When you are selling your services, there is always a barrier of credibility to overcome before your new friend writes you a check. Every prospect has a "gradient of resistance" to what you offer.

In order to get to your inevitable destination faster, you need PROOF!

The more proof you have the better. Proof tends to melt their disbelief. One form of proof is a testimonial. Testimonials are effective at removing doubt and getting your prospect into a more receptive frame of mind. But there is one very big problem to getting testimonials.

THE AVERAGE CLIENT, EVEN A VERY HAPPY CLIENT, IS HOPELESSLY BAD AT GIVING TESTIMONIALS!

You cannot afford to leave the job to an amateur. You should do the job yourself. Here's how:

The following is the "5 Question" strategy for gathering testimonials. The principle is simple. You ask them to tell you how great you are in three different questions while you take careful notes. You intersperse these questions with other questions about how you could serve them better. Then, you ask for permission to use their comments, edit, get sign off (where necessary) and suddenly you have a powerful testimonial.

Testimonial Script

"Hello. Ms. Jablonski?

It's Joe with ABC Tree Maintenance Systems, how are you today? I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about our service. It will take about two minutes. Is this an okay time?

1) Why do you deal with ABC? What's the big benefit?

2) When was the last time, if ever, that you used another tree maintenance company?

3) What has been the most enjoyable part of your experience in dealing with us so far?

4) Did you have any problems or concerns that were not addressed?

5) If you had to say in a brief sentence what the very best thing about us is, what would it be?

Thanks so much for your time and your answers. You have made some comments that are very helpful. Would you allow me to use them in our promotions (as long as you get sign off/ as long as we don't use your name)?

Thanks so much. Good bye"

Now all you have to do is send them a fax, with their best comments edited by you into the most powerful testimonial possible. Give them a place to sign to approve the testimonial as is. And give them the option to edit it if they wish. (Some folks will even improve on it.)

(Special Note: Sometimes your client will give you such great feedback in their answers to question 1 and 3, that question 5 seems like overkill. Use your judgment. I always ask all 5 questions, because I want the most and best ammunition possible. Sometimes you will get tepid responses to question 3 or 1, but the other positive answers will more than make up for it. The secret is to get the positive feedback from a few different focal points and then combine it into the ultimate testimonial.)

It really works. Try it just once and you'll see.