Setting the scene
I’ve always felt a bit ‘cheeky’ asking a Client for a Testimonial, and yes I know – I can hear you disagreeing from here 😏 – but I have…
But are they really worth asking for? Most people I have spoken to recently believe they are, so I thought it was about time I started asking too.
So how should I ask…?
I’d say it depends on the Client and your relationship with them.
Is it a Client you have done several pieces of work with and have a good relationship with them? In that case, just ask! Send them a polite email asking if they would be prepared to give you a Testimonial, or if you are in fairly regular contact, ask them on a call perhaps, then follow up with an email confirming your request.
Should I offer to write a Draft one on their behalf?
The jury’s’ out on this one – it can be a good way to spur them into action, but if the draft you write is too ‘gushy’ then they may not want to put their name to it.
On the plus side – it can often give them a gentle nudge towards writing one for you, or they may take your ‘draft’ and rewrite it in their own words – anything that could save them some time & effort should be worth it in my opinion.
How often should I ‘nudge’ them for a reply?
Always a difficult question to answer – again, it comes down to how well you know the Client, and such factors as:
- How long has it been since you did the work for them?
- Were they happy with the results?
- Was it a ‘one-off’ or do you work for them more regularly?
I’d say the ideal time is just after you have completed the work for them (assuming it’s a one-off job), they are more likely to agree if they are happy with your work and can see it working for them.
If it’s a client who has more regular work, maybe leave it until you have completed two or three jobs – gives them a chance to appreciate you more in my opinion.
Ok, I have my Testimonial – now what?
Great! they obviously appreciate you and your work, so don’t waste the opportunity – get the Testimonial on your website and let everyone know through your Social media channels – you should be proud that someone appreciates you and your work enough to take the time to write you a nice Testimonial!
Moving on.
Hopefully you now think it’s not all that hard to ask for a Testimonial, right?
I used to be a bit apprehensive, but after asking for my first Testimonial – and getting a great one – I’m now more pro-active in getting them for my work. After all, what better way to give new clients the confidence to use you & your services / products than showing them Testimonials (or reviews) from satisfied Clients?
And if your interested to see the Testimonial that spurred me into writing this post, you can find it by clicking the link Here
I’m pretty proud of it, as it goes 😁
And finally…
So I hope that has given you the confidence you need to go and ask for a Testimonial for some work you did recently – but don’t forget work you completed a while ago either – it’s always worth asking for a Testimonial for older work too. The worst your client could say is ‘No thanks’, and if you never ask – you’ll never know 😏
