Don’t Let Passing Praise Pass. Ask Happy Clients for Testimonials.

by Tom Ruwitch

I recently received an email from a client who said, “I love working with you guys.”

I replied to say thanks and to request a favor: “Could we quote you in a testimonial?”

When a client praises you, ask whether you can share that feedback publicly. Most happy clients will gladly oblige.

In many cases, the client’s original feedback is nice but not ideal wording for a testimonial. That was the case with this client. “I love working with you guys” is a wonderful thing for us to hear, but it doesn’t tell prospects why they should choose my company.

So in my request for the testimonial, I asked, “If you’re game, could you simply reply to this question: Would you recommend us to others, and if so, why?”

For marketers, that’s the ultimate question. In his best-selling book “The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth,” business consultant Fred Reichheld says that’s the only question you need to ask to measure customer satisfaction.

In previous columns, I’ve suggested that you regularly survey your clients and always ask that question. But you don’t have to reserve the query for feedback surveys.

Ask the question, as I have, when you receive unsolicited, positive feedback. Hopefully you receive such feedback often.

The praise often comes as a passing comment (“I love working with you guys,” at the end of an email), but don’t let those comments pass. Be grateful for the praise, but also be aggressive in asking for that testimonial.

Your client won’t consider this an imposition or a burden. Your clients will welcome the opportunity to share their happiness with others. Most people want to be mavens. They want to share the news about their smart buying decisions and influence others.

Influencing others is what it’s all about. You can fill your website, print brochures and other marketing pieces with clever copy that touts your products and services. But prospects distrust marketing copy.

It’s a different story when happy customers promote you. Prospects trust a fellow buyer much more than they trust generic marketing copy.  

That’s especially true when you are addressing potential objections. I once asked a happy client to discuss his previous objection about our pricing. “When you were considering us, you told me your current service was less expensive and you were reluctant to spend more. Could you talk about that in your comments?” He gave us a testimonial that said our products and services were “worth every penny.”

Addressing prospective buying objections in your marketing copy can be a challenge. You can sound defensive and evasive. But when a happy client says it’s worth every penny, you defuse an objection with a genuine, trustworthy fellow buyer.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the testimonial, and don’t be afraid to lead your client to the topic you would like addressed in the testimonial. Your client will be happy to help. Your marketing materials will be stronger. And you will sell more.

Tom Ruwitch is president and founder of MarketVolt, an interactive marketing firm. Go to MarketVolt.com/Resources to get “10 Secrets to Write Subject Lines That Sell” and other free resources.