In our previous blog post (Getting Great Testimonials For Your Divorce Services – Part 1),
we answered the questions:
•What are testimonials?
•What types of testimonials are there?
•What are the benefits of testimonials to your divorce services business?
We also mentioned how getting testimonials from clients can be a challenge, mainly because people are too busy to write them, or they don’t know what to write about, or they just feel uncomfortable writing. And we promised to show you a way to alleviate these problems.
So what can you do to help your clients provide you with great testimonials for your divorce services business? Assist them by giving them a template of a good testimonial, or even write one for them and ask them to change or add to it.
First, some general guidelines. Keep in mind what result you want from a testimonial. Ideally, you want the reader to think, “that person’s situation is just like mine” and “I think this divorce services business could help me just like it helped that person”. You also want the reader to get that information in a short time. Brevity is crucial, especially when writing for a website or a brochure. Catchy phrases that grab people’s attention are good to include, if possible.
The basic structure of a testimonial is this –
- The nature of the writer’s relationship with you – for example, client or affiliate partner.
- How long the writer has known you, or when he/she worked with you.
- What kind of work you did for him/her.
- What the writer considers your top attributes or strengths to be.
- What the writer appreciates about you and your business.
- A tagline with the name of the person writing the testimonial. It’s best to give both first and last names, if your client is comfortable with that and the city and state where the writer lives.
If your client is willing, a photo provides great visual appeal and gives the testimonial more credibility. Video testimonials are even better, but harder to get.
- How does a business owner get started with getting great testimonials?
- First, make sure you are giving exceptional service!
- Ask your clients if they are willing to recommend you in a testimonial. If they are:
- Provide them with the structure of what you want them to include.
- If you have written the testimonial for them, send it to them and ask for their feedback. Get their approval of the final draft before publishing.
- Or, ask them if they would rather you write a draft of the testimonial for them to work with.
If they say yes:
- You can interview them about what they liked about your business and service, what they think your strengths are, etc. Ask them if you can record their testimonial using a tape recorder or a video camera.
- Another option: you can ask them to fill out a survey or a questionnaire based on the structure points of a testimonial (described above).
Where should you start placing your testimonials? You can place them on your website, in your printed marketing materials, and on your social media pages. Another great place to put them is on your LinkedIn profile, in the Recommendations section. If you are not yet on LinkedIn, you need to be!
Summary: Getting great testimonials for your divorce services business from satisfied clients is one of your best marketing tools. And many clients will be more willing to participate if you let them know how you can make it easier for them to do it!
The Divorce With Dignity Network helps legal professionals across the United States own and operate a successful peaceful divorce services business. We offer a proven business model for an independent divorce services business, or for a new value-added revenue center for an existing legal business. To learn more about our Network and the benefits of joining us (including your personalized webpage on our Divorce With Dignity website), please visit our website.
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The author of this blog is not an attorney and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal advice. The information provided here is based on the experience of the author and some of her clients whose actual names are not mentioned. Do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney if you have any legal questions.
