No matter what kind of marketing strategy or gimmick you try to implement for your business, nothing will be more impactful than testimonials. After all, humans are social creatures, and we’re more inclined to trust a product or service when we hear other people vouch for it. At CloudMellow, we’re a digital marketing agency with years of experience, and we’ve seen first-hand the power of testimonials and the benefits they can have for our clients. We’re here to help you understand what testimonials are, and how you can get them.

What Is a Testimonial?

A testimonial is a verbatim quote from a client or customer that indicates what they think about your business. In short: they are words of support from other people. Since companies tend to be more successful through word of mouth, testimonials bolster your credibility and increase customers’ desire to engage with you.

Why Are Testimonials Valuable?

Testimonials are invaluable tools for building trust. Even before prospective customers whip out their credit cards and part with their hard-earned money for your sake, they first sift through what other customers have said about you before they take the plunge. When they find that tons of other people have endorsed you, the more likely they would want to agree to do business with you.

In addition to building trust, testimonials can also be useful in counteracting negative feedback. At CloudMellow, gathering new testimonials is one of the many tools we use when helping clients with their reputation management. If your business has only a single negative testimonial in a sea of positive ones, you can still expect a higher chance of attracting customers.

How Can I Get Testimonials?

You’re doing your business a disservice if you’re not making it a habit to collect testimonials, and you should make asking for them a regular part of operations. If you’re not sure where to get started, you can always contact CloudMellow. We’re experienced at working with clients to gather reviews. Here are some of our best tips and guidelines for collecting them:

• Set Up an Automated Process

Make collection easier by setting up an automated process that can be second nature to you. You can create an email template that you can use every time you reach out to clients or customers. If you don’t have the expertise to develop an automated process, we can do it for you.

• Bribery Is a No-No

As much as you want customers to voluntarily provide you with positive feedback, it’s also wrong to incentivize them with discounts or bonuses just for the sake of gaining more testimonials. It will be hard to know which ones are legitimate and which ones aren’t, and it will counteract all the hard work you’ve put in before. If you have questions on your methods of gathering reviews, feel free to ask us. As a digital marketing agency with experience in navigating these waters, our job is to help you maintain your reputation by avoiding any communication practices that could be detrimental.

• Be Specific

Merely stating, “leave us a review” won’t suffice. You have to offer a specific way of sending in testimonials, like your company’s email, a social media page, or a landing page. CloudMellow can help you simplify this process by picking the method that makes things the easiest for your business.

• Be Consistent

Just because you’ve accumulated a ton of positive reviews doesn’t mean you will have to stop your efforts in collecting them. It’s important to keep the momentum. Studies show that 40% of consumers refer to reviews two weeks old or newer when making purchasing decisions, so make sure that your testimonials are updated.

• Consider Video Testimonials

A testimonial is already an effective marketing tool in and of itself, but you know what can make it more impactful? When it’s in video form. Apart from the obvious fact that most humans are visual learners, marketers consider video as the type of content with the best ROI. There is also enough data that suggest that website visitors who watch videos tend to stay on the site for two minutes longer than those who don’t.

Simplify Gathering Testimonials with Help from CloudMellow

Testimonials are, without a doubt, one of the best ways to help your business. Using testimonials on your website, landing page, or social media channels can help you generate more conversions, and having that bank of positive feedback can help manage your reputation and gain a competitive advantage. To start harnessing the power of testimonials for your business, get in touch with CloudMellow today at 904-294-6962 or [email protected].