Those of you of a certain age may remember an old New Yorker cartoon where there's a dog typing away in a computer. And the headline or the thought bubble is on the internet, nobody knows you're a dog. On the one hand, that's funny and was true at a certain point. But now I can work against you if client prospects come to check you out. And all they see are text, testimonials, text letters of reference from past clients, they don't really know who wrote that or said that. You could have made that up yourself.
Anybody can just make up anything on the internet. It's far more powerful to have a testimonial video of your clients. It comes across as so much more authentic. Now, a couple of tips on videos. You don't want people saying something generic. Oh, TJ Walker is the greatest trainer ever.
He's wonderful, completely worthless as a testimonial as much as it might make me feel good to hear. It's worthless. The real value of a testimonial is when a client or customer talks about how they specifically benefited from your product or service and how they think other people would benefit too. So keep that in mind when you're asking people. The easiest way to get client testimonials is just pull out your cell phone after they've said something nice. This way you're not lobbying them and begging them and pleading them and bribing them and doing anything coercive, just very simple.
You finished working with a client or a customer, and you're in person, it's obviously much easier when you're in person. They say something nice to say, Hey, I really appreciate you saying that. I think other people who don't know me might find that valuable too. Do you mind if I just make a quick recording of it? Most people will say yes. Now they might be initially nervous.
Just say, hey, let me just record one. If you don't like it, we'll hit Delete. And then just pull your cell phone out and do it, do it maybe two or three times that way you can pick. There's one they don't like they can hit Delete. And now you've got something that's really valuable. It's one thing, and I tell you how great I am.
But when there's other people, third parties or other organizations, other businesses, you've heard of saying why I'm great, it's simply more believable. Don't worry about having perfect lighting and perfect setting and makeup and all that fact it's even more credible. It seems like it is just kind of grabbed on the street or at a hotel or a place of business. Don't worry about the production values. Get a testimonial video. I'll show you some of mine in the next loop.