Soon, Effective, Brief: Getting Testimonials for Your Architecture Firm

When you have a success, you need to soon gather an effective testimonial to post on your website home page. This will be your all-important “social proof” that clients have a great experience when they choose your firm. Getting testimonials for your architecture firm requires a mindful, constant practice of maintaining timely contact with current clients.

That you are able to design functional, beautiful buildings is important, but how easy is it to work with you? Do you do what you say you are going to do, when you said you would do it? What are the other ways that you help the client?

If we look back at that first sentence, there are three key words:

1. Soon

It's important to obtain the testimonial while the client is still in the first flush of happiness with the completed project. Yet, you don't want to call on moving day.

Give them a bit of time to get settled; follow up to make sure all is well. Sooner rather than later, ask, “Would you be willing to provide a testimonial about your experience with us for our website?”

2. Effective

The testimonial may be a video clip or something they write or even say to you. Sometimes, the client happens to say something that is so delightful that you wish others could hear it, too. Ask, “Could I include that on my website? Yes? All right, I'm going to jot down what you said and send it back to you to verify before I publish.”

Regardless of the medium and of whether you are present (you can meet with them to shoot a video or they can make one and just send it to you), here is what you need to ask them to address:

a) Please give your name and situation, ex. “We are Susan and Spencer and we've just moved into our new home” or “I'm Alvita Jordan and I'm a psychiatrist with a newly-renovated office.”

b) What is the single most important way that we helped you?

c) What is another important way that we helped you?

These questions will them know what to say and help you avoid comments like, “Devin designed our house and we are really, really happy in it.”

Instead, you will end up with descriptions of benefits that will speak to the emotions: “Devin helped us through the entire variance process and made the whole experience so much easier. The team really listened to what we wanted and asked us questions about how we use our home that we never would have thought to mention. We are delighted with the result.”

3. Home Page

Edit down the testimonial to only the key phrases …website visitors need to be hooked right away or they will leave. If possible, include the testimonials on the front page or one click away. In any case, don't hide them! If you can include a photo, this will help, as visitors see other people with whom they can identify that are your satisfied clients.

Bear in mind these 3 traits of a quality success story as you're getting testimonials for your architecture firm and you'll be on the right track.

This article was written by Jennifer Lader and optimized by our content team.