Many practitioners get great results with clients but never ask for testimonials about them!

This is a HUGE missed opportunity.

Virtually every piece of marketing you use should have a testimonial on it. Testimonials are one of the most powerful forms of wellness marketing; they build trust and credibility. 

But you have to get them to use them!

Often practitioners do ask for the testimonial but find that clients never get around to writing them. 

Finally, many are confused about what to do to get the necessary permissions for sharing client's success stories.

Does this sound like you?

The trick is to have a system for gathering testimonials. 

You want to make it a habit to capture client feedback at every chance you get, and to design that system so that it incorporates a documented permission to use the testimonial.

We have that system!  Here's the best way to gather compelling testimonials and client success stories.   

Use spontaneous feedback
Train yourself to ask for a testimonial any time a client gives you a good review of your work and especially their RESULTS. 

Any client success story, if compelling, and representative of what others might achieve, should trigger a little light in your head that says "testimonial!" 

Usually, you don't want more than 1 testimonial from each client so use your judgment on which of the client's results are best to share.  (However, you CAN use more than one testimonial if they relate to different aspects of your program.)

As you work with the client, you'll probably get more and better rave reviews.  Keep gathering them!  You can use them to upgrade existing posts or to put on your latest flyer.

Finally, you'll be better able to talk up your practice in person if you're already in the habit of writing down your rave reviews as clients dish them out. 

Nothing sounds more compelling to a listener than when you say, "I love my practice...  I had this client today in fact who said I literally saved her marriage and sanity with all these infertility problems she's been having."

Wow!  From "plain acupuncturist" to "healing guru" in one sentence!  You don't have to pitch yourself - let your clients talk up your services for you!

What makes for a good testimonial?
The best testimonials are sincere, excited, and most of all specific. Try to get concrete details.  Get the "before, during and after" story. 

Here's a 3-part script to help you capture a strong testimonial:

1.  What did they struggle with before they started working with you? 

2.  What did you do that helped them? 

3.  What benefits are they now enjoying? 

You can put these into an email or ask for them live.  If the client's rave review misses one of these elements, you can ask them to add a couple of words on it.  They won't mind!

How to gather specifics
You can easily get these details during a client check-in, and in fact, it helps the client track their progress, so you are actually serving them better. 

And often you'll find a client sharing the before, during and after spontaneously!  So be sure to capture these when they happen.

How to ask for permission
You can say something like,

"Thank you so much for the feedback! I would love to use that on my site to help others evaluate my program/services.  May I share it along with your name and city, or anonymously if you prefer?"  (The most believable and compelling testimonials have a full name and a city rather than initials or anonymous, but any testimonial is better than none!)

Remember, every client session includes some (usually positive) feedback from the client. 

When you hear a good piece of positive feedback, write it down!  Say, "oh that's good, let me write that down!" 

That helps celebrate the client's success, and it feels good to both of you.  It also saves them the trouble of writing down what they already said. 

Plus, their spontaneous words are very compelling from a marketing standpoint.  And, they feel reassured that you are getting their true intention and won't misquote them. 

One you have the feedback captured, which you can do either by email or handwritten notes (or even audio taping!), ask for permission to share it. 

Tell them, "I'd love to share that success with others... may I?" 

Then hand them or email them the proposed text and ask their approval and invite them to edit it any way they like. 

This gives you a chance to polish and clarify the testimonial (for example, by adding the program name or your full title) while keeping the message authentic to your client's intention.

How to keep a record
You'll need a record of a client's permission if you want to post a testimonial or use it for marketing purposes.  This can be done fairly simply. 

What I do is save the email, or make a note of the date and permission on the paper and save the paper, and keep it in a testimonials file/email folder.  If you don't get permission to use their name, you can still use their feedback, but you must redact any identifiying information.

What you'll find is that most people are happy to oblige and share their success with the world. 

They want to support you. 

But, they don't want to do any extra work, or to be misquoted.  They want control over the process, and their privacy, and without having to work any harder either. 

If you follow the simple tips in this article you'll meet ALL these needs, AND have a whiz-bang set of rave reviews on your website and flyers.

Now all you have to do is just get started! 

Post a reminder at the top of your client clipboard where you'll see it during every session, or during your pre- and post-session note-taking.  Jot down any glowing feedback you hear as soon as it happens.

Then follow the steps above; you'll have clients singing your praises in print and online in no time at all!