Game changing automations: How to ask for customer testimonials
You have customers who’ve had a positive experience doing business with you. Some of them have even provided positive comments about it. But how much can it help your business to repurpose those statements into lead- and sales-generating material?
Significantly—especially now. In fact, 81% of people trust online reviews as much as a recommendation from a friend or family member. During the pandemic, that dynamic actually increased with 31% claiming they read even more online reviews when considering a business.
The takeaway when considering how to ask for customer testimonials: Creating efficient methods and pathways is crucial if you hope to keep up with your competition.
The who, when, and how of asking for customer testimonials
Numbers don’t lie. It’s clear that glowing testimonials can become the lifeblood of your business. So how do you get a steady pipeline going? Using a little creativity and time-saving automations, you can make the process of asking for testimonials as easy as a few clicks.
Who should you ask for a testimonial?
The answer is pretty simple: Ask happy customers when they are at their happiest.
Certainly, you can try asking for testimonials from customers who had a few hiccups along the way. Some marketers do a remarkable job of showcasing their responsiveness through less-than-ideal situations, shaping those turnaround stories into customer service campaigns.
But we suggest focusing on the happy customers before graduating to that level of marketing judo.
When should you ask for a testimonial?
A customer is almost always happiest when they have successfully done business with you and are still basking in the positive experience. This is also when they will remember the most detail, like how you answered their every question, addressed their individual needs in stellar fashion, or provided solutions above and beyond the ask.
Then, you’re ready to use those wonderful customer stories to attract more leads, turn those leads into customers, and convert even more happy customers into fans willing to share their testimonials.
How should you ask for a testimonial?
Some use surveys. Some prefer text. Most decide on the tried-and-true medium of email.
No matter what you choose, the smart choice is to simplify the testimonial process with automation. Doing this manually would be an absolute time suck. But by automating through a platform like Keap, you can sit back and watch the kind words roll in, all on their own.
Try the “Testimonial Request” automation
Things may get a little awkward if you have to personally ask for each and every testimonial. Thank goodness sales and marketing automation is here to help you avoid those uncomfortable interactions altogether. Let’s get started:
Challenge
You need more client testimonials, but often forget to ask clients to submit them.
Solution
Automate it so you never forget! The system asks for you, so no more awkwardness for you or the client.
How to set up the automation
For this automation, you’ll need to create these assets:
- Email: Your story – Invite happy clients to share the details of their achievements with you.
- Email: Ask for it – Give your clients prompt questions they can answer to write their testimonials.
- Text: Care to share? – Request the client reply to a text with a testimonial.
Then, set up these components in Keap, or other software of your choice:
- "Testimonial requested” and “Testimonial given” tags in CRM
- Automation for email and text message delivery
How to run the automation:
- Make sure you segment your audience so that anyone you already have a testimonial from doesn’t get this series. Assign them the “Testimonial given” tag.
- Send the series out to your current and/or recent clients as broadcast messages and apply the “Testimonial requested” tag.
- Set the automation to run for new clients going forward.
- Make sure any new testimonials that come in get marked with a “Testimonial given” tag, either manually or as part of an automation.
How to measure success
Success metric to monitor:
- The increase in your number of client testimonials
Want to see more ways automation can level up your business?
Trade busy work for more valuable time with our ebook: 10 Game Changing Automations to Boost Your Sales.
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