November 2, 2022

Testimonials and Resumes

Among other suggestions, Indeed.com counsels job hunters to embrace “clarity and quantitative stats” as they build their resume.

Here are some examples:
- Sales grew by 63% over the two years I lead the team, and 90% of team members met their personal sales objectives.
- Developed a webinar series featuring the firm’s top leaders which led to over $5 million in new client engagements.
- Oversaw social media accounts which experienced a 33% increase in conversation rates during my tenure.

These examples are specific and measurable. Further, they’re noticeably clear and to the point. There’s no need for much fluff because the demonstrable outcomes mentioned say it all.

The most effective testimonials share these characteristics.

If you have a testimonial which is something like “Sally is a wonderful person and had been so effective in implementing her program in our company,” you have a gracious endorsement, but it lacks punch and therefore memorability.

Whenever such testimonials come our way, we should be grateful. Always. Any unsolicited testimonial you get is a gracious gift. It takes both thoughtfulness and time to sit down and write one.

As you think about soliciting testimonials from your best clients, think resumes. When your client mentions the measurable outcomes they’ve experienced from your work, ask if they will write a testimonial based on that statement. Tell them you’re happy to get them started with a draft to edit freely if they wish.

Something like this: “Sally’s program led to a 30% increase in sales during the first year alone.” You can add whatever intangibles about Sally you want to and around this statement, but this line stands out and is therefore memorable.

Testimonials with demonstrable outcomes at their core speak from the point of view of perceived client value, and those endorsements will be much more compelling as a result.

 

 

Image created using Craiyon (Formerly DALL-E Mini)

(This blog post was also posted on LinkedIn.)

©Ray Business Advisors, LLC and John Ray

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About me: I help solo or small professional services firm owners with the confidence and positioning necessary to improve their pricing and change the trajectory of not only their business but their life.

I have a podcast called The Price and Value Journey, which features interviews with industry leaders and audio versions of my blog posts. You can find the podcast on your favorite podcast app.

I also have a book coming out in 2023:  The Price and Value Journey: Raise Your Confidence, Your Value, and Your Prices to Grow Your Business Using The Generosity Mindset.

For more information, go to PriceValueJourney.com