The Secret to Winning Customers: Let Your Testimonials Do the Talking

Read time: 5 minutes

Hello everyone,

This week, the Business Builder Bulletin is going to dive into:

• Why testimonials matter

• The power of testimonials💪

• The tale of the trust gap

• Your action step📝

I have been running regularly for the past couple of years, and managed to complete a 10k in June. However I recently broke my toe and have been trying to build back up my endurance after my recovery.

On Sunday morning I went for a run and for the first time since June, I managed to run 10k!🏃‍♂️

My route took me across a motorway bridge where the noise is always deafening, and it dawned on me that my running route is a good comparison with running a business.

The non stop flow of traffic is great, but can often be too overwhelming.

However the quiet country roads are similar to no enquiries, which isn’t great.

What’s ideal for a business is a constant stream of traffic flow.

One of the things that helps enormously with getting leads into businesses is people saying how great you are - their testimonials.

Do you collect testimonials or reviews? If not, why not?

When it comes to growing your business, few things are as powerful as a glowing testimonial.

It’s all about trust! It’s social proof that builds credibility and drives new clients to your door.

1. Trust and Credibility
   A good testimonial makes your business real in the eyes of potential clients. It answers the question, “Can they really deliver?” When others share how you’ve helped them succeed, it creates trust instantly.

2. Emotional Connection
   Stories are powerful. When a client describes how you solved their problem or transformed their business, it resonates on a personal level with others in the same situation.

3. Overcoming Doubts
   Testimonials address objections before they’re even voiced. They show, “If it worked for them, it can work for you, too.”

How to Get Great Testimonials

1. Ask at the Right Time
   The best time to ask is right after you’ve delivered great results. Your client is still in the glow of success and eager to share their experience.

2. Make it Easy
   Provide a simple template or a few key questions to guide their feedback. For example:

   • What problem were you facing before working with us?

   • How did our service help you?

   • What results have you seen?

3. Focus on Specifics
   General praise is nice, but specifics are gold. A testimonial like “Their advice helped us increase sales by 30% in just 3 months!” carries way more weight than “They’re great!”

Where to Use Testimonials

• Your Website: Add a dedicated page or sprinkle them throughout your site.

• Social Media: Share them as posts or stories with visuals for impact.

• Marketing Materials: Include quotes in brochures, email campaigns, or presentations.

• In-Person Pitches: Highlight client success stories to make your case compelling.

With online competition growing steadily higher, it’s important to be aware of the benefits that testimonials can have on your business:

Finally, Seeing positive testimonials makes 58% of consumers more likely to make a purchase, as they align with others' positive experiences.

Let me tell you a story about one of my clients, Mark, a builder. For years he delivered solid work to his clients. However, he noticed fewer people were reaching out to him directly for jobs. Instead, they turned to Facebook groups and online forums, asking, “Can anyone recommend a reliable builder?”

He scrolled through one such post one evening. It was filled with comments like:

• “Only trust someone who’s done work for someone you know!”

• “Avoid builders who only post their own ads. You can’t trust them.”

• “I need to see proof of happy customers before I even consider anyone.”

   It wasn’t that people didn’t need his skills—they just didn’t trust him, or any builder, at face value anymore.

Over the years, the building industry had been plagued by stories of unreliable tradespeople:

• Projects left incomplete.

• Poor quality materials used despite high quotes.

• Builders disappearing with deposits.

These tales spread quickly, fueled by social media and word of mouth, painting all builders with the same broad, mistrusting brush. Even professionals who had never let a client down, found themselves lumped into the same category.

On platforms like Facebook, potential clients began bypassing builders’ direct advertisements entirely. Instead, they trusted the voices of their peers. A recommendation from a happy customer meant far more than any self-promotion.

However he noticed that one of his clients had actually replied, a who he had just remodelled a kitchen for. She had enthusiastically commented:
“Mark did ours, and he was fantastic! Here’s a photo of our new kitchen. Feel free to message me if you want more details.”

That single comment led to two new inquiries for Mark the following week.

In today’s connected world, testimonials were more valuable than any ad he could pay for. He began asking every client for feedback, encouraging them to share their experiences on community forums or even tagging his business page in their posts. He also started documenting his work with before-and-after photos and posting them online, along with permission to share customer testimonials. Slowly, trust began to rebuild, one positive review at a time.

This story reflects a broader truth: whether you’re a builder, a coach, or any kind of professional, people trust people. And today, the most successful businesses are the ones that let their customers do the talking.

Your Action Step

Think about your happiest clients. Reach out to them this week and ask for a testimonial. Not only will it boost your credibility, but it also reminds your clients of the value you’ve delivered.

Make this part of your weekly/monthly plan , so you can build a library of testimonials- getting the customers to write the testimonials themselves is the best way forward. They could use Google or Facebook.

Remember, a great testimonial isn’t just a reflection of your past success—it’s a promise of what’s possible for your future clients. Customers love positive reviews. The more the better! It's one of the things that separates you from your competitors.

Google reviews are also a great way to grow your testimonials.

Here’s to building trust and growing your business,
Graeme
Manchester Business Coaching

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