You know from personal experience that a recommendation from a happy customer is more persuasive than a sales pitch from a company. Learn how to harness the power of the client testimonial to win more business.

1. Finding testimonials

It can be easier than you may think to obtain great testimonials from your clients. Here are some suggestions:

• Ask your service team to keep an eye out for satisfied clients, and ask if they’d be willing to write a short testimonial. Most happy customers would be glad to share their experience.
• Offer to write the testimonial for the client, if the person says he is too busy or not a writer. Ask what he’d like to convey, write the testimonial for him, and have him review it and approve. Many clients appreciate this route.
• If you are active on social media, keep track of positive mentions, comments and replies (and who said them). These short tidbits may be useful later.
• Look through past notes and emails for positive comments from clients—you likely have several short testimonials hidden in there already!

2. Writing testimonials

Whether your write the testimonial or your client writes it for you, don’t be afraid to make some tweaks and format it to fit your needs (as long as the client approves).

• Most importantly, a testimonial needs to demonstrate the bottom-line results your client received from working with you. Sharing that they love your brokerage or that their rep is nice won’t be meaningful. Did you, for instance, implement a safety programme that helped them reduce their losses and lower premiums?
• When possible, include the client’s full name, company name and location with the testimonial. This makes it more believable and meaningful than an anonymous quote. Remember, though, it requires the client’s permission (keep in mind especially if obtaining a testimonial through social media or past correspondence).
• Keep it short—it will have more impact on your marketing materials if it is direct and to the point. If a client gives you a lengthy testimonial, edit it down to the most impactful parts.
• Try other media. If the client is willing, interview them to create a short video or podcast instead of a written testimonial.

3. Using testimonials

Once you’ve gathered some great client testimonials, then what? Here are some ideas how to effectively use them:

• Incorporate them into your advertising and marketing materials. Consider featuring testimonials on your website, brokerage marketing materials, prospecting leave-behinds, brochures, postcards, newsletters and social media posts.
• Create a collection of testimonials. Create a page on your website listing all your testimonials and/or create a book that brokers could show prospects.
• Use them in your cold-calling. Sharing a testimonial of how you’ve helped another client is a great way to break the ice and catch a prospect’s attention—and to prove you’re not making the story up, offer to send a link to your published testimonials for them to check out themselves.
• Use them to close a deal. If you’ve got a prospect on the fence, pulling in a few testimonials can help them overcome objections they’re having.
• Add one to your email signature. Choose a short and particularly impactful testimonial to add to your brokerage’s email signature (or let each staff member choose their own).
• Frame your best testimonials. Display them around your brokerage as a sense of pride to boost internal morale as well as demonstrate your value to outside visitors.