Insthinktive Influencing
Systemise Your Testimonial Process
WE are huge fans of technology and of using CRM systems to manage your sales pipeline and marketing interactions with clients. We have used a CRM for 8 years now and am a keen advocate, and there are many great packages available to you to use.
The key point is to have a system to remind yourself about the follow up. I could never manage effectively until I used a CRM
Here’s a couple of things to decide
– When should you check in with a new client after you commence business with them.
We do this after 12 weeks as we tend to meet our clients weekly or fortnightly. Previously this was a 4 week cycle for me. I would always review face to face every 4 weeks.
-Block schedule time in your month (literally make appointments with yourself) to follow up with new clients and indeed existing clients. Make it a regimented task.
-Design a simple questionnaire which you can use for your phone calls or face to face visits. They?l give you structure and con?dence and they convey professionalism to the
clients.
-Always ask permission to use their comments.
-Use the opportunity to get feedback on the type of improvements they? love to see in your service or product and why.
-Use the opportunity to ask about other services or products they may have a need for.
-Clearly it’s a great opportunity to ask for a referral so here’s a quick tip. Ask your client to refer you to another prospect and hand them a form with the details of what you need. Name, email contact details. Then ask where the loo is. Yes get out and give them some space and time to think. It is less threatening and gives both of you a break.
When you return thank them for the referral and then simply ask if they would phone or email the person to let them know you?l be in touch.
Testimonials That Work
-When they are focused on the end results
-When there are clear measurables
-When they are packed with emotions. We had a great time, working with… ?he team really enjoyed working with ?.
-When there are speci?cs about what worked
-When there is a real person behind the quote. Having simply Joe Managing Director Banking Sector just doesn? work. It doesn? sound believable. Real people, real positions, real companies make real connections.
-When you guide your clients. Sometimes your clients will want and need you to help write the testimonials.
Give them guidance, but don’t write it for them. Give them some ownership over the end result, whilst specifying what you would like.
Personal Testimonials
What if you had clients who just love to give testimonials in person. Thankfully IWe bene?ted enormously from the generosity of some of my clients.
I am mindful of my ?rst client in the UK in Scotland. Jim the Operations Director and Raymond the business owner, were passionate about their business. And were very passionate about how they wanted their suppliers to behave. Partnership was their true value.
And they were keen exponents of our service. To such an extent that they offered my prospects opportunities to visit their facilities and see ?rst hand how our service worked.
It was a true compliment to us and it was like a hot knife through butter when it came to reducing prospects ?rewalls. They were fans and I am eternally grateful for their support in the early years.
OK they may be the exception but they do exist. And you need to grasp those opportunities. Technology is now your best friend in this regard also. You have several options just using your IPhone can suffice.
-Video testimonials for your websites
-Video testimonial links on your ezines and emails.
-Audio testimonials
-Use photographs
-Use Linked In for powerful testimonials with full details of the giver.
Now I do live in the real world and understand that for some the mention of either a
camera or microphone is enough to make their brains freeze.
My suggestion is that again you write out some simple scripts to help them.
The emphasis is on simple here. Just put them at ease by positioning the recording.
?John all I? like you to do is ?rstly relax and just treat this as a conversation. There’s nobody else here, and if you aren’t 100% happy with the outcome we?l just delete it”
Now when i start the camera/microphone, I? like you to do just 3 things for me”
1) Introduce yourself by giving your name, your position and your business. And tell us brie?y what your business is/does for people
2) I? like you to just talk about your speci?c experience of working with us. What service did we provide to you? How did you ?nd the service. And what results did you achieve from working with us. Please be as speci?c as you can. For example We had the software installed and operational in 48 hours, and the impact was immediate. Our call waiting times were reduced by 25% and we increased our order intake by 5%?/span>
3) Lastly I? just like you to state if you would recommend us and why.
Always remember that this is a big deal for you, and your clients. So make sure you follow up.
-Send them a thank you note
-Send them a small gift of thanks (subject to their company rules on gifts)
-Send them a referral for new business
-Update them on any successes youWe enjoyed as a result of their testimonials.
Remember also NEVER stop looking for new and better testimonials.
Simple, but not easy…..
Next session;How to Maximise a Testimonial’s Value
