Too often business owners neglect to commit time to something critical after a project is finished—asking the satisfied customer for a testimonial or review.

I had an interesting experience recently while working with a client who is an architect and general contractor of custom designed homes. A humble guy, he has shied away from seeking feedback from a field of very satisfied customers. I encouraged him to share their contact information so I could secure these testimonials. I contacted these past clients and interviewed them. Each had positive stories to tell and nothing but praise for both the client and his subcontractors. In fact, they often repeated the same positive remarks about attention to detail, highly skilled subcontractors, and attention to quality while seeking to keep price under control.

Following the interview, I created a testimonial summary, then verified it with each contributor. Once approved they were posted to the client’s website at www.salernohomesllc.com—allowing people searching for a local custom home designer/builder to discover the best evidence possible, testimonials from consistently satisfied clients over the years.

There are many benefits from sharing testimonials and reviews. They are a great way to get ahead of your competitors since less than 43% of B2B businesses are currently using reviews as part of their marketing strategy. Also consider 92% of buyers say they are more likely to purchase a product or service after reading a trusted review.

Other benefits include:
1. Increased trust and loyalty with existing customers
2. The opportunity to build trust and confidence in your business’ products and services with prospective customers
3. A chance to discover customer dissatisfaction and seek better ways to meet their needs
4. The chance to build on reviews and testimonials, creating more detailed case studies
5. Sharing positive testimonials in multiple ways: company website; LinkedIn profile page (at the beginning of about section); at the end of a proposal; social media—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, to name a few
6. Dropping positive testimonials and reviews into content shared via e-mail campaigns
One additional benefit is the chance to discover your company’s true value proposition—the real reason customers buy from you. These often are connected to the softer side of a business—how your team works with customers; promises kept; even phone demeanor. These types of testimonials have longevity since they are not tied to services or products that could go away.

Another benefit is that you can leverage positive testimonials and reviews by sharing them with your sales team and using them in sales literature. A potential buyer may avoid raising objections and further delays when they see the positive testimonials and reviews from a number of your satisfied customers.

Testimonials requested from customers are always positive, while reviews, like those posted on a Google Business Profile page, open the door to both positive and negative comments. The negative ones can be helpful, allowing you to address product or service issues and rebuild diminished trust. If the problem is acknowledged and resolved, it becomes a positive for your company.

I believe in practicing what I preach, so here are a couple testimonials from our current customers:

“When Corporate Images created an email marketing campaign for Green Ridge Cemetery, they understood our goal is to always do things right by conducting all business professionally and with great care. Careful professionalism truly sums up their efforts. Maureen’s expert communication skills made messages clear and engaging. They truly made this email marketing task easy for me while producing the results I needed.“

Peter Shaw Johnson
Green Ridge Cemetery, General Manager

“Corporate Images designed an easy to use and great looking website for us. Every page is colorful and focused on our key services so new customers know what we offer and contact us. And Corporate Images doesn’t just develop websites; they helped us redefine our goals and improve internal communications, and as a result—we’re growing.“

Peter Baylon
Belle City Fire & Safety, Owner

There you are. Testimonials and reviews are the perfect evidence that you satisfy your customers by providing them great products and services. Let your customers do the bragging about you while you focus on business. Remember we’re here to save you time and effort by requesting customer input, creating and seeking approval for the testimonials, and ensuring they are shared in a way future customers see them. Call us, and we’ll help you leverage your good work.