5 Top Tips For Securing Powerful Testimonials

The power of testimonials to secure new business is undeniable, as I am sure many of you reading this know.

In my own business helping furniture brands and interior designers with all aspects of their digital marketing, implementation and 24/7 revenue generation strategies for the past 13 years, I’ve been blessed to receive some very powerful and thoughtful testimonials.

I will share some of these with you here today, along with my 5 top tips + a BONUS TIP to help you secure strong testimonials for your interior design brand that will help your ideal clients find you and feel safe and comfortable hiring you, faster, when they do.

Ready?

TIP 1:

TIMING

The adage, “timing is everything” is so true when it comes to receiving testimonials.

As soon as your clients indicate how happy they are with your design work for them, or advice you have given them that has helped them solve a problem, is the exact right time to ask them to write a review for you.

That will be the moment when they are most motivated to sit down and take a few minutes to do it.

For instance: Mark called me for a quick, unpaid call, out of the blue. I took his call. Before we hung up, he told me exactly what you see below. I asked him while we were still on the phone, “ Would you be willing to put what you just told me in writing so I can use it on my new website? “

He said, “absolutely” and in 5 minutes I received this in an email.

TIP 2:

SPUR OF THE MOMENT TESTIMONIALS CAN BE VIDEO VS. WRITTEN.

Sometimes, on the spur of the moment, you might have the ability to capture a video testimonial - as shown below. Also, some clients prefer to give video testimonials - don’t be afraid to ask their preference.

How did this video testimonial, shown below, happen?

In 2018, I was Texas Design Week’s Education Day partner and Amanda and Selena from Studio Mackay Design attended. Afterwards they came up to me and told me to my face what they share in this video.

I asked them, “Would you be willing to put on video what you just told me?”

They said, “Absolutely* and so I took a minute to capture what they shared with me to my face, on video, where it now lives on my YouTube channel forever.

TIP 3:

MAKE IT EASY.

If your client indicates they are willing to write a testimonial for you, sometimes they will ask you, “Could you write it for me and then I will review and revise or can you send me a list of what you’d like me to say?”

Don’t be shy about sending them, immediately, a BULLET POINT list of some of the key phrases you would like them to use or write the testimonial they can revise as they see fit.

For instance, as many of you know, I worked extensively with interior designer Leslie Hendrix Wood, the owner of the Hadley Court blog and brand, for 4 years.

Leslie offered to write a testimonial for me, but asked me if I would write it so she could review it and revise it.

I did so and this is what she sent back. [ Note: very sadly, Leslie recently passed away, and I have revised this to reflect the name of my company now. When I was working with Leslie, it was still The Kaleidoscope Partnership. ]

TIP 4

DON’T BE AFRAID TO FOLLOW UP.

When your clients offer to write a testimonial for you, or if you ask them if they would be willing to, and they say, “Yes, I’d be happy to”, sometimes it might not happen right away due to their life circumstances.

Don’t be afraid to follow up with them and ask them if they would still be willing to write one for you. Most of the time, they will happily do it.

For instance, I just received this wonderful testimonial from New York City based celebrity interior designer, Robin Baron, President of Robin Baron Design.

Robin had offered to write this a while back, but her life circumstances took precedence, as they will for many of your own clients.

I gently nudged her and she immediately sent this to me.

TIP 5

SPECIFICITY MATTERS.

Most of the time, your clients, when they are really happy with your work, will ask you, “What would you like me to say?”

Ask them to be as specific and thorough as possible in detailing how you helped them as this helps your future potential clients understand what your strengths are when they are in the process of considering whether or not to hire you.

For instance, here are 3 testimonials I received from former interior designer clients { Jeannie Brown of Diva Design, Inc. and owner of luxury furniture manufacturer, Casa Marron, Laura Muller of Four Point Design Build and John Kelsey and Sally Wilson of Wilson Kelsey Design] that are extremely specific and thorough in detailing how I helped them.

These 3 past clients wrote these testimonials without input from me.

When people are genuinely happy with your work, they are happy to write thoughtful and specific reviews to help you grow your business, too.

And Jeannie, Laura and John: if you see this post: thank you for your business, for these incredible testimonials and your subsequent friendship.

You have all been a blessing in my life and it has been my joy to see you all succeed so powerfully - beyond the time of our professional work together.

BONUS TIP

GOOGLE REVIEWS MATTER TO YOUR ABILITY TO SHOW UP ON GOOGLE MAP, FIRST, IN YOUR CITY.

If your clients will also leave you a 5 star review on Google, this will increase your likelihood of showing up organically on Google Map when potential clients are searching for interior designer xyz city.

Always ask your happy clients if they would be willing to do this for you, too.

Here’s how to create a Google Review request link to send to a client to make it easy for them to leave you a review on Google:

https://support.google.com/business/answer/7035772?hl=en

Thank you all for reading this post, and my deepest thanks to the many clients I’ve had over the years who have also written me testimonials that are not included here.

I appreciate each and every one.

And if, after reading this post, I can help any of you - whether a furniture brand or interior designer - with your own business’ digital marketing or influencer marketing initiatives, please reach out to me at leslie@savourpartnership.com.

Leslie Carothers | @tkpleslie

Named One Of Home Furnishing News Magazine’s Top 40 Most Inspiring Women In Home
Named One of 2021’s Top 200 Influencers In Interior Design

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Leslie Carothers, CEO of Savour Partnership