How To Get 10x More Client Testimonials & Referrals (Plus TWO Example Emails For You To Swipe)

What’s the one thing you can do to massively boost your credibility, increase your chances of landing new clients, and charge more for your services?…

The answer is creating powerful social proof in the form of client testimonials.

EVERY single entrepreneur, coach, freelancer, and business – whether it’s service-based, eCommerce, or B2B – should collect and publically showcase customer testimonials or reviews…

Because they are basically your way of telling people… “Hey, I’m legit. I actually know what I’m doing, I do it well, and I get results!”

And more importantly… SOCIAL PROOF works.

It works so well, in fact, that 93% of customers say their purchasing decision is directly influenced by testimonials and customer reviews.

93%!!!!

Can you imagine getting a 93% bump in client requests and conversions all because you added a few powerful testimonials to your website, portfolio or sales emails?

So now you’re thinking… “Ok great… I better get some testimonials… but how Alex? HOW?!” Don’t worry… I got you. 

In this video, I’m going to share with you 5 tips to make getting client testimonials easy-breezy…

And as a special bonus for you at the end… 

I’m sharing TWO EMAILS for you to swipe that’ll help you get 10x more testimonials! Sound good? Keep reading.

Hey Posse! What’s up? It’s Alex. 

Coming at you this week with another request hot-off the Posse press. This topic was voted by my community as the #1 topic you wanted to learn about next  

If you’re new to the crew, welcome! 

Every week (well, almost every single week) I post a new tutorial on topics like marketing, copywriting, freelancing, mindset, and motivation… So you can learn my proven techniques, formulas, and strategies that work today.

If that sounds good to you, then be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and to know when my blog post video goes live! 

Now, sure having loads of raving client testimonials sounds great… and I mean, who doesn’t want to boost their conversions, increase brand trust, and get a never-ending stream of new client referrals?

But how can you get testimonials if you’re starting from zero?

Well, the answer is really quite simple…

You simply need to ask previous and existing clients for testimonials!

I know, I know… easier said than done. 

Reaching out to a client for a personal ask like this can feel daunting and even super intimidating. I mean… what if they say no?! 

But rest assured that on average, 72% of people will leave a review when asked to do so… and that’s the stat for local businesses…

I’m guessing that number is much higher in a high-touch, service-based business, like copywriting or any sort of freelancing.

So with that in mind, let’s get started with tip #1…

Tip #1: Get ‘Em While They’re Hot

In most cases, you’ll want to ask for a review as soon as you’ve finished a client project!

In my experience, this is the absolute easiest and fastest way to get a killer testimonial that absolutely raves about your services and what it’s like to work with you. If you wait too long, then you risk losing specificity or excitement…

Asking right away ensures that the experience is still fresh in the mind of your client, plus they’ll still feel pretty connected to you so it’s harder for them to say “no.”

I’ve done this by sending a simple email, which I’ll give you swipe copy for at the end of this article! 

Now, it’s also smart to ask for testimonials from your retainer clients. But the trouble with retainer clients is that, well, there really is no “end date.” You’re providing continuous service to the client, so it can be a bit confusing to know when and how to ask for a testimonial. 

The way I’d approach this is by asking for a testimonial as soon as a client compliments your work. 

So maybe you wrote an email sequence for a retainer client and after you submitted it they said…. Wow, this is so great! That’s a great time to swoop in and say something like: 

“I’m so glad to hear that! Hey, by the way, I’m trying to gather some client testimonials for my portfolio, and I’m wondering if you would mind giving me one?” 

They just finished complimenting your work and they’re pleased with the results you’ve just given them—so they’re very likely to say YES!

Okay, on to tip #2…

Tip #2: Follow Up In 30 Days

For projects that take a bit of time to garner results, I recommend following up 30 days later to check in on how things are going. This is great because you’ve given your client time to see results from the assets you provided! 

Asking them for stats like conversion rate, open rates, or revenue generated are all powerful additions to client testimonials that can dramatically increase your credibility. 

If you can prove that your copy increased a client’s conversion rate by, say, 10%—that’s going to be very appealing to future clients.

So definitely ask for a testimonial as soon as you end a project with a client, but also let them know that you’ll be following up in 30 days or so to see how things are going.

This, my friends, is also a GREAT way to get ongoing work. It’s WAY easier to sell an existing client on more work than to onboard a brand-new client. So following up to check in on how things are going is a powerful way to increase your sales.

And don’t worry… I’ve got some swipe copy for this one too, waiting at the end of this article!

Plus, you can even use this to follow up with past clients. Whether it’s been a month, 6 months, or even a whole year since you finished a project with them.

Okay, tip #3…

Tip #3: Ask For LinkedIn Recommendations

I’ll admit, this is something I could be way better at… because LinkedIn is a literal goldmine for professional recommendations. 

And the best part is that they can all be repurposed as a “testimonial” for your website or portfolio, with permission of course! 

And asking for recommendations on LinkedIn is super easy. 

All you have to do is go to your homepage, scroll down to the recommendations section, and click “Ask to be recommended.” All it takes is 4 simple steps:

1. Type in the name of the connection you want a recommendation from
2. Add your professional relationship to them
3. Write a short personal message
4. Then send it off! 

And some people might even send you LinkedIn recommendations without you asking at all! 

Like my student Dayana—a Launch Pad Season 2 grad who left me this amazing recommendation—thanks girl! 

Alright onto tip #4…

Tip #4: Screenshot Feel-Good Messages

Anytime I receive a social media DM, comment, or email that’s complimenting my work or even just sharing some excitement about me and my brand, I screenshot it and add it to a “Good Vibe” folder on my phone.

These screenshots are not only a great way to lift your spirits when you’re having a down day… but they also act as perfect social proof!

These screenshots can be shared on social media, added to your portfolio or website, as long as you get permission first. 

But the great thing about capturing a screenshot is the hard work is already done! They’ve already sent you an amazing message, now all you need to do is reply with a thank you and ask if you can feature it publically. 

I actually do this all the time when I’m promoting my products and services…

There’s nothing quite as powerful as seeing genuine screenshots of an excited message, comment, or DM. It’s User-Generated Content at its finest…

And now onto the most important tip of all…

Tip # 5. Make It Easy

Whenever you make a request that seems too complicated, you’re almost guaranteed to get a “no”… or just no response at all. You’ve heard me say before that confusion is the biggest conversion killer” and that applies to testimonial requests too!

People like things that are easy, simple, and fast. 

And if you can do that for your clients, then they’re much more likely to say “yes”!

That’s why whenever I ask for a testimonial, I always send them directly to Boast. 

Boast is great because it makes leaving a testimonial super easy for your clients. You can create a form that asks simple and specific questions and makes it really easy for them to upload a video or photo right there on the page.

Another reason I love using Boast is because it acts as the perfect place to store all your testimonials. 

No more searching your google drive archive or inbox for hours on end looking for that one testimonial you want to feature…

Boast even allows for you to create widgets that you can easily embed on your site like so, which will update in real-time every time you get a new testimonial!

If you want to give Boast a try, they have a 14-day free trial. Take a look!

Now, quick disclaimer: They are not paying me to promote them, but this is an affiliate link so if you do sign up and end up paying for a subscription, I will receive a small commission 🙂

Alright now as promised, here’s swipe copy for you to use when asking for testimonials or referrals…

Email #1: Get ‘Em While They’re Hot

Hi [CLIENT’S NAME],

I just wanted to reach out and let you know that I really enjoyed working on [PROJECT] with you! 

I can’t wait to see how [ASSET] performs! I’ll plan to follow up in a month or so to hear all about it.

I had so much fun working with you and your team and I’d love to feature you on my website as an awesome client. 

I’d be honored if you would share your feedback on what it was like working with me on [PROJECT] – either in a video or written statement! Whatever works best for you.

To make it easy, I created a form here where you can quickly leave your comments and upload a video or image in just a couple minutes. [LINK TO BOAST] 

Again, it’s been so great working with you!

I hope you’ll consider me for any copywriting needs that may arise in the future. 

I also always appreciate receiving referrals from great clients like you, so feel free to send people my way if you feel like we’d be a good fit.

Hope to hear back from you soon!

[YOUR NAME]

Email #2: 30-Day Follow Up

Hi [CLIENT’S NAME],

Just checking in really quick to follow up on [PROJECT].

I’d love to hear how it went, or if you have analytics or performance metrics to share with me! I’m always looking to learn and improve and this data is so helpful to me.

If you’re open to sharing this information in a testimonial, I’d greatly appreciate it! You can go here to quickly leave your comments and metrics: [LINK TO BOAST] 

Again, it was so great working with you! I’d love to hear more about what you’re working towards now and the plans you have for the future. I’d love to assist in helping you hit those goals!

Let me know and we can hop on a quick call to chat further.

Hope to hear back from you soon 🙂

[YOUR NAME]

So there you have it—5 tips to get awesome client testimonials to massively boost your credibility, increase your chances of landing new clients, and charge more for your services! 

Go out there, do your thang, do it well, and spread that Posse power. 

But before you go, here’s a little gift for sticking around. If you want my insider secrets to creating your dream clients and start building your copywriting biz…

Go watch my FREE 6-Figure Video Training here.

• What businesses today are ACTUALLY looking for and how you can get paid for your skills and expertise….
• The FIVE STEPS you need to do to begin building your own killer portfolio TODAY…
• How to future-proof your copywriting business from the never-ending threat of A.I. takeover…

And so much more! (Seriously this was SO much fun to record!)

Good luck and until next time, I’m Alex.

Ciao for now! 

Watch This Instead