Everyone knows that testimonials are a great marketing tool for businesses to use on websites, brochures and advertisements, but when a friend or trusted business owner asks you to write one the task can seem daunting, and understandably so. It can sometimes feel as if you’ve been asked to write a eulogy for someone who is still alive, and your words will be immortalized for all the world to read. However, you don’t have to be a talented writer to write an honest, effective testimonial.
As a freelance consultant, I work with many business owners who use testimonials, but one of the most common complaints I hear is that, while people are usually very willing to agree to write a testimonial, few people actually get around to doing it. This puts the person requesting in an awkward position. They don’t want to nag, but knowing that glowing testimonials from real clients or former colleagues are invaluable for getting new business, or that next great job, and they also don’t want to miss the opportunity for a recommendation from you. So, understand that if someone asks you to write a testimonial, this is because you are considered a trusted client or friend. If you have agreed to give a testimonial, it is important to follow through and recommended that you do so within a week.
Once you have agreed to write a testimonial, start with the person who has requested it. If they haven’t already given you details on what type of testimonial they need, ask them if there is specific information that would be helpful to include: details of a specific project or product or service or general attributes. Usually they can give you some feedback that will be a good starting point along these lines, but don’t panic if they don’t.
Next, I recommend that you search the web for testimonials of those in the same or similar industry. For example, I recently wrote a testimonial for a friend who has also been a Pilates instructor of mine. So, in this case, I searched for “Pilates instructor testimonials” and viewed several pages of referral quotes for various instructors around the world. From here, I read many testimonials and made a note of which ones I thought were the most compelling from the perspective of a potential client. Then I wrote down some key adjectives and attributes that were used in these recommendations onto a notepad. Read as many examples as you can until you feel you have a good sense of what works and take notes accordingly.
Now, put those testimonials away so you won’t be tempted to plagiarize and review your notes for words and traits that you think also fit the description of the person or business you are writing about. Take those words and copy them down again and see if any inspiration comes just by seeing those words together. Then, go to a thesaurus. The thesaurus in your word processing software or Thesaurus.com will work just fine. Type in some of the words you have written and see if you can expand on them by finding other good synonyms. Copy down other descriptive terms that could work equally well and add them to your notes. Play around with putting these words into original, coherent sentences that express what you genuinely feel about the person, product or service.
A good testimonial doesn’t have to be long. Three to five sentences is ideal. First or third person point of view both work well, however third person allows you to add more specific details suitable for a new customer without sounding superficial. A few things to include: if you are writing about a specific person, be sure to mention their first name in your writing. Other important traits you can address are reliability, expertise, affordability, confidentiality, work-ethic, promptness, and accessibility, or how they handled a challenging situation, but most importantly, be sure to mention what success or progress you’ve had as a result of working with them or using their products.
Honesty is important (and ethical), so even if you feel you can’t recommend everything about the business or product line, focus on the actual strengths and you won’t lead anyone astray. It’s even beneficial to admit if you had doubts at first but were pleasantly surprised, because that serves the potential customer who may be having the same doubts.
Once you have composed a testimonial you feel comfortable with, proofread it for spelling and grammar and then send it over to the requestor with your name in the format you would like to appear with the quote. Perhaps you can negotiate a reciprocal link to your business website and generate some extra exposure. Or, if you wish to remain somewhat anonymous, you can ask that only your first name and last initial be included. They will appreciate that you took the time and effort to follow through on project that will help them attract new business and it’s likely you can count on a reciprocal favor from them if you are ever in need of a good reference in the future.
