Think about this: When a potential client visits your site,
he or she has no idea if you are professional, good at your job, or if you’re
even capable of doing the work he or she has in mind. The only thing your new
customer has to go by is your word, and that of the people you’ve worked with
in the past.
How to Get
Testimonials
Here’s the obvious answer: ask. Yes, it may seem overly
simplified, but the truth is, most people will not volunteer a testimonial, but
will gladly provide one if you just ask. Consider creating a template email in
which you ask for a testimonial. Then each time you finish a job with a new
client, simply copy and paste and send it off.
Of course, if you’re just getting started, you may not have
any testimonials to show off. What then? There are plenty of ways to gain
testimonials when you’re just starting out.
- Volunteer your
services in exchange for a testimonial
- Become an intern
– many business owners will happily provide a testimonial at the end of
your internship
- Ask people
you’ve worked with in the past, even in a different capacity. A
testimonial saying you’re hard working and conscientious is just as
valuable whether the person is talking about your stint as a bank teller
or your new virtual assistant business.
How to Display
Testimonials
We’ve already said how important testimonials are when
you’re trying to entice new clients. But here’s a weird thing about those
potential customers: They’re not very likely to actually click on the
“Testimonials” tab in your nav bar.
So how do you let them know about those great things people are
saying about you?
First, don’t hide them all away on a single page. Sprinkle
them throughout your site. Some good places for testimonials include:
- In your sidebar
- In your header
- On your about
page
- On your home
page
- In your footer
- On your sales
page
If you’re using WordPress, you can use a plugin to “rotate”
your testimonials, so the same one isn’t shown to each and every visitor.
Here’s
something else to consider: It’s easy to make up rocking testimonials. While
you know that you would never do that, others may not know it. So when you’re
using a testimonial on your page, be sure to include the person’s full name,
website or physical address (city and state), and a photo. Even better is a
video testimonial, if you can arrange it.
