At the foundation of every relationship, there is trust.
This goes for every part of life, but it’s especially true for the relationship that a coach has with their clients. The work you do together requires a level of openness, honesty, and empathy that is, quite frankly, terrifying for some people…and at least a little scary for most of us.
When you think of laying that foundation and building that trust, your mind likely goes to those first conversations – the ‘feeling out’ period just before and just after someone decides to give you a chance and see if your coaching is right for them.
But while those first moments are certainly crucial, that ‘trust journey’ actually begins before you’ve ever met.
They checked you out. Scouted your socials. Perused your website. Googled you. (apologies to Bing, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, etc. – The Goog is still The Great and Powerful)
What were they looking for? To learn a little more about you, yes, but really they’re looking for evidence. Evidence that you can deliver what you promise. Evidence that you have delivered before, maybe even for someone just like them.
You know what I’m getting at. It goes by many names, depending on the context – social proof, testimonials, reviews. What it really works out to be is a kind of personalized stamp of approval, something that lets people know, “This one’s good, they helped me, and maybe they can help you, too.”
Consider…
One of the great joys of coaching is getting to be a part of, and sometimes even witnessing, That Moment. You know the one, the A-HA Moment when your client really “gets it”.
[…not all of it, mind you – we never really get all of it, do we? That’s what makes the journey such a joy!]
It’s such a beautiful milestone of all your work together, That Moment. And when it’s shared, when people who are seeking the kind of help you offer can see it, it helps them take that first step towards genuinely trusting you.
So, how do you get these gold stars of approval? You know what they say; “It doesn’t hurt to ask!”
What they don’t tell you is that it can definitely feel a little awkward, sometimes, to do the asking. Maybe you’re already an ace at this part of the business. Fantastic! Me, I’ve often struggled with even remembering to request a nice review or a “like & subscribe”.
Reflecting on it, I think there are two key pillars for collecting good reviews and testimonials:
- Make a habit of it. Build it into your systems and processes. Make a note to follow up with satisfied clients. Make the ask, even when it feels awkward.
If someone’s had a good experience with you and believes in the work you do, what you’re actually doing is allowing them to help! - Make it easy. No need to send your clients a 30-minute “How was your experience?” survey or rope them into a Zoom room to record a video testimonial (although sometimes these can be fun). There are SO many easy ways for your happy clients to contribute!
Endorsements or Recommendations on LinkedIn are always great. NPS surveys are short and sweet and sometimes lead to great little blurbs from your most satisfied clients. Heck, there are websites that will take video testimonials for you – all you do is send your client a link and the app does the rest (those can get a little pricey, but some of them are very slick).
I am notoriously terrible at asking for reviews (…or asking for help, or directions…I’m getting better). So…let’s change that!
If you’ve had a good experience with Boxer in any context – as a client, a podcast guest, maybe a nice newsletter or blogpost – here’s an easy link to give us a review on Google:
https://g.page/r/CQFwW5UEep2nEAg/review
And if you wanna get personal about it, endorse me for Underwater Basketweaving and Couch Insurance on LinkedIn.
Oh! That reminds me of a third pillar, at least in cases like ours – reciprocation. I can personally attest that many of you reading this are pretty awesome, and I’m more than happy to hit you with a five-star praise-fest…or maybe just a simple thumbs-up in the right place.
Of course, should you need a little coaching yourself on how to ask for testimonials and reviews – AND how to best use them – we actually do know a thing or two about that.
