Today’s video is about a simple structure you can use when getting clients to provide compelling testimonials so someone reading it thinks “I want what they’ve got!”.  

If you prefer to read it… see below. 

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You know the benefits of testimonials, right?  

And in particular, one where if you’re reading it, or it’s a review or some words about working with someone and you go, “Oh, wow, that sounds like me, I want what they’ve got.”  

That’s a really powerful one.  

I’ve had a lot of Advisers ask me lately, “Kim, should you have some sort of a structure when you’re requesting a testimonial or a review?” 

The answer is absolutely yes.  

Because just saying you’re a great bloke or you’re a top chick, that’s not good enough.  

That doesn’t give me enough intel to help me make a decision if I’m considering working with you.  

I was listening to a podcast the other day and a guy called Ian Garlic was being interviewed, and he had a three-part structure to requesting a testimonial that’s terrific.  

I love it because I remember it and this is how it goes. 

Firstly, what is the CONNECTION?  

So who are you?  

Give me a little bit of background about who you are, or what your situation was, so that someone reading it can go, “Ooh ooh yeah, that sounds like me.” 

Second part is what was the CONFLICT?  

So, what was the problem that they had or the result that they wanted that actually led them to seeking out your help in the beginning. 

And thirdly, what was the CONCLUSION?  

What happened as a result of working with you?  

So was it an outcome?  

Was it a benefit that came about?  

And importantly, how did that make them feel?  

It’s really important that when you’re going through the connection, the conflict, and the conclusion, that you also ask them, “And how did that make you feel?”  

So hopefully you can compare how they felt at the beginning, which is going to be very different to how they felt after working with you. 

Even if you’re still working together, it’s still a great way to do it.  

So think about the connection, the conflict, and then the conclusion.  

No different to how the majority of blockbuster stories actually are written. 

The second thing to just think about too is try not to use the word ‘testimonial’.  

Because when we think of the word testimonial, we often think of, “Oh wow, I’ve just got to say a whole lot of nice stuff about you as the Adviser.”  

But where the benefit is in a testimonial is where you get it from the client’s perspective.  

What drove them to you, how they felt before they came, and how they felt afterwards. 

I know it’s semantics, but just try using a different word.  

So it might be, “I just want to capture some of your experience.”  

Call it your client experiences, or your client happy stories, case studies, whatever it might be.  

But just try to avoid, when you’re requesting the feedback, avoid using the word testimonial.  

So go out there, get as much of the goodness as you can in writing, on a video, whatever it might be.  

Try and get a photo of them as well.  

It makes it so much more compelling. 

But whenever you do use this to your benefit so that someone on the other end considering working with you, reads these testimonials, or listens to them, or watches them and goes, “Wow, I’ve got to get me some of that.”  

Because after all, you are a Valuable Adviser.