“How do I Leverage Client Success Stories?” — The Power of Testimonials

Take your marketing to the next level with a few testimonial tips and tricks.

When it comes to marketing your business, client testimonials are critical. Think of them as a rubber stamp of approval. And a highly persuasive one, at that.

Testimonials provide a type of social proof. Social proof is a psychological phenomenon in which people alter their behavior to reflect the behavior of others. Basically, when they see hundreds of five-star reviews, their perception changes for the positive. They think, “If all these people like this business, I probably will, too.”

In fact, research shows that 90% of customers trust what other customers have to say about a business more than what that business says about itself. That’s nine out of every ten clients!

In other words, social proof is no joke. 

But how can mortgage professionals tap into this phenomenon? Easy: client success stories, otherwise known as client testimonials.

Understanding Client Testimonials

Client testimonials are short quotes or anecdotes written by the client themselves. They describe the client’s interaction and satisfaction with a given business. 

Testimonials can be negative, neutral, positive, or flat-out amazing. You can probably guess which type you should shoot for…

Taking Testimonials from Good to Great

Keep in mind that not every testimonial, or even every positive testimonial, will be a great one. 

Take something like this for example:

 “We had a good experience with our mortgage professional!”

There’s nothing negative about this review. But it just doesn’t tell the reader very much. What made the experience good? Which mortgage professional did they work with, specifically?

A great testimonial will usually include the following:

• A name or photo associated with the quote adds legitimacy.
• One or two paragraphs of text. The testimonial shouldn’t be too long or too short.
• Clients should be specific when it comes to what they liked or disliked.
• Never encourage or tolerate any stretching of the truth.
• A story. If clients can share their experiences in a story-like format, it will be easier to follow and make more of an impact.

Collecting Testimonials

So, now you know what a great testimonial looks like. But how do you go about collecting them?

You’ll want to follow a few key steps:

Identify Stand-Out Former Clients

These should be clients you know would give you a rave review when given the chance.

Try to vary the types of clients, too. Maybe a couple who was purchasing their first home, an empty nester who was looking for a vacation property, and a family who refinanced.

This way, prospective clients from different walks of life will see themselves in the testimonials.

Make a Clear Request

In other words, reach out to each client and ask for a testimonial.

You can use a survey, point them to your Yelp page or Google Business Profile, or ask that they simply reply directly to a request email.

Whatever you choose, you’ll want to give clear instructions. Revisit the bullet points above and add detail on factors like desired length, format, etc.

Collect and Finetune Your Testimonials

Once you receive a testimonial, store it someplace safe. A dedicated folder that’s backed up to the cloud should suffice.

Comb through the testimonials and ensure everything is accurate. You can make small edits for clarity (for example, fixing spelling mistakes), but don’t make any changes that alter the overall meaning of the review. When in doubt, ask the client for permission or consult with your company’s legal department before making any changes.

Incorporate Asking for Feedback into Your Process

It’s great to get the ball rolling with a few former clients. But asking for feedback when it’s fresh in a client’s mind is ideal.

If you haven’t already, incorporate asking for testimonials into your offboarding process. This could include a link to a survey in your final email or a wrap-up phone call after the fact.

Publicizing Your Testimonials

Now that you’ve got some great testimonials on hand, it’s time to put them to work. 

A few ideas for publicizing your testimonials might include:

• A dedicated “Reviews” section on your website.
• A social media campaign, sharing snippets and quotes every so often.
• A rotating review at the bottom of your email newsletter.
• One of the more powerful quotes highlighted on your marketing or onboarding materials.

Whatever you decide, don’t let these powerful pieces go to waste! Most importantly, always complying with your company’s policy regarding client testimonials.

Final Thoughts: Leveraging Client Success Stories

So, there you have it! By just gathering and publicizing a few great client experiences, you can level-up your marketing, encourage trust, and bolster your reputation.

Simply work to understand the makeup of a great testimonial, perfect your request process, and publicize the results to nearly 10x your trustworthiness. Your future clients are sure to (literally) thank you!

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