Client feedback is the greatest asset of every business. When that feedback is exceptionally positive, finding a place to display it online is key. Put it within the frame of a tech company, and client testimonials take on a new importance: as tech is one of the most significant investments any client can make, positive testimonials can be the dividing line between getting new business and struggling to land new clients.
Positive, recent testimonials showcase the best of your ability to please your clients and fulfill their business needs. They function as a high-speed word-of-mouth, telling prospective clients that you can be trusted and, more importantly, you can exceed their expectations.
Here are five ways you can get those great client testimonials right where you need them: online, where everyone can see.
1. LinkedIn recommendations.
If you’re not on LinkedIn yet – or if you’re on LinkedIn, but you’re not using it to its fullest extent – this is step one to take into consideration. LinkedIn recommendations allow your clients to tag you personally, but those recommendations will be visible to everyone in their network, giving you a much bigger platform than your own website might provide.
2. End-of-work survey.
Put a little bit of effort into creating a survey that you can send out to your clients when you complete a job for them – and make sure to make it as easy and as painless to fill it out as possible. The best time to get the client testimonials you need is right after the work is complete, when the job is still fresh in your clients’ mind. While we’re sure you have a feedback form in mind, this is slightly different: it asks your client what the overall project experience was like, and it doesn’t need to be as complicated as a feedback form, making it much more likely that your client will fill it out fast.
3. Showcase your projects.
All the client testimonials in the world won’t help you generate business if you don’t show the proof of your work – but it goes deeper than that. It can’t just be a case of putting your favourite projects into a slideshow on your website and hoping for the best: you need a dedicated section where you can show your work, talk about the thinking behind it, and add in that client feedback that we mentioned above. The more detailed an explanation there is, the more insight a prospective client gains into the way you work – and the more your existing testimonials will be put into perspective.
4. Give your clients somewhere to put their reviews.
Building a good relationship with your clients aside, making their lives a lot easier is part and parcel of generating the kind of testimonials that you’d be proud to display on your website. If you’re in constant contact, you might want to provide them a link to somewhere they can leave feedback; if not, make sure your website is easy to navigate, and include a testimonial page as a matter of course. The easier you make it to leave reviews, the much more likely your clients will be happy to provide you with reviews – and to recommend you to their business partners, friends, and family.
5. The personal touch is key.
Beyond ease and convenience, there’s a single important factor you need to keep in mind: no client is going to review your work if they feel like a simple entry in your business process. While it’s going to take a little extra time on your end, building a relationship with your client isn’t just important – it’s becoming increasingly necessary just to do business, let alone to generate feedback on your work. Above everything else, a good relationship with your client will smooth the road for that testimonial you can put your company reputation behind – and open up new opportunities for growth.
Testimonials are an effective and cost-effective way to build your brand reputation within the industry, and it can definitely lead to new work opportunities in the long run, but it can be complicated to navigate on your own. If you need help setting up your external communication as a B2B company, drop us a line, and let’s do this!
