Testimonials are critical for online marketing, whether you’re a freelancer or not.
The reason is that people care a lot more about what others have to say than what you have to say about yourself. Why? Because we’re all inherently biased.
We think our designs are the best and our customer service is second to none. And even if we don’t believe it, we want our customers to think so since we’re trying to get them to buy whatever we’re selling. We always put our best foot forward, and rightly so.
But customers are aware of this. They know that everything you have to say should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, you think your designs and professionalism are amazing, but how do your customers feel? What do they have to say about what you do?
This is where client testimonials come in handy. They back up whatever you say with words directly from clients’ mouths, providing a nearly unfiltered view of who you are and what you do (they’re slightly filtered of course because we decide which testimonials to include on our sites).
So when’s the best time to ask for a testimonial? Continue reading to learn more.
The Best Time To Ask For Client Testimonials
The best time to ask for client testimonials is … wait for it … whenever you’ve finished a project and your clients are the most happy.
That’s the absolute best time to ask for a testimonial because that’s the exact moment when clients have the most to say about your product or service—right after you’ve finished something they’re satisfied with.
But it isn’t quite as easy as it sounds. Sometimes you finish a project, make a client happy, and then move on to the next project, forgetting to ask for a testimonial. You know they’re important, but you’ll ask for one later.
That’s a big mistake.
The first reason it’s a mistake is that you may end up forgetting to ask for one. It seems like something you’ll never forget, but after a few months, you can fail to ask the client for a testimonial.
The second reason is that clients’ moods change. Sometimes they’re really happy with what you do, and other times they’re less satisfied. This doesn’t mean you’re a terrible designer; it’s just due to the fact that people’s moods fluctuate. As soon as a project is finished, they may be ecstatic, but six months later they may be ready for a new design.
So your first objective is to ask for a testimonial as soon as a project is finished and as soon as your client is the most happy. This ensures you gather the most effective testimonials possible.
A Quick Bonus Tip
Here’s a quick bonus tip: not only should you ask for testimonials when clients are the most happy, but you should also ask for the most specific testimony your client can give.
For example, a testimonial that says, “Designer X’s landing page design increased our conversion rates by 45%” is more powerful than a testimonial that says “Designer X is a great graphic designer. I highly recommend her!”
Both are great, and any testimonial is better than none at all, but the more specific the testimonial can be, the more powerful it will be. Testimonials that mention specific results or specific parts of the project will be more effective.
Here’s another example of a more detailed testimonial: “Designer X did an amazing job with our project from start to finish. Not only did she design a beautiful website, but she also provided incredible customer service and did everything we asked her to do. She finished on time and on budget. I highly, highly recommend her!”
Each of the specific items mentioned in this testimonial makes it more and more effective, so remember to ask clients to mention specific details whenever possible.
And there you have it: the absolute best time to ask for client testimonials and a bonus tip about how to ask for them. Do you have any questions about client testimonials? If yes, leave them in the comments below.
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