Client testimonials have the power to build credibility and bring more of the right clients your way. Showcasing all of your happy clients, on your website, will back up what you’ve been saying, in your messaging, about how helpful your service or offering really is. They provide social proof that you have made other clients happy, delivered on what you promised, and also did it in a way that put a smile on their face. Simply put, people love working with you!

And, who better to sing your praises then your previous clients? If you go over and above for your clients, they will be happy to write a glowing review for you at the end of the process. They are also a lot more likely to work with you again and refer other work to you in the future. What a bonus!

Think about it, if someone is landing on your website for the very first time, they really don’t know much about you. They might have seen you around on social media, but they don’t know if you’re trustworthy yet. And, people are far more likely to trust you, after seeing proof that you delivered for another person. You can sing your own praises, on your website all you want, but if you don’t have a testimonial from at least one previous client, people are going to start to wonder why.

Now that you know how important testimonials are to include on your business website, let’s go over a few stumbling points. How do you go about asking previous clients for testimonials? And where should these testimonials go on your site to get the most bang for their buck?

 

How to Get Client Testimonials

You could simply send your clients an email asking for a testimonial. But, you are likely to get something back that doesn’t quite make your heart sing. Something along the lines of “She was so amazing to work with!” – which is really nice, but doesn’t show that you got results for your client or improved their business in any way. Or, you might even hear crickets because your client doesn’t know quite what to say.

I’ve found that the best way to get quality testimonials is to send your client a feedback questionnaire. This prevents your client from getting overwhelmed with the idea of writing a fantastic testimonial that includes everything you helped them with. Instead, you ask them a few pointed questions that really get to the nitty-gritty about how you actually helped their business.

Now, the questions are going to vary depending on what service you offer and what results you promised your client. As a website designer, these are a few of the questions that I ask:

• How has your business benefited from my services?
• What did you like best about working with me?
• What results, in regards to your website, have you achieved since we started working together?
• Have you received an increase in traffic, if so, by how much?
• Why did you choose to work with me?

The key is to keep the questionnaire to 5-10 questions so that it’s not too time-consuming for your client to answer. I use google forms to create a general questionnaire that I duplicate for each client. Then, I usually add on one question that is a little more specific to the goals of that particular project. So, for instance, if the main goal was to get more people to join their email list, I would ask:

• Have more people joined your list since your new website launched? If so, how many more people, per month, are joining?

 

When to Ask for a Testimonial

Many entrepreneurs ask for their testimonials right after their project has wrapped up. And for a lot of people, this is the perfect time to ask. After all, your client is really excited about the awesome thing you created for them and ready to sing your praises to everyone they know. But, if your business is very results-oriented, like mine, it might be a better strategy to wait 3-5 weeks after wrapping up the project. That way, they have some time to really see how this new thing has improved their business and they will probably have some awesome numbers that they can share with you.

So, go ahead your send your client a quick email with a link to the form. If you find that you’re still hearing crickets, make sure to follow-up after a week or so. You want to give your clients plenty of time to fill out the survey but make sure that it doesn’t slip their mind.

If you want, you can even offer an incentive for filling out the questionnaire. This could be a little freebie or maybe a discount off of a future service. I like to offer my clients a PDF workbook that I created, which, is all about SEO on your website. Since we are finishing up our project together, this is the perfect time for them to take the next step and improve SEO. Try to create a freebie that offers value to your client at the perfect time in the process!

 

Put Together a Testimonial

Ok, so now you’ve gotten your questionnaire back from your client. They were super happy with your work, the entire process, and even shared a few analytics with you. Now, it’s time to put together a testimonial.

Look over the answers they gave you and pull out parts that will resonate with your future clients. Think about the problems that your potential clients might be having and how you solved them for others, If you see any numbers or results oriented things mentioned, these are the real gems. Now, take some time to craft a testimonial or two from the feedback survey.

Once you’re happy with your testimonial, shoot another email over to your client and ask them if they would be alright with you sharing a testimonial on your website and if they approve of the one you created.

This way, the client can approve the testimonial so that it’s legit. Never use a testimonial or create a testimonial, like this, without getting approval from your client first. This is also the perfect time to ask for a headshot from your client. People love to look at other people. So, adding that little detail will make your testimonials more eye-catching on your website.

 

Put the Testimonial on your Website

You’ve got your testimonial, headshot, and approval from your client to use it on your site. Yay! Now, where is the best place to add it? Where will the most people see it and where will it be most effective?

The most common thing that I see people doing with their testimonials, is burying them on a testimonial or praise page. I’m not going to say that this is a waste of time, but it’s never going to be the most viewed page on your website. And, if it’s the ONLY place that you have testimonials on your site, then you’re missing out on showing your social proof to the majority of your website visitors.

Instead, try scattering 1-3 testimonials on the following pages of your website:

The Homepage

Your homepage is probably the most visited page on your entire website. Placing 1-2 of your favorite testimonials on the homepage is a great way to get them seen by a bunch of people. Don’t waste your prime real estate at the top of the page! These should be visible, but not the most important thing. So go ahead and place them in the middle or even towards the bottom of the homepage.

Your Services Page

Anyone who is clicking over to your services page is interested in learning more about what you offer and how you can help them. Adding testimonials here will convert those interested viewers into clients. It builds trust, gives social proof that you will follow through on your commitments, and showcases your client’s amazing results!

Your Sales Page

If you’re selling a course or digital offering, you need to include testimonials to show its value. If this is the first time you’re offering the course, find some beta testers to take the course and get their feedback for testimonials.

If you’re a service based business than having a sales page is still a great way to showcase what you’re offering and how it helps others. Make sure to add some raving reviews to this page so that it stands out!

Portfolio

If a portfolio page applies to your business then you should include testimonials here as well. When showing off a client project include the testimonial, from that client, on the page. That way, someone viewing your site can see the beautiful work that you did for them, while also seeing how happy that client was with what you created.

 

Now you know that adding testimonials to your website will build up credibility with your audience. If done right, It will even lead to more inquiries and sales. This might go without saying, but be nice to your clients and always deliver on what you promised. If you provide your clients with a dazzling experience they will be happy to provide feedback for testimonials.

This is just one step, of many, that will make your website more effective at reaching your audience and turning fans into clients. I created the Wellness Website Workbook to help health + wellness pros, like you, find those dreamy clients using their websites. You can grab your copy, right here: