Have you ever thought about getting more testimonials from former clients by leveraging AI?
I haven’t figured it out yet, but I’ve got an experiment going on right now that’s related. I want to tell you all about it.
The first thing you should know is that I enlisted Chat GPT-4 to write this article. (Here are some details on how to do this.)
I stacked several prompts to get it just right, and the one you’re reading is probably the fourth or fifth iteration.
Finally, I read through the last draft and tweaked it with my own brain to give it a human voice. (It’s getting pretty easy to use AI to write corporate-sounding messages. But it still takes a unique individual to sound like a unique individual.)
The goal was to write an SEO-optimized article about harnessing the power of testimonials from former clients to boost your business.
It’s a mouthful, but I want to show you how GPT-4 broke it down. This will turn out to be useful at the end.
What Is an Example of a Testimonial?
Okay, this isn’t my favorite approach, but AI likes to start with a definition. You can skip this section if you want to get into the meat. This is what GPT-4 came up with.
A testimonial is a short statement, often from a satisfied customer, vouching for the quality, performance, and reliability of a product or service. Here’s an example from one of my iTestimonial clients:
“Our conversion rate is high because of the credibility indicators that are on the site. And I think the most important credibility indicator is testimonials. Reaching our clients isn’t that easy. They’re all busy CEOs of privately held companies. Yet somehow you’re able to get them on a video call and get their story, and that’s amazing.”
–Brent Whitfield
DCG technical Solutions
How Do You Get Testimonials from Clients?
I’ve been talking about this a lot lately, but I have to say I’m impressed with the way Chat GPT broke it down into basic forms. The AI even included a link to my testimonial service, which is a nice bonus!
So, how do you get testimonials from clients?
- Ask Directly: Reach out and ask your clients for feedback. Most people are willing to share if they had a positive experience.
- Feedback Forms: Include a checkbox on your feedback forms where clients can give permission to use their comments as testimonials.
- Leverage Social Media: Whenever you get positive comments on one of your social channels, ask for permission to repurpose these comments as testimonials.
- Use a testimonial service like iTestimonial.io: This service will help you collect, manage, and showcase client testimonials.
Why Testimonials Are Game-Changers
Getting testimonials from former clients is more than just a “feel good” activity Here’s what the numbers have to say.
According to a study by Power Reviews, conversions for high ticket items increase by 380% when you include testimonials on the sales page. And Impact found a sales increase of 34% across the board when testimonials were added to the mix.
The secret seems to be trust.
In fact, Big Commerce reports that 72% of consumers say that positive testimonials and reviews bump up their trust in a business, and 88% of consumers trust online testimonials just as much as recommendations from friends or family.
In a Demand Gen Report, 97% of their B2B buyers said testimonials and peer recommendations were the most reliable type of content.
And it’s not just about demand. Yotpo claims that websites with testimonials on their pages get 45% more traffic.
Given all of this evidence, it’s not hard to believe Strategic Factory’s claim that if you consistently use testimonials from your clients, your revenue will increase by 62%.
Of course, it’s not just a matter of getting testimonials from former clients. What you get is just as important.
What Should a Client Testimonial Include?
This part scared me, because it looks like Chat GPT somehow got a good look at my templates and checklists. But they hit the five outcomes that I always try to get with my own process:
- Authenticity: Genuine comments. No script, no fabrication.
- Specificity: What exactly did your product or service achieve for them? (e.g., increased sales by 20%).
- Name & Position: This adds credibility. People want to know the feedback is from real individuals.
- A Photo or Company Logo: Visuals often enhance trustworthiness.
- Clear Consent: Always get written permission to use someone’s testimonial.
Client Testimonials Are the Future
This experiment taught me that it’s becoming easier than ever to create content using AI.
Artificial Intelligence will already tell you what your content should be about, and then create it for you. There are also AI tools that will read, interpret, and summarize articles and videos for you.
Pretty soon we’re going to have AI creating content for AI. And then what happens?
Before we get to that point, you should take a long hard look at why you’re creating content in the first place. There are really only two reasons:
Either you have a very important message that you want to share, or you want to generate more business.
If you’re in the first category, you are a true creator and you probably didn’t need to read this long article.
But if you’re looking to generate more business, client testimonials are the guardrail that will save you from following a hundred lemmings off the AI content cliff.
When the internet is glutted with AI writing for AI, your prospective clients won’t have a choice but to look at what real human beings are saying about you and your business.
Testimonials from former clients are the game-changer that will never change.
If you want to get client testimonials without the work, set up an “Easy Testimonial” at the link below or visit iTestimonial.io/info to learn more.
