I used to suck at getting reviews of my work.  I’ve gotten better but I’m still no where near AKC best of show.

You want to get reviews.  They help people trust you and believe in what you do  Whether you get a few or a bucket load.  There’s a couple of things you can do to make the ones you get better.

First, show the diversity of your clients.  Like attracts like.  

If you have a course that teaches cats to pee on a toilet (don’t laugh, this is really a thing) and one of your testimonials is from a retired grandma.  There’s another Meemaw in Oklahoma captivated, thinking…  Hey, I can do that too.  

Let’s get fancy and put it in a more scientific way.  Author and most bad-ass psychology professor ever Dr. Robert Cialdini said in his book Pre-Suasion, thinking is linking.  

“The brain’s operations arise fundamentally and inescapably from raw associations.  Just as amino acids can be called the building blocks of life, associations can be called the building blocks of thought.”

You also want to add some drama when you can.  Which sounds better?

• Adam coached me and helped me lose 30 pounds. 

• I struggled with my weight for nearly a decade after the birth of my second child,  After I was coached by Adam I lost 30 pounds.  

Same result but the second one is much more impressive and relatable with some back-story sprinkled in there. 

“Readers want to see a character overcome obstacles.  They want to live vicariously through the character in your book, feeling every setback.  Feeling the conflict.  And getting the satisfaction of accomplishment when the character finally reaches his goal.”

Debra Dixon, from Goal, Motivation & Conflict

In the movie Iron Man, imagine if they glazed over Tony being captured and creating his armor out of necessity?    They could have done that but the movie wouldn’t have been no where near as good.

And neither would have Spider-Man.  Thor.  Or any other super-hero movie.

Don’t for a minute think I’m telling you to make this stuff up.  Pay attention to what your clients say and their individual experiences.  And when they give you a review coach them on framing their story. 

I used to work at an insurance company and we used to joke that all the customer reviews started in the rain or with some other melancholy situation.    

You don’t have to get all Joseph Campbell on them but do what you can to get great feedback.    It is for you after all.

Adam