Home fitness is all the craze these days. You know, those big, bulky machines that supposedly deliver amazing results or certain 90 day programs that make you fit and healthy?
Don’t worry, I’m not about to bash anything that can increase your fitness, health and overall well-being.
The fitness machines and programs are not my issue. In fact, if you eat right, work hard and stay committed, you probably will get into great shape.
My issue is with the people who buy these machines/programs, and then leave them to collect dust. You can have greatest fitness program or gym pass in the world, but if you don’t use it, the results won’t come.
When it comes to collecting testimonials, the same principles apply. Just placing a form on your website and waiting for your clients to arrive will not deliver the results you want. Instead, developing a process for regularly collecting feedback provides a systematic way to gather testimonials. Such a process would include:
1) Build Requests Into Your Process
A simple fact is that the more people you ask for testimonials, the more you will receive. And, the easiest way to do that is to ask each and every one of your customers. You’ll want to think about the appropriate time frame for them to have experienced the product to ensure that they can talk about their results – the key to an effective testimonial.
2) Ask Again
Many clients we work with assume that customers don’t respond to testimonial requests because they aren’t happy. More often than not, it is because they are simply very busy and don’t always have time to provide the feedback being requested.
So, if a customer doesn’t respond to the testimonial request, don’t hesitate to ask again…and again! I’m not suggesting that you unleash a torrent of requests, but periodically asking for that feedback will help the customer by providing opportunities to respond when it is a more suitable time for them.
3) Reach Out In Person
So far, we’ve been speaking about online testimonial collection. This is not your only option.
[bctt tweet=”If you have a chance to see your customers in person, there is no better way of getting feedback.” username=”EngageColleen”]
Simply put, it’s much harder to say no to someone who stands in front of you and directly asks for a testimonial. And, if you have your handy smartphone on you, it’s a perfect chance to capture video.
If you don’t see your customers in person, why not pick up the phone? Especially for those customers you know have had great results, a quick phone call can capture the information for a great testimonial. They key here is to make it easy: ask questions that would form the basis of a testimonial, write it up on the customer’s behalf and send it to them for their quick approval.
So, next time you look at your feedback form and wonder why you’re not getting the results you want – take a look at these three strategies. Given the power of testimonials to increase conversion rates, you can’t afford not to be implementing them.
Are you looking for more strategies to increase sales and create success in your business? Pick up your copy of Nonstop Sales Boom!