Don’t hide your superpower- Rise above the competition with compelling testimonials

Customer testimonials and case studies are considered the most effective content marketing tactics, identified by 89% and 88%, respectively, of B2B marketers (*B2B Content Marketing Trends Report). 

Today’s consumers crave social proof and as part of that buyer journey will meticulously seek out and review your testimonials. By enhancing your credibility through positive customer experiences, you’ll naturally build trust and promote authority, shifting the odds in your favour when it comes to attracting new customers.

So, if you’re not asking for testimonials, now is the time to make this part of your content strategy and unleash your hidden superpower.

Trust and Credibility

Information is everywhere and options are endless, which can be good news for the savvy consumer but also someone overwhelming. If there’s so much choice, how do you stand out in a crowd and ensure your message is reaching the right audience?

Testimonials are far more than just comments or feedback, they’re a stamp of recognition for your work and are powerful tools that can absolutely influence buying decisions but also be the difference between someone completing a contact form or moving on. Testimonials enhance your credibility because they’re genuine, they’re evidence based and can be substantiated, which is important in a world full of ‘unlikely’ endorsements.

If your existing customers and prospects can see true positive experiences from like-minded businesses, your trust and credibility become evident. Over and above that, testimonials are a clear and concise platform for demonstrating your key skills, experience, and knowledge.

Authenticity

Testimonials add that touch of legitimacy other forms of marketing may struggle to achieve and because they are personal accounts of your customers, they give the reader a genuine insight to your organisation and skill set. Prospective customers will find comfort in the shared experiences of others, providing them with confidence to make those all-important informed decisions.

Social Proof and Influence

In all walks of life, we often turn to our peers for guidance and in fact even the most steadfast of competitors will look to each other for advice. Testimonials act as social proof and will validate your product and services through the endorsement of others. You want to be able to influence your prospective customers and showcase your ability to solve their business need, therefore seeing those positive experiences and success stories reduces the perceived risk of a new business relationship and will foster confidence in making that decision.

Visibility

Testimonials can also contribute to your online visibility. When a testimonial mentions specific features, benefits, or experiences, these keywords can help improve your website’s SEO making it easier for potential customers to find you online when searching for related terms.

Telling your story

What better way to convey a compelling story than having others endorse you. A good testimonial conveys feelings and outcomes and should connect emotionally with your readers. Capturing the satisfaction of your customers and how they’re feeling about your services will create a connection with like-minded organisations, making your business a more appealing prospect and encouraging that call to action.

Harnessing the power of your testimonials

Inherently, asking our customers for help can appear a little unnatural but that one call or email could unleash some incredibly powerful marketing, which you can showcase proudly, and rightly so. Instil asking for testimonials as part of your day-to-day marketing and before long, you’ll wonder why you left it so long. Here’s some tips to help you get the best from the process:

• Encourage customers to share their experiences in all aspects of your marketing communications, making it easy for them to give that feedback.
• Showcase and signpost to your testimonials via your website, socials, and comms.
• Build-up a variety of formats as you develop, such as written reviews, video testimonials and more in-depth case studies.
• Tailor to relevant audiences by addressing different scenarios. For example, you may wish to showcase particular relationships within the business such as sales, marketing, vendor etc.

In conclusion, testimonials should form part of your everyday marketing strategy as they provide authenticity, credibility and trust. Used effectively, you will develop stronger relationships with existing customers and attract new.

Go on, be brave and all your hard work will pay dividends…