Introduction
Today, more than ever, businesses need a strong competitive edge to survive in the current market. (Check out my blog 6 Copywriting Tips to Help Keep Small Businesses Ahead of The Competition here).
In the blog below, the spotlight is on how client testimonials can influence and get buy-in from prospects to ultimately convert to clients of small and medium sized businesses.
Why are client testimonials powerful for a business?
At the heart of it, it is because they act as external validation of a business’s service or product. It is not just the business saying that the product or service they are offering is good, it is customers expressing satisfaction.
Think about how we might select a restaurant or a hotel; often times we will look to reviews provided by others to help inform our decision. It is no different when a potential client is choosing whether to purchase a product or service through Company A versus Companies B through to Z.
This blog will explore, in more depth, how customer testimonials are beneficial to business.
1. Earning client trust
It is imperative that clients feel they can trust a business. Social proof through positive client testimonials is one strategy by which a basis of trust can be established. This is because prospects can see that a business has earned trust from other customers through consistently providing value.
2. Answers the ‘What’s in it for me?’ (WIIFM) client question
One of the fundamentals of a successful business is providing a product or service that responds to the needs of customers. Or another way of putting this is that a business is successful in addressing the ‘What’s in it for me?’ question from a customer perspective.
Yes, it is important that the business itself communicates the benefits of the product or service on offer. But, to really seal the deal, past customers sharing positive experiences might just help turn a ‘maybe’ into a ‘yes’ in the mind of a potential customer.
3. Provides more of a human feel
Client testimonials can help foster a human connection. Why is this important? Operating a business in the online or virtual world has many benefits. However, one drawback is the lack of human connection that is easier for a physical business to establish.
This is where client testimonials can help plug this gap. They provide feedback from those who have had purchasing experience with a business. They can start to give more of a human look and feel to a business and make the all-important emotional connection that might otherwise not exist.
4. Can trigger effortless business promotion
Having client testimonials can act as a platform which entices voluntary comment by customers. In addition, positive feedback may be communicated by customers on other social media platforms resulting in the business indirectly reaching a broader audience.
5. Can provide insightful customer feedback
Customer testimonials can reveal rich data on the wants and needs of customers. Indeed, the information gleaned through this channel of customer feedback may uncover which aspects of a business product or service are highly (or not) desirable. Such insights can assist a business in refining the product or service to better match customer needs.
Conclusion
As outlined in this blog, there are 5 good reasons for small and medium sized businesses to invest time and effort into harnessing client testimonials when looking to gain a competitive edge in the market. These testimonials build trust, address the ‘What’s in it for me?’ customer question, provide more of a human feel to online businesses, assist with business promotion and can provide informative customer feedback.
These authentic, external and independent sources of business endorsement can be a game-changer for a business’s success.
Check out this article by Forbes which reiterates the points covered in this blog plus some additional useful tips.
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