Using Customer Testimonials Effectively

Imagine you're looking for a tradesperson. Two websites look equally good, both offer the same service at a similar price. On one there are three sentences from real customers with names and locations, on the other nothing of the sort. Who do you call? This is exactly the quiet decision your visitors make every day. Testimonials, that is customer voices and reviews, are often the difference between «interesting» and «I'll go with them».

In this article I'll show you, without jargon, why social proof works so powerfully, how to get good testimonials and how to use them so they really lead to more deals.

Why social proof is so persuasive

People take their cue from other people. When we're unsure, we look at what others in the same situation did. This behaviour is called social proof. On your website that means: a visitor believes you're doing good work more readily when it's not you claiming it, but your customers.

That's no marketing trick, but human. You yourself probably read the reviews first before visiting a restaurant or making an online purchase. This very reflex you can put to use, honestly and with genuine voices.

What makes a good testimonial

Not every review works. «Great, always happy to come back!» sounds nice but convinces no one, because it's interchangeable. Strong testimonials are concrete and tangible. Watch for these points:

• Concrete result: what improved for the customer? «Since the new presence we get twice as many enquiries» works more strongly than general praise.
• Real person: full name, company and ideally a photo turn an anonymous sentence into credible proof.
• A concern overcome: when a customer tells that they were sceptical at first, hesitant visitors feel understood.
• Natural language: leave the customer's words as they are. Everyone instantly recognises polished ad copy.

How to get genuine testimonials

Many hesitate because they think they'd have to ask their customers for a favour. In truth it's much easier if you ask at the right moment, namely when satisfaction is greatest, right after a successful project or delivery.

Make it easy for your customers:

• Ask personally by email or phone, not via an anonymous form.
• Give a head start: three short questions like «What was your starting situation?», «How did the collaboration go?» and «What improved?» are easier to answer than an empty field.
• Offer to word the text: you write a draft, the customer approves it. That saves them time and gets you a usable voice.
• Get written approval before you publish name and photo. That's simply part of it.

Google reviews are worth gold too. Actively ask satisfied customers for a review, a short link in your closing email works wonders.

Where testimonials really work

A dedicated «References» page that no one visits brings little. Customer voices unfold their power where the visitor is making a decision right then. Place them strategically:

• On the home page, once it's clear what you offer, as confirmation that it works.
• Right next to the contact form or the order button. This is exactly where people hesitate, and a fitting sentence removes the last doubt.
• On the service pages, matching the respective offer. A voice about «website relaunch» works most strongly on the relaunch page.

If you'd like to measure whether this placement actually brings more enquiries, a look at conversion tracking is worthwhile, so you see in black and white what works.

Common mistakes that cost trust

As strong as testimonials are, their effect tips into the opposite just as quickly when they seem fake. These mistakes I see again and again:

• Made-up reviews: hands off. They harm your reputation and are legally delicate in Switzerland. Authenticity is the whole foundation.
• Only first names or «M. K. from Z.»: anonymous voices seem constructed. Better a few genuine ones than many nameless ones.
• Outdated voices: praise from 2018 makes you look as if nothing has happened since. Keep the selection fresh.
• Too much of a good thing: twenty hymns of praise in a row no one reads. Three to five strong, well-placed voices are more effective.

Start small, stay honest

You don't need a dozen reviews to get going. Two or three honest, concrete voices in the right place bring more than an empty references page. Just ask your next satisfied customer, most happily say yes, you only have to bring it up.

If you're thinking about how to sensibly build customer voices into your website or make your presence more convincing overall, we'll gladly look at it together. Write to me via the contact form, with no obligation and personal. You'll find more practical tips for SMEs in my other articles.