You probably already know that testimonials and case studies are smart to have.
As potential clients read through a testimonial they can picture themselves in that person’s shoes and see how they can solve their problems with the solutions that you provide.
The same happens with case studies. They can see step-by-step how you can guide them through to the results they are looking for.
So we know they’re important — but the real tricky question is how do you go about getting more of them from your customers.
We’re going to share some of our top strategies to help you out!
Testimonials vs Case Studies
We want to make sure we’re speaking the same language real quick, so let’s recap quickly what each one is.
Testimonials are a quick, and often emotional, recap of how the client feels about working with you. They can give you a testimonial directly, or they can publish their review on any number of online sites like Facebook or Google.
Case Studies are more a detailed account of what they do, what they wanted to achieve, how you helped them, and proof of the results. A case study might also include testimonials inside it. It is also usually published on your own website.
Now, let’s talk about how you get more of them.
How to Get More Testimonials
1. Utilize Your Facebook Page for Reviews
Chances are, you already have some reviews on Facebook from satisfied customers. Look to your Facebook business page and check if you already have reviews that you may not have noticed yet. These testimonials are a great way to highlight the strong points of your business with a detailed review.
Contact your customers by becoming friends with them on Facebook and sharing your business page link with them. Ask them to add a comment about your product or service and share the link with friends.
2. Look to LinkedIn for a Company Profile
Here is a gold mine of glowing reviews and great recommendations if you are a freelancer. You can’t get reviews on your company profile, but you can ask people to recommend you promote your product or services.
If your company is large enough, it’s a good idea to have all of your employees active on LinkedIn. This could potentially lead to more recommendations from customers who have worked with your employees.
3. Use the Power of Video Through YouTube
Some people are more visual than others, and this is where YouTube reviews can seal the deal with your products or services.
You can encourage customers to add a testimonial about your products or services and upload it to their YouTube account, mentioning their successes with your brand.
If they send a link to you for the video, you can add this to your channel and create a playlist for your customers. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video is worth even more.
4. Use Your Email Newsletter to Ask for Testimonials
Email can be one of the most effective and quickest ways to ask for a testimonial. There is nothing wrong with asking for product and service reviews at the end of your email.
Consider ending a final section after the main topic of your email to request your testimonies. Boast has a Testimonial Toolkit for sending emails. This is beneficial in sending your customer to the right place with little effort.
5. Send Your Customers a Text Message
You might be able to get more messages noticed more easily through a text message. Many people receive hundreds of emails a day, and since most people have smartphones, you can still accomplish the same thing as with an email and send them straight to your landing page.
After a customer buys your product or service, you can send them a thank you message along with a link to leave a testimonial using a text message business service like Message Desk.
6. Just Ask Them!
In-person is a perfect way to ask questions if you are a business dealing with customers face-to-face — especially if you know your customer well.
You probably won’t get a testimonial right then, but you can pass a business card to your customer with your website link and ask them to do so later.
7. Don’t Forget The Receipts
For customers who have purchased products from you, including a link to your website on the receipt is a great way to have customers leave a testimonial and share their thoughts. You could also put the link on signs, hand-outs, chalkboards, and even restaurant menus.
How to Get More Case Studies
Case studies are one primary form of media used by marketers. A case study is used to influence whether a service, process, or product can solve a problem. It appeals to a potential customer’s logic by using qualitative and quantitative proof of the study, both of which can remove doubt about your product and motivate people to make a purchase.
A case study proves what you are offering is a good quality product or service and also valuable for the customer.
Here are two types of case studies and how to get them:
Type #1. Traditional Case Study
In the traditional case study, the company has a problem, they look for a solution (your product or service) and have fantastic results. In this type of case study, the hero of the story is your product or service.
There has to be something in it for the customer to say yes to doing the case study for you. Some people will do the study just to be friendly and don’t like to tell anyone no.
You don’t have a lot going for you in this situation, and this is the reason why companies will revert to discounts and incentives to bribe customers to get the case study done. But you want people to be thrilled to do the case study and this is possible because people love being featured in a story.
They love being asked about themselves, and many will have trouble not talking once they get started. This leads us to the second type of case study, the hero case study.
Type #2. Hero Case Study
You will have to think like a journalist instead of the brand manager. To do a hero case study. For this type of case study, it’s best to let someone other than the brand manager do the study.
You will need someone who can be objective about your product or service, which will actually add more credibility than a traditional case study.
Where to Use Case Studies
Once you’ve gathered enough data for your case studies and have finalized them — then what? There are plenty of places you can use your case studies for your past, present, and future customers to read them.
1. On Your Landing Pages
Your home page is the best place to show evidence of your products and services. You can integrate a Boast form with Hubspot by using a widget on your landing pages.
2. Write a Blog Post
Once you have a case study, it’s time to write a blog post to expose your audience to it. Write about the case study in a way that identifies with their needs. Try not to center around your product or service but how your product or service solved a problem for the customer.
3. Include Them in Your Email Marketing
Case studies can be effective when used to target a specific product. You can re-engage leads that have gone quiet and are looking at specific aspects of your product that relate to the case study.
4. Publish Them In Your Newsletters
This is a great time to make your customers feel as though they are part of the community. Future prospects will be more inclined to do business with companies who look after their customer’s needs and see customers who are happy and proud to be a part of something.
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