It will probably be no surprise to you that whilst 78% of people trust peer recommendations (i.e. ‘word of mouth’ referrals), and only 14% of people trust advertisements. It is much easier for a client to trust you when they know of someone else who has a relationship with you, and is better off for the experience. Indeed, ‘word of mouth’ has always been the backbone of service based business.
Most businesses tend to showcase happy clients through the medium of ‘written testimonials’, however, the main issue is that they just feel like advertisements. So in the business of building trust, they really are only of small benefit to your word of mouth.
Our suggestion – don’t provide testimonials, let clients tell their personal story, on your website, in their own words (and preferably in the format of video). Best of all, it won’t feel like advertising, because you are showing clients (not telling them) why you’re good at your job.
To be clear, a good client story doesn’t include mentioning you, it is all about them. The reason client stories are so powerful is because it gives people the chance to create a human connection ‘they are just like us’.
The fact that the video or words are on your website under a description ‘Stories of the people we love to work with’ makes it obvious that they are indeed happy clients.
How have you been sharing your stories ?
Let me know in the comments below.
Baz
Storytelling has and always will be one of the best ways to share context and to build trust.
If you plan to master the art of business in a connected world, then you should also be mastering the art of telling digital stories.
I am building a community of Advice & Service Firm Owners who are committed to accelerating every element of their businesses and to building their profiles through authentic leadership, innovation, and mutual support.
Want to know more ? Drop me a line on LinkedIn!