In the last week, I’ve delivered six workshops and keynote speeches in Denver, Houston, Chicago, and Las Vegas. During the portion of my sessions that covered communicating (not just collecting) testimonials, several people had this rather common resistance:

“I’m not going to share my customers’ names so that my competition can steal them.”

One guy who runs an eight-figure distributorship actually said to me, “You need to understand that our industry is different.”

Listen to me carefully: No, it’s not. Your industry and your business — like every other industry and business — can benefit tremendously from communicating the positive words of your customers. The discomfort with that is yours, not your customers’.

Do you think your competition is not calling on your customers regularly now? You’re not sharing their testimonials, yet the competition calls. And every time a competitor calls, your customer makes the decision to stay with you.

When a customer gives you a glowing testimonial, they are pouring cement on their relationship with you. They are saying “here are the amazing ways I’ve improved as a result of working with you, and, yes, of course you may use my comments in your materials.” Do you really think they’ll leave you for the competition after making such a public endorsement of you?

So, in fact, when a customer gives you a testimonial, you draw them closer and more permanently to you. The effect is the opposite of the risk of losing them: it is deepening their commitment to you, and yours to them.

The Evangelist Marketing Institute is a revenue growth consultancy. My average client grows their top line by 15% to 20% in their first year with me. If you’d like to discuss applying this kind value to your organization, just reply to this e-mail or call me at 847-459-6322.

This piece ran in my Evangelist Marketing Minute short-form newsletter, which you can receive every Monday morning for free by signing up here.