Be Stingy with Testimonials
On the one hand, getting testimonials from colleagues and clients can boost your credibility in the market and help you get more business.
On the other hand, giving out testimonials can be risky business.
If you give somebody a testimonial or endorsement after only brief interaction with him, you’re playing with fire. You don’t really know the person in question, and you don’t know what that person may (or may not) do in the future.
Consistency in behavior… longevity in the market… these are the kinds of things that breed trust. This is why I only give testimonials and endorsements to people I’ve known and interacted with for a couple years.
It’s also why I’ve turned down a number of requests for testimonials. It’s just not worth the risk.
I realize it’s easy to get caught up in the “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” world of testimonial swapping, but my advice is… don’t.
If you’ve really done good work, the testimonials and endorsements will come in over time.
No need to rush or hurry things up by whoring yourself out to every marketer who asks for a piece of your credibility in hopes they’ll reciprocate.
Be stingy with testimonials.
Protect your credibility.
Because at the end of the day, it’s all you’ve got.
-Ryan M. Healy
