Search Engine Optimization Specialists09
Sep
In a world full of skepticism, it’s crucial to promote your business in a positive light whenever possible. There are many ways to leave a positive first impression on your target market, but capturing customer testimonials is a great place to start.
If utilized properly, a customer testimonial can be an extremely beneficial form of content marketing. If you’re selling a service or a product, a solid customer testimonial will be a quote or personal anecdote that demonstrates how your service or product has successfully helped or benefited them. Although they can be, customer testimonials are best kept short and to the point. A strong sentence or two will do the trick.
Builds Trust
Nothing builds trustworthiness like a positive review, and a customer testimonial is essentially just that. Not only does it provide proof that you’re a legitimate and established business, but it shows that you do what you do well.
Shows the Benefits of Your Service or Product
Every client is unique, and perhaps your services or products could benefit each client differently. A customer testimonial is a great way to build a portfolio of the benefits that your service or product provides. In turn, you can then use this benefit when selling your service or product to your target market. If a new customer knows exactly how your business is helping others, they’ll be more interested.
Content Marketing
The testimonials that you gather from your customers can be used to create valuable marketing content for your website, social media platforms, in your physical business space, and more.
On Your Website
Reviews and testimonials are a great addition to your website. Whether they’re sprinkled in on the home page, included in a footer, or a page of their own, showcasing your positive customer experiences for new clients to see is always a smart move. What better place to highlight them than where they will book a service or make a purchase?
On Social Media
The best thing about gathering a collection of powerful content is that it can be recycled into many forms, including social media. Circulating video testimonials in the form of an Instagram reel or Facebook ad, or creating a graphic displaying your testimonial quote are great ways to create fresh content that influences your target market.
In Your Business
While testimonials are easily used for various purposes online, don’t forget that they can also be utilized in physical format. Example: designing a testimonial flyer to include at your front desk or lobby, with a QR code to learn more.
Ask Guided Questions
The key to capturing the perfect customer testimonials is asking specific questions that guide them in the right direction. Below are a few examples of what questions you might ask a happy customer about your business:
Which product or service drew you to our business?
How has that service or product benefited your business?
Why would you recommend our product or service?
Utilize Email Marketing
If your business has a strategy of increasing your Google or Yelp reviews, then you likely have sent follow-up emails to customers after they’ve purchased from or booked with you. If so, consider asking these questions via email about two weeks after their purchase or service date.
Ask Permission
Don’t forget to ask permission when recycling your customer testimonials for marketing purposes. If you have plans to use their words on other platforms, be sure that they’re aware, especially if the testimonial information is planned. (If a customer is really happy, they might make their testimonial even better knowing this!)
Include a Face and Name
Encourage your customers not to be camera shy. If they’re comfortable, having a name and photograph to match their words makes the testimonial more personable. It’s easy to see a quote and look the other way, but when you know a “real” customer (just like you) had a positive experience, their experience becomes more influential.
Consider Hiring a Videographer
If you’re lucky enough to get permission from your customers to participate in a formal testimonial and show their face, consider working a professional videographer into your budget. As mentioned before, testimonial content can be used for many purposes, and if you have a high quality video, the opportunities to hit your target market become even larger.
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