On this week’s Dear Katie, someone who read a previous episode asked me how to get more reviews.
Here’s the question: “You mentioned in a previous episode the importance of getting more reviews from clients for marketing content. What’s the best way to go about this? (I don’t want to annoy my clients.)”
And yes, reviews, case studies and testimonials are all very important.
Your clients want to know that you can help them achieve proven results.
It’s easy to say, “Yes, I can do that.”
It’s another thing to have proof that you’ve helped others.
(Reviews are immensely popular to the point that 93% of people’s buying decisions are influenced by them.)
Reviews, testimonials and case studies are among your most valuable marketing assets, and I’m going to explain how accountants can start getting more reviews using five key strategies that I’ll outline below.
(Number 5 is missed way too often.)
Quick interviews with clients are integral to gaining more reviews and testimonials. You can often “guess” which clients are going to jump on the opportunity to give a review.
I find it often easier for you and the client to be casual and add it to an existing call rather than booking an entirely new meeting.
(No one wants another meeting.)
Feel free to make this a bit more personal, but you can easily use this simple template to get started:
“Hey [Client Name], We’re building out some case studies and would love to highlight the work we did together. Do you have 5 minutes after our upcoming call for a quick interview? I can send the questions in advance.”
You can swap out “case studies” for reviews or testimonials if you like.
Happy clients are often more than willing to add five minutes into your next call to leave you a review or testimonial.
When you complete a service, send out an NPS survey. Whenever a client gives you a high score (8 or higher), send a follow-up message to ask for a testimonial.
Here’s an example of a message you can send:
“Thanks for the high score! We’re glad you had a great experience. Would you mind sharing a short testimonial that highlights what you loved most? Here are a few examples we’ve gotten from previous clients.”
Adding examples from other clients can give them an idea of how to share their feedback and experience.
Whenever you deliver a service or complete a project, send a follow-up message to the client asking for review.
Here’s a great example you can use:
“Hey [Client Name], Thanks for trusting us with your tax return. We’d love a quick review to share your experience. Here’s a link—it takes just 2 minutes.”
Bonus Tip: Include a pre-written review template for clients to tweak and use, making it even faster and easier for them to leave their feedback. Just like with NPS, you don’t want your clients to be left thinking, “I really loved my experience, but I just don’t know how to communicate that.”
Do you have great feedback from clients in conversations or emails? Ask if you can turn this feedback into a case study or testimonial.
Here’s an example:
“Thanks so much for the kind words and feedback. We have loved serving you. Do you mind if we share your feedback publicly? If so, here’s a draft for your approval.”
I highly recommend providing a draft for client approval when repurposing feedback. It can really streamline the process and make it easy for clients to say “yes.” Just be sure to ask them if they want to remain anonymous or if you can share their name.
Bonus Tip: Use snippets of feedback to create a “Client Feedback Roundup” on social media and tag the client (if they’re okay with it).
Anytime you deliver value, ask if the person is open to leaving a review, even if it’s a speaking session, webinar or offering helpful advice in a casual conversation. Doing so helps capture feedback from prospects and contacts who have had first-hand experience with your expertise.
Here’s an example of this strategy in action. Let’s say that you’re hosting a webinar. At the end of the session, you could say:
“Thanks everyone for joining. If you found this webinar helpful, I’d appreciate it if you could leave a quick review sharing your biggest takeaway. It helps others know what to expect by joining these sessions and supports our mission to help even more people.”
Bonus Tip: Send a direct link to the review page. This makes it easy for people to leave reviews. If you have slides, you can add a QR code to the slide, allowing people to scan it with their phones and be taken directly to the review page.
Gathering reviews is just one piece of the puzzle. Once you have them, you can use them in a few different ways.
While we’re on the topic of reviews, I’d love for you to leave one here if you’ve ever gotten value out of this newsletter. Reviews really go a long way in helping me continue bringing this newsletter to you every week.
And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.
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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question?
Until next time, cheers to your success!
Katie
You can ask for reviews during a casual follow-up call or after delivering a service. Just say something like, ‘Thanks for trusting us with your project. Would you mind leaving a quick review? It only takes 2 minutes.’
Conduct quick interviews after your meetings or use NPS surveys. If clients give a high score, follow up with a request for a testimonial.
Provide a pre-written template or examples of previous testimonials. This helps clients know what to say and makes the process quicker.
You can showcase reviews on a ‘Client Success’ page on your website, in email marketing, on social media, and in proposals or presentations.
Yes, if you have positive feedback from emails or conversations, ask if you can turn it into a testimonial. Always provide a draft for their approval.
At the end of your session, thank attendees and ask for a review based on their experience. Provide a direct link to make it easy for them.