How do you get testimonials from clients?

I've been thinking that I really want to start actively trying to collect testimonials from my clients as they use my services. Do you have any ideas on how to do this? How do I encourage my clients to say something nice about me without feeling like they are being cooerced? Or do you think it is not even appropriate to ask?

of course you can ask!! You ask politely, the customers that have already said "you did such a great job today!!" A simple, "hey, if you don't mind, would you email me a short testimonial so I can post it on my website?" I used to have a testimonial page on my website, I took it down when I changed my website, but I think I'm going to build it back up again soon.

Customer Satisfaction Survey...

Check out the link in my signature for my Resources... There is a sample of what I use there.

I leave one with the customer, with a stamped self-addressed envelope, and I get a lot of them back.

I think I may try that approach Shannon.
I always let them know I am emailing a survey, along with links to gig salad and a couple of other sites I am linked to, but never get one back. I would be nice to have in print the compliments they always tell me at the event.

I am actually pretty surprized how many come back - must be the stamped envelope.

I've had pretty good success (25%) with Gig Salad links. I'll usually just write them a casual email with the link (I always have their email because I get Paypal deposits) and ask them if they would do me a favor and submit a review. There are only a couple of mercurial people that I haven't requested one from.

What I like about Gig Salad is they have a widget that you can add to your website that puts the reviews online for you and updates them. You can see them on my front page. I'd like to figure out how to make them into columns but I haven't spent the time to do it yet.

D.

What great advice everyone has, thank you!! Shannon...brilliant! Will have to try that.

I'm doing the survey also, but lately I've been emailing a short thank you the day after an event and they usually reply with something nice. I'm wondering... would it be wrong to post that in my testimonials?

not if you ask them permission. I would never post a picture or written statement with out at LEAST verbal, if not, written permission!

if they send me a written comment, I consider it pretty safe to quote them. I would ask permission for pictures, but I usually ask permission before I take the pictures ("Would it be alright if I took her picture for my website?"). I haven't been bothering with written permission, if they complain, I'll take it down.

Well, as everyone has said ..... the way to get them is to ask! But there's good and bad ways of doing it.

The first thing is about the time. You should ask them as soon after the gig as possible. After all - this is when the service you provided and the benefits to them are still fresh in their mind.

I think this is a great time to next contact your client anyway, so include in that email a section (or document) that asks them to put in writing the wonderful comments they made verbally on the day. I explain that they probably saw some comments on your website and this helped their decision when they first met you .... and it's valued clients like them who can make comments that help others make the right decision!

I sometimes also include some of the verbal things they'd said and ask for some other comments to add to these. This ensures a broad range of comments covering specific areas you need more in. I might also include some comments others have said .... again helping them to say something different.

Also say that you'd like to include extracts of these in your promotional material and ask if the wording of the attribution (credit) is OK.

Finally .... as some will know from other times I've written about this in some detail .... I wouldn't use them on a Testimonials page ... as they are more powerful right next to relevant copy on your sales pages. This is why you want comments about all 'parts' of your service .... then place them within the relevant text (as display copy). If you don't understand this .... just ask and I can be more descriptive.

John