How convincingly easy it would be to close large accounts if only you had a big book of recent testimonials.
When people ask you about your services, you bring out the testimonial tome, and tell them to call any of the many who signed off on their statements of how great you are. When confronted with 100 testimonials, most people won't call any.
In your normal course of conversation with clients it's easy to get someone to mention something flattering about you. Someone said something nice about me once. I'll never forget it. It was in June of '88. Wednesday. We were about three or four gin-and-tonics in and... OK, no matter. Man, I was all over them for a written testimonial like a cheap suit.
Here's how you can turn an innocent compliment into a great testimonial.
Even if it's a simple statement, "OK, thanks a lot. Nice speaking with you." Or, "Thanks, I appreciate it." You can make a testimonial out of it.
"That was a nice thing to say," you exclaim, inferring that it was nice of him to say it was nice talking to you, or that he appreciated something you did.
"Would you mind if I use that as a testimonial?" you continue, catching him fully off guard.
"OK," he'll probably say without thinking.
Now that he's committed, casually ask, "Hey, can you say a few nice words about me or my firm that I can use? "Keep it clean, though," you joke. It's good to sound fresh, like you've never asked anyone to do this before.
He'll say a few words. And you smile (which will look good in person, or will look less good over the phone but will still sound like you're smiling) and write down his comments.
Continue promptly, "Thanks so much. Here's what I'll do so it'll be easy for you. I've written down what you've said and I'll send it to you. You can just initial it and send it back. I'll enclose two copies - one for your files, and an envelope to send the other copy back to me. Hey, thanks for doing this."
Now that you have his comments, feel free to admonish them ever so slightly to make the testimonial sound great, which you can do as long as you are sending the testimonial back to the client to approve and sign off on. If he makes any revisions, those revisions will likely make the testimonial seem more unsolicited.
If you're friendly with this client, in your letter sending him the comments to approve, you can mention how great your new testimonial would look on the client's own letterhead. It certainly isn't necessary, but if he accommodates the request, so much the better.
For best results, collect a whole set of testimonials, and certainly don't be afraid to show it off to new prospects. Tell them you'd be so proud if they had one in there sometime soon. That's called the assumed close.
From the July 01, 2007 issue of Senior Market Advisor • Subscribe!
