Other than a referral, there’s nothing more persuasive to a prospective client than testimonials and positive reviews. The words of other clients speaking about the great results you got for them, how you treated them, and why they recommend you are incredibly persuasive. 

If you are allowed to use them in your marketing, you should. 

Liberally. 

Use them on your website, in emails and newsletters, in brochures and handouts, on social media, ads, presentations, and everywhere else a potential client (or referrer) might see them. 

They speak to your capabilities and trustworthiness and what it’s like to work with you. They are the quintessential “social proof” clients look for and are persuaded by and you should do whatever you can to get them and use them. 

How do you get them? You ask for them. And make it easy for clients to comply by giving them a form to fill out or a link to a page. 

The best times to ask are when a client is happy with the settlement, when you deliver the work product they need and want, or when your bill turns out to be less than they expected. 

Happy clients are more likely to give you a good review. 

You can make reviews more likely by providing clients with other reviews or testimonials you have received and mentioning how important they are to you and how you appreciate them. 

You can improve testimonials by providing clients with questions that prompt them to supply details—about the services they received, how they were treated by you and your staff, the results you got for them, and how they feel about their experience with your firm. 

You might ask them to share there their biggest concerns before hiring a lawyer, or how working with your firm compares to working with other firms. You might ask if they would recommend you to friends or business contacts and, if so, what they would say. 

Another thing you can do to get more testimonials is to talk to new clients about the subject even before you start working. Ask them, “If you’re happy with our work, will you be willing to give us a positive review?” When they say they will, you’ll be able to remind them about that later when the work is done. 

One of the easiest ways to get a testimonial is when a client praises you or thanks you in an email or phone call or in person. Thank them for their kind words and ask if you can quote them in your marketing. 

I’ve done that many times. 

Write up what they said, send it to them for their approval, and encourage them to edit or change anything. You’ll often find them adding additional details or comments, making the testimonial much more powerful. 

I encourage you to focus on getting more testimonials and using them. They’ll make your marketing more effective and your practice more profitable.