How to build trust through testimonials

1. Deepening our capacities to thrive
Page 1 of 4
Toronto • ON • M2K 1B8 • CANADA
Inquiry@MichaelHBallard.com • www.MichaelHBallard.com
Testimonials
Michael Ballard with Warren Evans
For consulting, keynote’s, seminars, workshop and training:
To secure that always vital testimonial letter, audio or video consider the following: Your
clients are often too busy too put their thoughts down on paper or email for you. So think
about the following and to get into print what they said:
Pay attention to what they say about the work you do.
Find a way to measure / benchmark the work you do and then how you measured up to
that and client expectations.
i.e. after your program sales when up 17.4% within 3 weeks and stayed up over
15% net gain for the next seven months until year end.
Or after your program quality control costs for waste dropped 21.1% within 30 days and
have stayed 19.2% lower for the past six months with expected savings expected to
continue.
First ask permission then:
Ask them their thoughts and then draft up a letter and send it back to them
Draft in point form or draft letter form.
Quote participants/audience feed back sheets
Quote their client comments after they’d started saying what you’d “taught” them.

2. Deepening our capacities to thrive
Page 2 of 4
Toronto • ON • M2K 1B8 • CANADA
Inquiry@MichaelHBallard.com • www.MichaelHBallard.com
Written, Verbal or Video Comments for You could be around:
• Content
• Ease of implementation
• Delivery
• Feelings evoked
• Changes made
• Any statistics that “prove” your course works?
• Achieving objectives
• Technical Logistics
• Follow up with group and or individuals
• Liked to do business with
• Professional
• Case study used to make the lesson / skills learned easier
• Professional
Accreditation(s)
Degrees, diplomas, certificates, etc…
Designation(s)
Affiliations
Memberships
Unique Organizations
Accomplishment(s)
• Unexpected value added
– downside is everyone who reads the letter will want the same!

3. Deepening our capacities to thrive
Page 3 of 4
Toronto • ON • M2K 1B8 • CANADA
Inquiry@MichaelHBallard.com • www.MichaelHBallard.com
Testimonial Letters, Audio’s or Video’s
Michael Ballard
For a service provider
To secure those vitally important testimonials in written format consider the following:
Your clients are often too busy too put their thoughts down on paper for you. So think
about the following that to get into print what they said:
Pay attention to what they say about the work you do.
Find a way to measure / benchmark the work you do and then how you measured up to
that and client expectations.
i.e. after your work here quality control costs for waste dropped 21.1% within 30
days and have stayed 19.2% lower for the past six months.
Sales to new potential clients went from i.e. a sales close ratio of 19/1% to 33.1%
For letters first ask permission then:
Ask them their thoughts and then draft up a letter and send it back to them
Draft in point form or draft letter form.
Quote customer service feed back sheets
Quote their client comments after they’d started saying how you’ve effected their
business.
For Audio and Video first ask permission then:
Ask them their thoughts and then draft up a point form and send it back to them
Set up a recording time – Get them to sign a release for your use i.e. Youtube, your
website, etc.
- Quote customer service feed back sheets
- Quote their client comments after they’d started saying how you’ve effected their
business.

4. Deepening our capacities to thrive
Page 4 of 4
Toronto • ON • M2K 1B8 • CANADA
Inquiry@MichaelHBallard.com • www.MichaelHBallard.com
Comments for a Service Provider could be around:
• Ease of implementation
• Content developed
• Delivery of service
• Feelings evoked
felt safe, in good hands, etc.
• Any statistics that “prove” your service works?
• Achieving objectives
• Technical Logistics
• Follow up with group and or individuals
• Liked to do business with
• Professional
• Case study used to make the project work easier
• Professional
Accreditation(s)
Degrees, diplomas, certificates, etc…
Designation(s)
Affiliations
Memberships
Unique Organizations
Accomplishment(s)
• Unexpected value added
– downside is everyone who reads the letter will want the same!
These are several of the points a powerful testimonial letter evokes.
But no one letter, audio or video covers off all of these points.
The next step up in these:
Remind client about content is route one
- you provide script – you might get very stilted response
Do a recording with their permission but they “ad lib”
Formats include:
• The testimonial audio tape
• The testimonial video tape
After a successful delivery of service video tape comments.
Then video tape them at the 90, 180 day and one year mark with comments.
• The live testimonial.
If and only if you know and trust a client a “live” testimonial can be a very
powerful tool to use. The risk is if either the prospective client or current
client do not “hit it off” and take a dislike to each other.