You nailed the sale, but better yet, your client absolutely loves the album you designed for them! Rock on! So now what? This is a great time to ask for a testimonial, someone who can vouch just how great you and your business are. Testimonials can be a powerful tool that creates trust and authority, which can help potential clients move ahead with the sale. Here are a few thoughts to help you get the most out of your testimonials.

Ask Specific Questions

We all appreciate people saying, "He's a fantastic photographer!" but what does it tell your potential clients? Not much. More than likely they’ve seen that same review on a competitor’s website. Think of testimonials like fingerprints. They should be different and unique because no two person's experiences are the same. So, how do you get that kick-butt testimonial? By guiding your clients with specific questions. Remember, most of your clients are not writers and could use a little help. What pain did they have, and how did your services overcome them? How did they feel before using your services vs. how they felt after? What objections did they have before deciding to work with you, and how were they overcome? What specific result did they obtain? What would they say to somebody who’s on the fence about using your services? Questions like these will help you get a testimonial that will drive home the impact of your photography.

Get Creative

Most businesses provide clients with the same old generic “testimonial form” that acts as a necessary evil. It's okay, but again, is it really getting those juicy testimonials that move the needle of your business? Not really. If you want testimonials that have the potential to become viral, get creative! Ask for a testimonial in the form of a video. Ask for a headshot to put a face with the words. This will add trustworthiness to the review and weight and authority to your business.

Don’t Wait Too Long 

Even years after a sale has been completed, a client might come back with a glowing review. But, the best time to strike is when the iron is hot! Shortly after receiving their album is a perfect moment to ask since your client will be the most enthusiastic about it. Their entire experience will be the freshest on their mind. Waiting too long can result in forgetting the ever so fine details involved in photography and making an album. So don’t wait; send your client an email right away asking them if they wouldn’t mind sharing their thoughts about their experience. You might be surprised how willing they are to help you out!

Say Thank You

Remember, you asked them for a favor, and it would be rude not to thank them. Keeping that in mind, you may want to include a discount for a future purchase or some other incentive for filling out a testimonial. Don’t worry; most testimonials are given freely because people love to talk about how awesome something is. And if you're part of the Vision Art family, you're 1000% awesome.

Show Them Off

Now that you have the testimonials, what do you do with them? Post them! Put it up on your Instagram, Facebook, or any other social media platform you use. Include them in your emails to remind past clients how great you still are. We recommend keeping all your testimonials and positive feedback in a specific place so it’s easy to find when you need to publish one.

In summary: Get great testimonials by asking specific questions, being creative, not waiting too long for feedback, thanking your clients, and showing them off. Speaking of testimonials, ahem, I think this would be a great time for us to ask one from you. Fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts. If you perfer email, don't shy away from sending us your thoughts to [email protected].