How to Encourage Customers to Give Testimonials

Testimonials can sure help boost business and close sales. But encouraging customers to share their comments with you can be challenging at times. To help, here are some tips.

1) People are in a hurry and want to fill in blanks and go. So provide some. Write a brief message telling your customer that you need feedback and why. Don't be afraid to get creative, either, and say something like, "Thanks for your recent purchase! Please give us your feedback now. We are trying to increase our testimonials on our site for our customers like you and have a goal of 1,000 to reach. But since we're just starting this new testimonial page, we only have 20 (or list another number...) So you can see we could definitely use your comments! Please list them here and email them back ASAP and we'll gladly do the same for you, if you'd like, as a reference for your shopping experience if you need it (like for an eBay or other auction).

If there is no way to exchange feedback - or even if there is, tell your buyers that you'll send a free gift for their efforts, a free ebook of their choice from your online store, for example, and include a link to the store.

2) When possible, have #1 above online using an autoresponder leads capture form to fill out and have a message loaded that instructs them to complete it with your details to go out via autoresponder immediately after the purchase.

3) Tell all shoppers upon checkout that they can receive a complimentary packaged item like a report, tutorial or guide that goes along with their purchase to explain better how to make the most of it, if they give you a testimonial. Follow up with a reminder message in your autoresponder, too, in case they forget after purchasing or move on to do other things and get busy right away.

4) Reach out with emails, phone calls, postcards and other marketing means regularly after the purchase. Don't hound, but don't be a stranger, either! Include snippets of news, your latest sale info and of course - always ask for testimonials in each communication. Plus remind shoppers of a free gift for testimonials, and make something special for them.

Once you make encouraging customers to give testimonials part of your regular marketing and other daily business activities, you'll see an improvement in the number of comments you receive back. Set a goal for 100% and see how many you get back with gentle nudging on a regular basis.