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Sometimes, the prospecting process seems to be going just fine… someone asks for help, you chat with them, they seem really excited! They’re on fire and ready to go, and then you send them to your website to check out your packages, book a discovery call, and close the deal and…
BAM!
You’ve lost them.
As much as we all dream of having a looonnng waiting list of clients, it’s not the reality for most business owners, no matter how seasoned. Online businesses have ebbs and flows just like any other industry. But, if you’re consistently having trouble booking clients, the issue might not be the time of year or the price of your services… it may not even have to do with you or your services at all.
Your lack of inquiries could entirely be because of the content on your website. Or more accurately, the problem might be something that’s missing from your website.
You can do a lot with a simple, one-page website as long as you hit the high points. Make sure you tell your prospective client about yourself (in a way that makes it about them, and not all about you), give them a comprehensive overview of your service or product, and provide an easy way to contact you somewhere on the site.
But, here’s the deal, there’s one thing you need on your website: TESTIMONIALS from past clients you’ve worked with!
Testimonials convey a lot more about you than just the fact that you have an awesome personality; they help establish you as a subject matter expert. You can talk about the ins and outs of your field all day long, and you might convince your client that you know what you’re talking about. But if they’re not passingly familiar with the inside lingo or what you do, how do they know they can trust your knowledge?
The Quick Takeaway: Having someone else say you know what you’re talking about makes what you say way more trustworthy.
A testimonial doesn’t just attest to your ability to do amazing work, it gives you a way to connect with your dream clients.
Picture this: You do a project for a client who meets your “I totally want to work with a million more clients like this one!” criteria. When you share their testimonial on your website, you include a link to the client’s website along with their glowing words of happiness and smiling photo.
Days, weeks, months later, a potential client stumbles across your website, reads your testimonials, and clicks over to your former client’s website. They looove what they see (even if it has nothing to do with your project) and may even want to, in some fashion, aspire to be like your past client… and what better way to accomplish that than by hiring you?!
The Quick Takeaway: People buy stories, not services, and they want to connect emotionally to something before spending their cash money. When you proudly show the types of projects and clients that you want more of, you’ll attract similar audiences.
Not only do testimonials show that you know what you’re talking about, but they show that you follow through and do your job.
How many times have you held your breath when paying for a service online, unsure and a little scared that you won’t actually get what you’ve paid for?! Having proof right on your website that you can and do follow up will go a long way toward easing someone’s fears that you’re a flash in the night.
Share results-oriented testimonials that give a before-and-after look at life before hiring you and life after hiring you. Showcasing how you helped a client go from zero-to-60 will reinforce the other points on this list – that you know your subject and that you’ll follow through. More importantly, they show how spending money on your service or product is an investment that helps clients grow personally or professionally… it’s not just another expense.
The Quick Takeaway: Hearing from other clients who have worked with you and can attest to your timeliness and delivery will reassure potential clients that you will deliver on your promises.
If you're still not convinced, it's time to get into your client’s shoes.
When was the last time you booked a hair appointment with someone completely unknown?
You probably asked around for recommendations, right?
Or you looked for a salon or barber with a good reputation, or some other cue that you’d get a good experience and a good cut out of the deal. (And if you DID go with someone you’d never heard of, you were probably prepared to look really goofy for a while!)
The fact of the matter is that we all look for reviews, testimonials, or other supporting evidence when considering a purchase. (Don't lie... I know you've looked up something on Amazon before buying it in Target.)
Make it easy for your potential clients. Don’t make them go hunting for a reason to hire or purchase from you (because they won’t) — show them the instant they land on your website with rocking testimonials that demonstrate your authority and credibility.
Find out what else you need to run your business in my Called to Create Workbook.
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