Here at Communiqué PR, we believe strongly in the value of testimonials. Client or customer testimonials are an excellent way to validate a product or solution. Not only do they offer credibility for your service, but they provide real life examples of how a technology works. A well written testimonial shows potential customers how a technology may fit their needs.

So how do you go about garnering testimonials that will resonate with potential customers?

1. Identify customers who can provide a compelling story. A good testimonial tells an engaging story. Go through your client list and determine who is using your technology in a new and different way, garnering interesting results, achieving significant savings, or gaining an excellent ROI. These are the types of clients that will give compelling, unique stories that can both drive coverage and engage a potential market. If you want tips on how to reach out to these customers, check out “Four Steps to Getting Customer Testimonials” at Flying Solo.

2. Find customers who showcase your technology’s use. If you want to break into a new industry, it is helpful to have a case study that shows how your technology is being used in that field. As Chris Garrett recommended in ”5 Tips for Knockout Testimonials”, use testimonials that fit with the point you are trying to get across.

3. Develop a questionnaire or set of interview questions that will draw out a storyline. Questions need to prompt a storyline, so make sure that they are open ended, not yes or no questions. Why questions are especially helpful. Keep the questions relevant to the industry, but try and draw out a story. Ask what their original problem was, why they chose your technology as a solution, and what they have been able to accomplish with your solution.

4. Determine what type of testimonial you would like to build. At Communiqué, we have secured a variety of testimonials, including videos and written case studies. Oftentimes, people like to simply use short quotes from satisfied customers. Video testimonials, like the following prepared for our client, Attachmate, can be fun and engaging. Case studies tell a more in depth story; quotes may be easier to get ahold of because they are less time consuming for your customer.

5. Transform an interview into a story. For an example of this, check the Bookrenter case study Communique completed for Opscode. Use a narrative style to explain what the customer’s context was, why they needed a solution, how they decided to use your service, their experience deploying the service, and their results. Incorporate direct quotes where they fit, and include unique points of the story. Refrain from exaggerating or straying away from the actual details of the story.

Most of the tips in this post come directly from the staff at Communique PR; if you are looking for additional information on testimonials, try this very helpful blog post at 21CenturySales. When thinking about how to build your company’s website and add to your current PR strategy, remember the power of testimonials. Whether they are quotes, videos, or written case studies, Communiqué PR has found testimonials extremely valuable in showing how our clients’ solutions are useful in a variety of situations. Testimonials allow you to show how your clients’ services are useful, in a format that is relatable and engaging.