7 Ways To Generate Leads Through Customer Testimonials

Table of Contents

• Use Of Testimonials: What Statistics Say
• Lead Generation Tips: How To Gather Testimonials
• 7 Ways To Generate Leads Through the Use of Testimonials 
• Key Takeaways 
• Conclusion 
• FAQs

Lead generation is an essential part of the digital marketing process. Revenue-generating activities of an online business use a multipronged approach. To generate leads, businesses use SEO, paid ads, email marketing, and more. But if you have been in marketing for a while, you must be knowing that the most powerful method of lead generation is right in your backyard. It lies in that ultimate social proof: customer testimonials.

Source

If your business provides quality products or services, it may delight your customers. To go to the next level of digital success, it is then necessary to leverage positive customer experiences to boost leads. There are numerous ways to generate leads through customer testimonials. By the end of this reading, we hope you are clearer on how to use lead generation tips for testimonials to positively impact your bottom line.

A good testimonial may redefine your business, and that is why they are so valuable. For instance, as a customer shopping on Amazon, think to yourself: how often have you relied on reviews to understand the value of a product? Social proof is the most powerful success factor in many industries. Here are the three best ways to leverage it.

• Identify your 10 best customers. 
• Record their experience using your product.
• Turn these user experiences into case studies or testimonials.

You can share these customer experiences as social proof at events, on your website, and on social media.

Use Of Testimonials: What Statistics Say

Statistics reveal that testimonials have a positive impact on online business success.

• According to BigCommerce, 88% of buyers trust online reviews and testimonials in the same way they trust personal recommendations.
• 91% of customers check reviews before buying.
• Reviews are growing in importance. 60% of consumers regularly read online reviews in 2020. This figure was 77% in 2021.
• In 2021, 81% of consumers used Google to size up local businesses.
• A rating of two or fewer stars would lead to 97% of consumers rejecting a business online.

Lead Generation Tips: How To Gather Testimonials

In order to use testimonials for business success, it is first essential to gather them. Here are a few tips on how to collect testimonials.

• When you list your business on Google My Business, it allows customers to post reviews. This can be a starting point for gathering testimonials.
• Offer incentives for testimonials, such as a promo code on your product.
• Request testimonials from customers who follow you on social media platforms. 
• Email satisfied customers, requesting a testimonial from them.
• Get your account reps to gather testimonials as part of their regular duties.
• Create a form on your site on which customers can leave testimonials/reviews.
• Another lead generation tip is to float a survey among your customers for their reactions. This can be an effective way to get authentic feedback.

7 Ways To Generate Leads Through the Use of Testimonials

Now comes the most crucial question: What are the ways to generate leads using customer reviews? Follow along for some helpful lead generation tips for acquiring testimonials.

1. Use visual media to create a greater impact

Video testimonials have a greater impact on the purchasing decision of people. Customers put trust in the word of other satisfied customers more than plainly taking the vendor’s word for it. Video testimonials are also known to dramatically alter your SEO ranking. Video is a more effective lead generation strategy, which is also extremely likely to increase your conversions. 

Additionally, visually appealing testimonials can affect all stages of the buyer’s journey. This is because it’s easy to touch an emotional chord with the consumers through video. Testimonials in video form have an overarching impact on your overall marketing strategy.

2. Make your testimonials as specific as possible

Testimonials that are superficial, full of fluff, or vague are not of much use. Instead, they should be tangible and specifically describe the benefits of your service or product. They should focus on how your business has helped solve the problems and pain points of your customers. 

3. Demonstrate results plainly

If your customers can’t see the impact your work has had, they won’t be willing to provide you with a testimonial. So, it is crucial to let them know how you have delivered thus far. For example, you can link to case studies via your email signature, blog, and social media. Let your customers see your results in as many places as possible.

4. Testimonials should sound trustworthy

If your testimonials don’t sound genuine, they might not have the desired impact on consumers. If their authenticity can’t be verified, they lose their power. This usually happens when there is no link to the website or profile of the reviewer.

One way to generate leads using testimonials is to make them trustworthy. One of the top lead generation tips is that the testimonial must show that it has come from a real person. The fact that the writer of the testimonial can be contacted is enough to make the testimonial credible.

5. The target market should identify with the testimonial

Customers will look for testimonials from their psychographic and demographic backgrounds. Keeping this in mind, businesses need testimonials from people who are similar to the customers they are trying to attract. Also, customers should find solved problems within the testimonials. 

6. Get customers to vouch for your brand in real scenarios

Get customers to attend events, trade shows, and conferences you may organize. Satisfied customers may want to spread the love. So get them to promote your product in real-world situations. Doing this is likely to boost your brand value as nothing else can.

7. Bank on celebrities and influencers

If you have customers who are influencers or celebrities, you can request them to put out a testimonial about your brand. This will increase your brand’s value tenfold. Feature happy clients and those with huge followings. When your customers are relatable, you can be sure that their positive testimonials will help generate leads. 

B2B Lead Generation Tips

There are many ways to generate leads, but B2B lead generation tips deserve a special mention.

• On your B2B homepage, add video testimonials. 
• Ensure your landing page contains B2B testimonials. Ramp up your efforts in portraying trust signals.
• Feature B2B testimonials prominently on social media. People trust real people. Social media channels are amazing platforms to feature positive testimonials on.
• Use LinkedIn for B2B testimonials. 
• Send testimonials via email.

Source

As the graphic above demonstrates, LinkedIn is a great place for B2B marketers to share resources, product videos, and case studies.

Key Takeaways

• There are several ways to generate leads using customer testimonials. 

• Customer testimonials must be specific and relatable to your target audience.
• Testimonials should be offered on multiple channels.
• Use video testimonials to ramp up your lead generation efforts. 
• Both B2B and B2C businesses benefit from testimonials. 
• Make your testimonials sound genuine and trustworthy.
• Prioritize niche review sites and ask for LinkedIn recommendations. 
• Rewarding customers for reviewing your brand is always a good idea. 
• Collate the best testimonials and publish them on your website.

Conclusion

If you want to build your business’ credibility, the easiest way to do it is via customer testimonials. Testimonials amount to social proof, which can be a crucial supporting pillar of an online business. If done correctly, reviews and testimonials are quick and easy to source. Additionally, video testimonials are a special form of social proof that is both trustworthy and effective. They are also a powerful way to generate leads.

FAQs