5 Ways to Market Client Testimonials

Client referrals and recommendations are a great marketing tool for small business owners. Testimonials lend credibility to your company and are especially helpful for prospective clients who may be considering working with you. Testimonials often are the main driver of purchasing decisions. Like it or not, what other people say about your work is an important part of their decision-making process.

If you feel a client is satisfied with the work you performed, ask them for a written testimonial or ask them to provide a Google review. Note that in order to receive Google reviews, you must have a Google Business Profile account with your company information. It is free and easy to set up.

Once you land that coveted referral, what’s the best way to showcase it? Here are five ways to present client testimonials to help you attract the clients you want and get new business.

1. Create a Testimonials Page on Your Website

Showcasing testimonials on your professional website is a no-brainer. Your website will likely be the first place prospective clients look for examples of your work, and if they like what they see they will want to know what it is like to work with you.

Make it easy for them to find and read testimonials from past clients by creating a specific page, tab, or carousel on your website that showcases them. You may also consider highlighting a more in-depth profile of a client through an interview-style blog post.

Before posting the testimonial, make sure you get permission from the client to display it and permission to use their name/logo. If they do not allow you to refer to them specifically, you can indicate which type of client you served, ie. a professional services firm in New York with 50k employees.

2. Highlight Short Referrals with Quotes

Quotes are a great way to highlight shorter referrals that you may receive. If a client gives a referral, ask if you can add a photo of them next to a quote from their recommendation. Using a picture with the quote will help personalize the referral and allow prospective clients to place a face with a name.

For an example of how to use call-out quotes on your website, check out Salesforce’s customer success stories.

3. Write a Case Study

Case studies provide a more personalized, in-depth customer story. When you find a client who is interested in being featured in a case study, make sure that you actively communicate and involve them in the writing process. Remember, you are featuring their business, and they will want to make sure the information you include is accurate and approved.

Case studies tend to follow this general format:

• Introduction: background information about the client and their problem
• Action: how you helped solve their problem
• Results: what happened

Be sure to put your case study into a medium that is easy for people to view and understand such as a blog post, infographic, or white paper.

Check out Zendesk for case study examples.

4. Embrace Social Media

People talk about their favorite brands online all the time—your business is no different. When you receive a positive tweet or mention, embed it in your newsletter, highlight it on your website, or like it and retweet it with a thank you.

Use your social media platforms to invite people to give you feedback as well. When you receive feedback, whether it is positive or negative, engage with the person who provided it and start a conversation. People will appreciate your listening to them and taking the time to draft a personal response.

5. Create a Video

Video can be a highly engaging medium to share client testimonials. If you’re on a budget, ask clients to record a short testimonial on their smartphone talking about their experience working with you. Or, find a local videographer to capture client feedback. Share the videos on your website, social media, blog, or email newsletter.

Video testimonials require more moving parts and a bit more effort, but they can provide a valuable, compelling case for your business.

Check out Code Academy for examples of video testimonials.

Read Next: How to Promote Your Consulting Business on Social Media