How To Ask For A Review Or Testimonial

Reviews & testimonials – do you feel confident in how and when to ask for them?

It can be a crucial part of business building so being prepared with when and how to ask for a review is beneficial.

Asking for reviews and testimonials sits high on the list of things many of my clients struggle with doing. It's almost always something we work on during our time together. Just like people don't want to come off as salesy, many people are afraid to ask for a review/testimonial. I get it, it feels vulnerable to ask someone to say something kind about you.

The reason you need to be willing to ask is, as much as people value you and your work, they'll likely not think to do it on their own.

It's the same reason I constantly say you have to ask for the sale. Many people will not make a conscious decision to move forward until you invite them. A review/testimonial is no different.

The side benefit for the person who writes the testimonial is they'll feel great about doing something that benefits you. And, more importantly, they'll be helping others make a decision to work with you. There's a big chance people will not hire you if you don't have reviews/testimonials. People want to know they're making a smart decision when hiring you and reviews/testimonials support their choice.

For some people, they're just not sure when the appropriate time to ask is and that's why they don't do it.

Here's a good rule of thumb for you to know when to ask for a review/testimonial: The best time is when your client is raving about your product/service or their experience of working with you.

Please note, that doesn't mean you can't ask even if they're not raving. By all means, ask for a review/testimonial whenever the time feels right. You can also go back to former clients and ask for reviews even if it's been months or even years since they worked with you. Your best testimonials will likely come from your more current clients. Have a plan in place to ask. Make it a habit.

How To Ask For A Review

So, let's talk about the best way to ask for a review/testimonial. The next time a client is raving about you, consider saying:

“Thank you for your kind words. I so appreciate working with you. Is it ok to ask if you'd be willing to write a review and/or a testimonial about your experience that I could post on my website?”

It's unlikely a client would say to no to a sincere request such as what's written above.

When reaching  out to former clients, here's some possible language:

“The purpose of contacting you is to ask for a favor. Would you be willing to share your experience of working with me through a review which you could post here (include a link to the appropriate site where the review will be listed)? It would be greatly appreciated to have your insight and feedback to help others find their way to my work.”

Keep in mind, depending on how long it's been, you might not get a ton of responses from former clients. However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least reach out and ask. The former client may be thrilled to hear from you and even have further need of your services.

One of the things I encourage my clients to do is to write reviews/testimonials for others.

When's the last time you helped promote someone's work? Be the example of the person who recognizes others. You'll stand out when you do this.

Reviews don't always have to be for people you've paid money too either. When you benefit from a conversation with someone, free content they put out in the marketplace, a sample of their product, etc, be willing to share your experience with others. It's highly influential when someone you know, like, and trust rave about someone's product/service. For many of us, we often hire people our friends rave about and/or earn business from referrals of happy clients.

A Humble Request

In closing, please allow me to ask a favor of you. For those who've benefited from my work, would you be willing to leave a review and/or write a testimonial so others may gain insight into what's it's like to engage with me?

Here are a few possible ways to leave a review/write a testimonial. Please pick your preference(s):

Leave A Review On Google

LinkedIn Recommendation

Review The Selling Staircase Book On Amazon

Review Buying Signals Book on Amazon

Review Influencing With Grace Book on Amazon

Write A Review, please email it to nikki@yoursalesmaven.com

Your feedback is greatly appreciated. The most rewarding part of my work is hearing from people who've found value and/or implemented a technique and earned a new client as a result.

Now it's your turn. Who will you be asking first for a review/testimonial?

Wishing you continued success in all you're doing.

For more actionable sales strategies like this, download the FREE Closing The Sale Ebook! Or, to hear a relevant podcast episode, tune in to this on-air coaching call: Episode 172- Ways To Incentivize Customers