a satisfied one.
How to use customer testimonials
Collecting a decent amount of testimonials from happy customers gives you the power to utilize them in different parts of your business:
- Your website
Place your testimonials on a dedicated testimonial page, portfolio page, or on your homepage so that you’re instantly verified.
- Your emails
If you’re thinking of creating a series of emails to persuade leads to convert into paying customers, use testimonials to drive those conversions.
- Your booking pages
If you’re a booking-based business, testimonials should be placed on your booking pages to convert more bookings, which means more money for you. If your booking page doesn't have a testimonial feature, it's time to find a booking page that does.
Tips to get customer testimonials
Alright, it’s pretty obvious how important testimonials are to verify your business.
So how do you get these highly sought-after testimonials?
Tip # 1: Just ask
The very first thing you do is ask.
Any loyal paying customer showing immense gratitude towards your products and services is the perfect candidate to leave you with a fantastic testimonial.
However, make it easy for your customers.
Don't leave them with a blank page because, they'll probably go out on a tangent and forget facts that are important for buyers' decision.
The best possible solution is to ask your customers if they’d like to write a testimonial on their experience with your business.
If they’re happy to, give them the following template so that they can answer the following questions:
- What problem were you facing before you found [business name]?
- What was the result of the work [business name] did for you?
- How did that result affect your life or business?
- What was it like working with [business name]?
- Would you recommend [business name] to other people?
This template will guide your customer's answers. You can then mold the customer testimonial to suit where you want it to go. Either on your beautifully furnished booking page, website, or marketing emails.
Also, don't forget to ask these happy customers for a picture they don't being displayed alongside their kind testimonial.
Tip # 2: Offer rewards
Ok, this is a little cheeky, but it works.
Your customers are busy, and crafting a testimonial for you could land at the bottom of their to-do list.
This can get awkward because you may have to keep reminding them.
What's the best way to get someone in motion?
Offer an incentive.
Think of any reward you can give your customer for crafting a stellar testimonial. It could be a percentage off their next booking with you.
For example,
Get 8% off your next booking with me if you fill out this testimonial questionnaire.
You obviously don't want to lose out on money by giving out deals around the clock in exchange for a testimonial.
However, a powerful testimonial will give a prospect one final push to buy from you, resulting in more money for your business. This will compensate for your deals with previous customers to get those testimonials.
Showcase up to six testimonials at a time on your booking page. When a new testimonial comes in that tops an old one, replace it immediately so that your best testimonials are on display at all times.
Tip # 3: Screenshot
Get into a habit of screenshotting every positive comment customers give about your business.
You may get a fantastic email from a loyal customer thanking you for your outstanding products and services.
Someone may tag you on Instagram and rave about your products and service delivery.
Every time this happens, get into the habit of screenshotting these kind words and saving them. You can use these indirect testimonials in email campaigns, your website, and your booking pages.
Want to grow your online business with booking pages and testimonials?
If you’re a booking-based business, showcasing epic testimonials on your booking pages is crucial. When you display quality testimonials on your booking pages, the likelihood of converting leads is much higher.
Suppose your booking pages don't have a feature that allows you to show off all your fantastic testimonials. It’s time to find booking pages that can.
Start your free trial with Book Like a Boss so that you can display your spell-bounding testimonials to convert more bookings into more money.
