Introduction
Are you a life coach who has served a few clients now? Great! Now is the time to get testimonials for the hard work you’ve done. It is estimated that 82 percent of consumers read reviews prior to making a purchase. While it may seem like an intimidating task, getting testimonials is an important step to gain credibility as a life coach. Think of testimonials like your report card. Do a good job and you should have little issue obtaining them. This article is meant to guide you through the process on how to get client testimonials the right way so you can have an easier time losing your fear and displaying the credibility you earned.
Quality of Testimonials
Before we dive deep into how to obtain testimonials, I first have to mention that the quality of the testimonials matters. You want your testimonial to be a reflection of your hard work. The more details the testimonial contains, the more credibility you get, and the more conversions you are likely to receive. First, we would go over a low quality testimonial.
Low Quality Testimonials
Low quality testimonials are those that may sound positive, but offer no concrete evidence to back up the statements. They will often be too long, and have generic phrasing like “I really enjoy my time with this coach” or “The work we did was really great!” and sometimes be over the top. Since genuine appreciation is hard to fake, these testimonials will sound exaggerated. EG. “I increased sales over 1000 percent by just attending a few sessions!” These types of testimonials may make you feel good, but are they contributing to giving you credibility? They usually go on for too long, and most of the content is just fluff, with no real substance, or over-the-top claims.
What makes a great testimonial?
A great testimonial is one that gets straight to the point. Their review does not beat around the bush and gets to what’s important: the results. They will usually be around 3 to 5 short phrases long, and will include concrete examples of how the life coach has helped the client. It can be in the form of percentage of increase in output, or how the clients whole demeanor and mindset changed. The testimonial will also have information that can be verified as well, such as the client’s age and other relevant personal information.
Why stop with a written word? It has been shown that a 1 minute video has an equal amount of retention rate than 1.8 million written words, and could lead to up to 800% higher conversion rates than landing pages without videos. So don’t hesitate to ask your reviewers to record their testimonial using their smartphone.
Right Time to Get Testimonials
Before we go on to how to obtain a testimonial, we first have to figure out when it’s the right time to obtain one. You don’t want to obtain a testimonial from someone who is just starting out with you because they would not have much substance in their endorsement for you. That is why you want to focus on clients who can attribute completing an important milestone to the work that you’ve done together. You also want to make sure that they are at their happiest with you as well, and that they are seeing the benefits of the work you’ve done together. You should also examine any messages or monitor your talks with your client and make note of any positive feedback. If they naturally say that they enjoy working with you, for example, then that may be an indicator that you should ask for a testimonial. Look for positive reviews on other aggregator sites like Yelp for example, or any social media posts of theirs that leave a stellar word about working with you. If you decided that now is the right time to get a testimonial, read on further.
How to get client testimonials (the right way)
If you are at your happiest so far with your client, and they are seeing the benefits of your work, then getting a testimonial should be less difficult. Start by first asking them if they can provide any feedback. Be careful to be straightforward but not pushy. If your clients are hesitant about giving testimonials, perhaps frame it as giving feedback. Next hand them a questionnaire that includes questions directly related to the work that you’ve done together. Some questions can include what was your life before meeting with you, how has your life changed since then, why were you in need of a life coach? Etc. If they prefer to give their input another way, be open to the types of communication that they may want to use. One great way to get a testimonial is after a project is completed. Ask for a quick video interview and ask them to describe the positives of working with you. Another important thing, make sure you get their permission to publish their testimonial in whatever channels you want to promote it in.
Figuring out how to get client testimonials can be an intimidating process for most new coaches
What to do if you are getting started
If you have not coached anyone yet, you might worry that it is impossible for you to obtain testimonials. In this case, your best bet is to reuse testimonials from previous work, or to ask people you know to write a testimony to the quality of your character. At the very least, this will reassure people that you are a trustworthy individual and can give you something to work with until you can get more relevant testimonials.
I got my testimonial. Now what?
Now that you got your testimonial, and your client has given you permission to publish it, you have to promote it. One of the best places to place your testimonials is on your website. It has been observed that having great testimonials on your website can lead to higher conversion rates as well as a higher domain rating, which is important if you want to compete. Other places you can insert it include your business social media profiles including your LinkedIn profile, your bio on other websites and on your ads as well.
Conclusion
Having testimonials can be a great contributing factor to your success. Of course, to pull it off right, you have to get high quality testimonials that actually demonstrate your ability to get things done. Make sure that they include hard data and a description of how your client’s life was changed. You also want them to be trustworthy, so make sure to include relevant information such as their age, location, income among other information if they feel comfortable. If you follow these tips, then no doubt that your credibility will go through the roof! If you want to read about more life coaching topics, visit our blog at coach.today/blog
