What if you’re all-in, ready to launch this HUGE new thing you just can’t wait to share with the world, but nobody knows who you are yet? It’s a pretty common question: how do you get testimonials when you’re just starting out?
You have a new program, new business, no testimonials. No proof that you’re any good at what you say you do just yet.
For starters, don’t use this as an excuse to NOT get started. ‘Cause it isn’t. You’ve already got what you need to start selling what you have. The proof that what you’re selling actually works is out there. But where is it?
It’s in the DATA. All you need to do is start collecting it. And USING it.
Data sells anything. Proven systems sell anything. There are also stories and testimonials about what you’re doing that are already out there.
Even if the data and stories don’t have your personal spin on them yet, they still count.
So where do you find all of this?
Look at those who have already done it for themselves.
Let’s say you want to start online as business consultant. But up until now, nobody has joined you as a client. Still, you KNOW what consultants are worth. You’ve been in one; you’ve rocked your results. You personally know others have had the same kind of experience and results for their business.
Here’s what you can do: get testimonials from other people. No, not those who have necessarily been a part of your programs, but those who have done the same kind of thing. That thing that you’re wanting to sell.
I know, I know, they’re not working with YOU yet–but stay with me on this.
Back up just a bit and look at it this way first: you have to know what kind of results you’re looking to provide for your people. What would they want to get out of joining your program? What problems are you going to solve for them? Write it all down.
Then think about the people you know who had the same problem and found the solution to the problem, because this is the same solution that you’re selling! Go talk to them. It’s as simple as that.
Let’s go back to the consultant example. Maybe you know someone who grew his business by 20% in X number of days and he credits it all to a consultant. Or maybe you know someone else who doubled her revenue last year because of the consultant that held her accountable to reach her goals. Those people are your testimonials right there.
Get good data by asking things like where they started, where they wound up, and what it took to get there. For business consultant example: what was their revenue when they started the coaching program? What was it at the end? What was their commitment? What did they have to do each week? How many coaching calls did they have to show up for? How many total hours a week did it take?
Start breaking it down. Show what they had to do to make an extra X dollars in their business in a year and tie that all into the value of what YOU are selling.
If you have stories and testimonials, it will help you sell the idea that what you have to sell actually works for people–because you’ve got the data and the numbers to make it real.
Because seriously, if you told me something like “most people who have been in business coaching programs with me double their income,” you’ve sparked my interest!
And you’ve already gotten the data to prove you can get results–and you can share it in easy-to-understand chunks.
So if I’m your potential client, I’m now thinking “Wow, she’s got five testimonials of people who have doubled their business and this is the amount of time they committed? I could do that!”
And now you’ve got somebody interested. Just like that.
You can also interview other people who’ve done what you’re doing–maybe even some big names and experts. Get their take on it, too. (Maybe your coaches and mentors?)
And of course, there’s always Google. ALL kinds of data to support what you’re doing is out there, you just have to find it. What are the experts and the big names out there saying about coaching, for instance?
How about numbers? Let’s say you’re a health coach or a personal trainer looking to share the benefits of an accountability partner at the gym, and you want to show why hiring a trainer can be an even bigger boom to your results. Just because the statistics you find are not a result of working directly with YOU doesn’t matter in the beginning. Remember–right now, you’re selling the idea that what you offer works. That’s all you need to do for the moment.
Don’t forget that YOU are your greatest testimonial, too.
What about your experiences? How did doing the same work that you want to sell to others make a difference in your life? There is a reason why you are so passionate about what you want to sell. You know the life-changing results you got by doing the work. Don’t hesitate to share YOUR story there–it counts for a LOT.
Data and testimonials will prove that what you’re selling gets results, even if it’s other people’s testimonials–for now. They still work. The data is there. I encourage you to go get testimonials right now until you get your own, and make good use of the data that’s already out there.
Because basically in the end, it’s all market research/confirmation of what you already know. Just because it isn’t necessarily feedback on what you’re offering just yet, does not mean that you have to wait until you get testimonials that are specifically about you.
You don’t have to be an expert right away. All you need to do is create a solution for a need where there’s a gap in the market.
I was not an expert when I started my food company. I didn’t know how to cook. I wasn’t a nutritionist. I just brought all the pieces together in a way that got results for the people I wanted to help. You’re doing the same thing, just bringing the pieces together.
Are you starting something new but you’re afraid to get out there because you don’t have any proof that you can do it just yet? Give this a try and tell me how it works for you in the comments below!