It’s essential to the success of your website that you publish as many testimonials as you can. You get most of your business from referrals, and testimonials are the online equivalent of referrals. In marketing, we call this social proof. Social proof builds trust, and trust is essential before prospects can become clients.

Having testimonials on your site:

• Lets prospects know you have a solid body of clients and that they won’t be your first client
• Shortens your sales cycle
• Lets prospects read and find out a little about your personality without you having to brag or talk about yourself
• Shows prospects what you can do and how they can use your services
• Keeps you from looking like a commodity by personalizing your business

Download our free guide here to learn eight essential components of lead-generating websites

Here’s how to ask for testimonials without feeling like you are bugging your clients. Send them an email worded just like the one below. Even if you did this last year, it’s time to do it again so your testimonials can be freshened up.

Subject: a favor, please

Hi ___,
I appreciate doing business with you and wonder if you would be willing to take 1-2 minutes and write a testimonial for me?  Just a couple of sentences back in an email would be great.  Please don’t worry about grammar or spelling.
How was our service? Do we help you save time or money? What made a difference if anything?  What will you tell friends about?
Thanks so much; your reply will help me keep my marketing costs lower so I can serve you better!
I really enjoy working with you and I very much appreciate your time.
Best regards…

Send each client a personal email. Forward the replies to us and let us know they are testimonials to be added to your site. Be sure to indicate their name, title, company name, and city/state. The city state makes for good search engine juice so you will rank higher. For Premium and up packages, updates are complimentary.

Wait a week and send another request to the clients you did not get a reply from. You should do this every year to keep your testimonials fresh.