Have you developed a strategy in your photography business to use client testimonials?
Client testimonials give prospective customers an insight into the experience of working with you. It can give you the street cred needed to make that perfect client decide to fill out your contact form and start working with you.
Before you can USE testimonials, however, you first have to GET some!
Here are best practices for photographers to build a client testimonial strategy:
- Keep a “Kudos” folder on your computer, in your file drawer and/or email inbox. Add any thank you notes from clients. Most likely, these notes are praising your services! If you have all these in one place, you can draw on them for specific quotes when needed.
- Ask for a statement immediately. Do you have a client that just said something really profound and complimentary during the session? Don’t wait – ask him if he would be willing to email you what he just said! File it with the others.
- Set up your Google Business Profile. This will make it super easy for clients to do reviews of your services.
- Create a workflow for attaining referrals. After you deliver your portrait products, for instance, follow up with an email about a review. Add a link in the email to take her directly to your Google page for the review.
- Get specific & make it easy. Photography clients tend to just gush about “the pictures.” They don’t always think to mention the amazing touches you provided, or the beautiful wall portrait quality. If you hope they comment about that special thing you do, lead them to it! For example, you might really want the world to know you create beautiful wall concepts. Ask that client if she can include something in the review about how she felt when she first saw the beautiful wall you created. Or, if you pride yourself on making your headshot clients feel confident, ask her to write about how confident she felt during the session.
Ways to use reviews so prospects see what you’re all about:
- Use client testimonials throughout your site, not just on one page. Don’t have a page on your site just for client testimonials. Trust me, no one will go to that page just to read reviews, except maybe your mom! It’s a better idea to scatter testimonials on different pages of your site. When someone is looking at your services page, for example, include a prominent testimonial so a reader will see it. Add a relevant testimonial on your about page, even on your home page.
- Don’t change the wording on the testimonial. You can use a clip or a sentence from a longer testimonial, but don’t rearrange what she has said. If appropriate, include a client image with the review to make the words seem even more personal.
- Use client testimonials on social media. Instagram stories or posts, Facebook, even on sales pages of products you offer. Client testimonials are extremely effective in showing others what you’re all about.
There is no time like right now to start getting testimonials! Use these tips to get and use client testimonials so you can give prospects an idea of how great it is to work with you!
