Why your clients’ kind words can be your best marketing tool.
In the trades, word-of-mouth is everything. Whether it’s a neighbour’s recommendation or an online review, people trust what others say about your work far more than any paid advertisement. That’s why testimonials are one of the most powerful tools in your marketing kit – they provide social proof that you’re reliable, professional, and do the job well.

In this blog, we’ll show you how to easily collect great feedback from your clients, where to use it for the biggest impact, and how kind words can help you win more work (without the hard sell).

More than just a pat on the back: the real business impact of testimonials

More than a pat on the back, sharing client testimonials is a smart business strategy with a big impact. Here’s what Kevin Heimlich, SEO and Founder of The Ad Firm, has to say about how collecting client testimonials can benefit you:

“In the tradie space, people don’t know who to trust. Every website claims to be reliable, and every ad boasts experience. But when a customer reads a testimonial from someone who’s faced the same problems as they did, it feels more real. Testimonials work because they remove doubt. That’s the difference.”

Here’s how testimonials can work in your favour:

• They build trust and influence decisions: As Heimlich mentioned, new clients are far more likely to believe another customer than take your word for it. Testimonials offer social proof that you deliver what you promise.
  
• They set you apart: In a competitive market, a glowing testimonial could be the reason a client picks you over the next electrician on Google.
  
• They boost SEO: Testimonials filled with relevant keywords (like your services, locations, and expertise) help search engines find and rank your site.
  

Nabbing the nods: easy ways to collect great testimonials

While it might feel a bit awkward asking for testimonials to begin with, you’ll be surprised to find most happy clients are more than willing to recommend you to others. Here are four tips on how to ask for feedback you can share online:

1. Ask at the right time: The best time to ask for a testimonial is when your work shines the brightest. This could be after you’ve completed a job, solved a tricky problem, or when your client expresses satisfaction.
   
2. Make it easy: Provide a simple template or a few key questions you can send by email or through an online form. For example, you could ask:
   • What problem did we solve?
   • What did you like the most?
   • Would you recommend us to others and why?
     
3. Go for gold: getting video or photo testimonials: A written testimonial is great, but a photo or video is gold. With so many people turning to video for recommendations or to check if a business is trustworthy, a quick, honest clip from a happy client can go a long way.
   
4. Online reviews: encouraging Google and social media feedback A 2025 study by BrightLocal showed that 88% of consumers use Google to search for reviews, while 74% check at least two review sites before making a decision. This is why Google Business Profile reviews are worth their weight in gold. You could also encourage people to leave feedback on your Facebook business page and platforms like Yelp.

Showing off your success: where to put those glowing reviews

Now that you’ve got your reviews, where do you put them? The right testimonial in the right place can give potential clients the confidence to choose you over your competition. Here’s where to show off your success:

• Your website: Your website is like a shop window. Add a dedicated testimonials page, highlight standout quotes on your homepage, and distribute reviews throughout your service pages to build trust as people scroll.
  
• Social media: Turn great feedback into eye-catching quotes, graphics or short videos, and then add them to your Instagram and Facebook pages, pinned or highlighted so they’re easy to find.
  
• Quotes in your proposals: Including a relevant testimonial in your job quotes or bids adds credibility and shows you’ve delivered for others just like them.
  
• Printed materials: Add short testimonials to your flyers, brochures, and the back of business cards, helping you stand out long after you’ve left the job site.

Turning praise into pennies: how testimonials can drive new business

When you consistently showcase testimonials, you build a reputation for reliability, professionalism, and quality work. The key? Make requesting feedback a part of your process. A quick request after each happily completed job can build a powerful bank of social proof over time, helping set you apart from other businesses and grow your business through word-of-mouth.

Got a great client success story? Share it with the Gemcell community on our social channels! And for more marketing tips, explore the business section of our website.