How to Get Testimonials That Boost Your Online Course Sales

Are you an entrepreneur or course creator looking to boost your online course sales? In this post, we’ll talk about how to get testimonials and use them to drive sales.

By leveraging the positive results you’ve helped others achieve, you can enhance your online course’s credibility and attract more potential buyers. So, get ready to learn how to get those rave reviews, plus where to use them to help you get more sales. Let’s get started!

Why Testimonials Are Important

Testimonials are a great way to build trust and drive sales. They provide social proof and demonstrate the real-life benefits that your online course can offer.

When potential buyers see positive feedback from satisfied customers, it lets them know that your course or product has worked for other people which gives them more confidence to make a purchase.

Testimonials also help overcome buyer skepticism by showing the success stories of real people who have already experienced positive outcomes.

By strategically incorporating testimonials into your marketing materials and website, you can establish credibility, increase conversions, and ultimately boost your online course sales.

How to Get Testimonials

Ok, so how do you get good testimonials? Here are 5 steps to help you get started.

Step 1: Determine what type of feedback you want

Before you start asking for reviews and testimonials, make sure that you have a clear idea of what type of feedback you’re looking for as it relates to the product you’re launching and the transformation it delivers.

Are you a copywriter looking for conversion rates from the sales emails you write for clients? Social media manager looking for Instagram account growth results?

Knowing what kind of results you’re looking to share will help guide your conversations and ensure that you get the right kind of testimonials for your business.

Step 2: Ask the right people

Choose clients who had great experiences with your product or service and are likely to be enthusiastic about their experience.

Remember, authenticity is key – no cookie-cutter reviews here! You want real stories from real people. Consider creating a template email that you can customize for each student, expressing genuine interest in their feedback.

Some people recommend offering incentives or discounts for a testimonial, but I don’t recommend this. You can definitely position it as being beneficial to them (i.e. you’ll be putting a spotlight on them or their business as well), but if you offer gifts or discounts in exchange for a testimonial, you need to disclose that to your audience.

Step 3: Make it easy

Make sure that it is as simple and straightforward as possible for clients to provide feedback.

• Send Out Student Surveys: A simple questionnaire can work wonders. Ask targeted questions like, “How did this course change your approach to [specific topic]?” or “What was your biggest takeaway from this course?”

• Conduct Post-Course Interviews: Offer brief chats to delve deeper into their experience. This candid feedback goldmine yields powerful testimonials you can polish and showcase.

• Record Video Testimonials. They’re like testimonials on steroids. Seeing and hearing a real person talk about your course? Powerful stuff. If you can, get some of these in the mix. They’re worth their weight in engagement gold. Not everyone is comfortable on camera, so offer guidance and make it a fun experience. A short, authentic video can be more impactful than a polished, scripted one.

The key is to get testimonials that hit home. Don’t just settle for “This course was great!” Dive deeper. Focus on stories that resonate with your target audience’s pain points and dreams.

Did your course help someone land their dream job? Did it bring a sense of accomplishment? Those stories are pure gold so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for more detail if needed.

Step 4: Follow up

Don’t forget to follow up with clients who have provided reviews and testimonials. Thank them for their time, and make sure that they know that their feedback is appreciated.

Step 5: Share them all over!

Okay, you’ve got these amazing testimonials, but where should you flaunt them? Everywhere!

Your website, social media, email campaigns – anywhere you can to help potential buyers learn more about the results you can provide.

On your website, create a dedicated testimonials page or a rotating testimonial section on your homepage.

In your email campaigns, sprinkle in testimonials that relate to the content of the email, adding credibility to your messages.

Using Testimonials to Address Objections

Here’s a savvy move – use testimonials to tackle common objections. Got potential customers worried about the time commitment? Showcase a testimonial from someone who juggled your course with a full-time job. It’s like saying, “If they can do it, so can you!” This strategy directly addresses potential hesitations, making your course more approachable.

How to Get Testimonials for a Product You Haven’t Launched Yet

One way to get testimonials for a course or product that hasn’t yet launched is by reaching out to people who have shown interest in your product and see if they’d be interested in joining a beta version where they would go through a more raw, unpolished version of the course and give feedback for you to use.

By involving these potential customers early on, you can create a sense of exclusivity and anticipation, motivating them to provide testimonials you can use once the product is officially released.

Another approach is to reach out to trusted people who are knowledgeable or influential in your field and offer them a preview and ask them for an honest review. If they find value in it, they can provide testimonials based on their experience, expertise, or the potential benefits they perceive the product to have.

Testimonials from other trusted people in your niche can be very persuasive and help attract more potential customers.

Refresh and Update Regularly

Testimonials are not one-and-done deals. Keep them fresh and relevant. Got a course update? Get new testimonials.

Show your audience that your course is constantly evolving and improving. This also helps in keeping your content dynamic and engaging, showing that your course is active and continually beneficial.

Testimonial Ethics (plus common courtesy)

Quick note on ethics – always get permission to use someone’s words and pictures. It’s not just polite; it really should be a part of your testimonial system.

Transparency builds more trust. When you’re clear about how you’ll use someone’s testimonial, it shows that you respect their privacy and preferences.

One of the best ways to get consent is to have them sign a Testimonial Release Form. This is a contract that gives you legal permission to share your glowing reviews and use them to level up your marketing. I use and recommend this Testimonial Release Form template from The Boutique Lawyer. It’s an affordable price to pay to level up your testimonial game.