How to Get Client-Converting Testimonials
“She was the best wedding photographer!”
“We loved working with her!”
“She captured our day so beautifully!”
“I’ll recommend her to friends!”
What do these testimonials all have in common?
They sound nice, but they’re fluff.
And while they may be nice at surface level, they won’t convince a couple to book you for their wedding.
So, how do you get high-octane client testimonials that will turn visitors into booked clients?
That’s what today’s blog post is all about!
Psychology
Let’s start with the fundamentals - client psychology.
When a couple is searching for their wedding photographer, they will have certain questions and fears - conscious or subconscious - that can prevent them from moving forward with a wedding photographer.
You must provide evidence that you can alleviate their concerns and address their questions. When you do that successfully, your client conversions will greatly increase. This is the magic.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is through the testimonies of past clients.
Direct quotes from past clients offer irrefutable proof that you can deliver what they want and need.
Keep reading … ⬇️
Create the Questionnaire
But how do we get those direct quotes that solve those specific pain points? We need to create a testimonial form that will prompt couples to address these specific fears, concerns, and feelings.
If you’ve been using a generic - “please write me a review” form in the past, that changes today!
As service-based business owners, we both know how important good, well-worded reviews are.
Now, you’re going to create a testimonial questionnaire that gives your clients the nudge to provide you with the social proof you need.
I’m going to provide you with a list of questions to get started; many of these questions are directly from my own feedback form! Pick and choose them as you wish to design a powerful testimonial form that addresses your own needs.
Most of these questions are open-ended, as opposed to yes or no questions. This is because we want to give your clients space to share how they feel and show their personalities! There are also a few yes/no questions I recommend you gather, for statistics, which can be powerful social proof on your website.
Let’s get started!
Form Introduction
Begin your questionnaire by sincerely thanking your couple for choosing you as their wedding photographer!
Encourage them to fill out the questionnaire as best they can, and invite them to skip any questions they’re not comfortable or interested in answering. Why do I recommend this? It’s better to get a few questions answered than have clients skip the whole questionnaire because they didn’t have answers for a question.
Social Proof Questions
The following bullet points are questions you can ask in your testimonial questionnaire that directly relate to what potential clients may be feeling or want to know!
Before booking [your business name], when it came to hiring a wedding photographer, I felt…
What fears or hesitations did you have before deciding to work with [your business name]?
For someone on the fence about hiring [your business name], what would you tell them?
“I knew there were other wedding photographers out there, but I decided [your name] was the right photographer for me because…”
What was your favorite part of working with me as a photographer?
If you have worked with other professional photographers in the past, how did I compare?
Business Management Questions
The following questions, if included, help provide you with valuable insight on ways to tweak or improve your service offerings.
Is there anything you were hoping would be included in your photography package? If you could add anything, what would it be?
Is there anything you feel could have been done to improve your experience? Do you have any suggestions for me?
Statistics Questions
These questions can be used to calculate statistics, which can be valuable social proof on your website. For example, you can use these questions to write social proof such as, “98% of clients would recommend [your business] to friends.”
Do you feel your wedding photography experience and photographs were worth the investment?
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Would you recommend [your business name] to a friend who is getting married?
Yes
No
Identification Questions
These questions allow you to determine how you can use the information provided. If the client does not consent to using their name, make sure to list the testimonial as “anonymous.”
It’s a huge bonus if you can provide names and faces to the testimonials you use on your website. This is why I always recommend asking if you can use their photo!
Client First and Last Name
May I use your name with your testimonial?
Yes
No, I’d like my answers to be listed as anonymous.
May I use a photo of you from your wedding alongside your testimonial on my website?
Yes
No
Form Wrap-Up
I recommend one final question asking if they have any additional thoughts or comments.
Then, thank them one last time for choosing you as a wedding photographer, and for taking the time to fill out your questionnaire!
Gathering Responses
After you’ve used your new questionnaire with a few clients, spend some time reviewing their responses. Do they address the fears and concerns of potential clients? Are you getting the juicy, detailed, personality-packed reviews that you want?
If not, go back and edit your questionnaire. Tweak your wording. Remove questions that aren’t providing what you need. Add different questions if desired. Don’t be afraid to provide prompts to help spark their imagination.
Make your questionnaire work for you and let it do the heavy lifting. Remember to keep the fears/thoughts/concerns of potential clients in mind.
And there you have it! You’re now set up to receive high-octane, client-converting testimonials. Use snippets from these testimonials throughout your marketing materials, and make sure to include them throughout your website. Always provide credit, and never edit testimonials without confirming the change with the client (for example, swapping the order of two sentences or changing wording from past to present tense).
Creating a website that’s focused on client-conversion and psychology-based copy can be a lot of work.
If you’re ready to launch your business to the next level of success, but don’t want to dedicate the time and energy to researching and creating your website on your own, I’m here to help!
My Peach and Pine Experience includes in-depth psychology-based copywriting, strategic design, and comprehensive web strategy. Your website will serve you as a powerful business asset, marketing for you 24/7/365.
If you’re ready to elevate your business, learn more about my Peach and Pine Experience and book your complimentary consultation!
As always, I’m cheering for you!
Kylee
PS - send me a message if you have a question or an idea for a future blog post!
Don’t want to miss when a new blog post gets shelved?
Join my inbox community and receive the Peach and Pine Post, a twice-monthly newsletter with links to recently published blog posts plus tips, tricks, and insider info about marketing, SEO, web design & strategy, copywriting, managing a small business as a real human being, and so much more! See you there!
