By Zach Vesper, NPI, Inc.’s Senior SEO & Marketing Strategist

Beyond developing a great product or service, the biggest challenge small businesses face is gaining their audience’s buy-in to their message. Eye-catching graphics and memorable slogans can help your business stand out to potential clients, but people are naturally skeptical. You claim your service is the perfect solution, but how can they be sure? They might wonder if you’re exaggerating or, as a business owner, simply trying to present yourself in the best light.

The key to overcoming this hurdle is building trust. While there are various ways to achieve this, testimonials offer a powerful tool. However, not all testimonials are equally effective. By leveraging strong testimonials and applying the right strategies, business owners and marketers can effectively build that essential trust.

What is a Testimonial?
For those unfamiliar with the term, testimonials are statements about a person, business, product, or service made by someone independent of the subject. In the small business world, these are most easily recognized as reviews. Reviews are crucial for growing businesses, not only for their impact on SEO and online visibility, but also for their persuasive power.

As mentioned earlier, any information your business marketing puts out about its services comes from a biased source, naturally. You want to book more jobs, sell more products, and present yourself favorably – that’s how you build a healthy business. This doesn’t mean business owners are inherently dishonest, but simply that clients and customers typically seek more information before deciding to purchase.

Reading a positive Google review (or even a negative one with a well-thought-out response) gives potential clients an unbiased perspective on the quality of your services, customer care level, and the personalities of your team. An authentic endorsement from a previous client can paint a picture of the ideal, stress-free experience everyone desires. Future clients see glowing reviews and might think, “If others had a great experience, I likely can too.”

According to a recent survey by marketing experts at Bright Local, 98% of consumers consult online reviews for local businesses, and 49% trust them as much as personal recommendations. Clearly, endorsements from previous clients hold immense power for businesses seeking growth. But don’t stop there! Once you’ve amassed positive reviews, choose the best ones to highlight.

Read our article on establishing a solid review gathering strategy for more information!

What Makes a Great Testimonial?
There are a number of traits that can make reviews stand out above the rest and warrant extra attention:

Note: Tackling pain points can be tough, and requires a lot of knowledge of your industry! If you’re new to your field, consider finding a mentor so that you have someone to lean on. Ask us about how NPI’s mentors can help you get started!

How to Market with a Great Testimonial
Once you’ve found a review (or a few) that really highlight your strengths as an entrepreneur and business owner, it’s time to use it as a true testimonial. A great review that tells a story, paints a clear picture, and hits on a common pain point among customers in your industry should be placed in front of your audience in as many ways as possible. Leverage their impact across social media, through email marketing, and on your website.

Particularly glowing reviews or clients that you’ve worked to develop a uniquely positive relationship with may be willing to be interviewed for a more extensive feature, video, or blog to further highlight their unique story. If you’ve been able to develop a testimonial worth featuring above the others, or you have a handful of testimonials that give a great overview of your business skills, you can consider creating a dedicated landing page to house this content together.

Do you have a concept for custom graphics or materials where you’d like to feature a positive testimonial? Let the NPI marketing team know! Want to know more about the benefits of purchasing a property inspection franchise with National Property Inspections? Get your free info packet today.