Get Great Reviews, Boost Your Brand
By Mechell Lord
A review that talks about how great, professional or wonderful you are is OK but not great. You want stories that are all about your customers, not all about you. Customer stories drive revenue and leave prospective clients saying, “Wow, I want that for myself!”
Ask these 3 questions:
What was your experience before we worked together? How did I help you? How was your experience with us? Please share any specifics you can.
With these three questions, you get a beautiful story about the experience you helped your customers achieve. It will be a mini case study all about your clients. This creates more interest for new prospects.
Get the customer’s name and title.
The best testimonial is one that includes the person’s first and last name as well as his or her title, such as “Mechell Lord, business coach” or “Mechell Lord, mom and cancer survivor.” It’s OK if you have only a first name or a first name with a last name initial (like “Mechell L.”). It’s not ideal, but in certain industries, some people aren’t comfortable sharing their names.
Ask the customer to submit a photo.
Testimonials are always more powerful with photos, and it’s much easier for you if you collect all the info you want at one time. If a customer doesn’t want to include a photo, that’s OK; always ask, though, because pictures humanize your testimonials and make them more powerful and authentic.
Get permission to share and edit the review.
You also will want to get the customer’s permission to share and edit the review. Asking in advance for permission to use his/her name, comments and image allows you to share the quotes and stories on your website and marketing materials. Ask for permission up front to make small tweaks to the testimonial content.
Use an online form.
You can email your clients to ask for the above information, but people tend to miss things. Then you’re left without a photo or important info, which will require you to follow up with the customer. By creating a form or questionnaire, you make it easy for your customers to provide the feedback you need and for you to reuse the reviews on your website, in marketing materials and in your social media channels.
Jotform.com is a user-friendly cost-effective online system that enables you to easily manage your customer reviews. You can set up the form, then send the link to customers and even include the link on your website and social accounts, for convenience. You can also add the link to your standard thank-you email, along with a sentence such as, “We appreciate your feedback so that we can better serve you.” This practice is an excellent way to empower your customers to speak up and leaves them feeling that you really care about their experience.
