Top of mind for me lately is getting testimonials from those I have done business with. There are many reasons for this, not the least that people are over 70% more likely to buy a product or service that someone has recommended. Depending on this assessment, that number can go much higher, like 92%, but I’ll take the first one. This assessment that I’m working on is some excellent ways that customers and associates can share with all of you how doing business with me has impacted them, but for. Still, I found a great article from EntreResource.com called How to Generate Amazing Testimonials by Asking Just 3 Simple Questions by Nate McCallister, which explains the logic behind why testimonials are so important, well as some tips on handling them. This is, of course, in addition to his three questions to ask.

Though I’ll save the three questions to ask for future consideration (or you can read them in the article), he does share five “best practices” for getting testimonials. First, don’t call your request a “survey” when you reach out to people, call it “three quick questions” so people are more likely to take a second and answer them. People hate surveys. Second (out of order in the article) is to consider using a form online. In this way you can gather results quickly and measure them in some ways. The last three best practices are similar so we’ll group them together. Never post a testimonial without permission, stay within the elaw (about posting false information mostly), and only take from social media occasionally and always with permission of the poster.

Testimonials are never on accident. They are always on purpose though they sometimes can be organic as someone shares a good experience that they had with you or your business. Don’t miss out on them to build your business, but also to build your relationship with the person who was kind enough to give it. Both efforts will always pay off.