When it comes to selling your products or services online, you need your potential clients to truly trust you before they will buy from you.

One of the best ways you can stand out to your dream clients and gain their trust is by incorporating testimonials into your website.

Not only will you establish credibility, but because testimonials come from an unbiased party, you won’t have to get all salesy or have that slimy feeling you get when giving a strong sales pitch. Instead, your previous clients are doing the selling for you by sharing their positive experience and results they had working with you.

When and How to Get a Testimonial

You’ll want to get your testimonial when you’re still fresh in your client’s mind and they are feeling really good about the end result you’ve provided them. So, the best time to collect a testimonial is as soon as possible after your project has wrapped up.

You can collect answers over the phone, in person, or through an online form. You can even publish your testimonials as videos on your website which would engage your visitors even more.

The Key Elements to a Great Testimonial

Ok, so there are 3 key elements to define in each of your testimonials.

1-THE PROBLEM
Most likely your potential clients are facing the same problems, questions, and concerns as your previous clients did. By uncovering these objections, your potential clients will be able to relate and say, “hey, me too!” This draws them in because they have the same pain points and are looking for a solution.

A good way to pull this information out of your past clients is to ask them, “what challenges were you facing before purchasing and what concerns were holding you back before moving forward?”

2-THE OUTCOME
This is where we learn what discovery was made and what specific results have come out of working with you. You want to convey how your product or service has helped to resolve the original problem your client had.

It’s really helpful to get as specific as possible when talking about the outcome. Your prospect wants to know the potential that is possible for them to achieve as well.

So, ask this question, “How did our product or service help you to achieve your goals? Describe the specific results you’ve seen.”

3-THE EXPERIENCE
As humans, we tend to make decisions based on emotion first and logic second. We hear the details of course, but what really motivates someone, in the end, is emotion.

That being said, you’ll want to relay the experience your past clients had with your product or service as well as what it was like to work with you.
So, ask them, “If you were to recommend our product or service, how would you describe your experience and our working relationship? How did the experience make you feel?”

What if I haven’t had any real clients yet?

If this is the case, here’s my advice — take on 3-4 clients for free or at a reduced rate in exchange for their testimonial. This way you can refine your process and at the same time get the testimonials you need to help you sell your service.
Here’s a BONUS TIP: Use an image of when possible.

We all like to put a face to a name. By using your previous client’s image alongside their quote, you’ll help your visitor feel more confident in the claims being made because they’re coming from a REAL person.

Keep in mind that every element you include on your website should add value to the page, so be careful not to publish testimonials that simply repeat what you’ve already said. Instead, focus on using quotes that build on the benefits you’ve already outlined.

Now that you know how to create an effective testimonial you may be wondering the best way to use them. Check out this post on how to use testimonials to help sell your services.