“Divorce Discourse is the most amazing website. The insights are life changing, and the author is a genius. Rosen’s writing and intellect are unsurpassed, and he is really handsome.”

– VLR (September 2010)

Okay, okay, “VLR” is my mother, and she didn’t even write that testimonial—I wrote it myself.

That’s not the way to do a testimonial. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong.

But testimonials like what my mother said are more or less what I see on most attorney websites offering testimonials. They are usually pretty awful.

What should you do differently?

1. Comply with the rules of your state licensing agency. When in doubt, don’t.

2. Make sure your testimonials are signed. People are skeptical. They don’t trust much of what they see and read. Get real testimonials from real people willing to tell the world where they stand.

3. Post a picture of the person giving the testimonial. The more you do to identify the client, the better. It builds trust.

4. Ideally, the whole testimonial will be done on video. Hire a professional to record the testimonial and have it edited down to a few minutes. This is the best approach to guarantee credibility.

5. Have the endorser tell the good and the bad. Don’t make it a puff piece. Let it be real. Let the person say some of the things that went differently than he or she expected. Keep it real.

6. Be sure the endorser explains how you addressed some of the fears and anxieties that are common to all prospective clients. After all, this testimonial is aimed at prospective clients. Make sure the endorsement speaks to the things prospective clients are worried about.

A good testimonial makes a huge difference. It is frequently the difference clients cite for hiring attorney A over attorney B. Get it right, and you’ve got a powerful marketing tool that not only helps you, but also helps prospective clients make a decision based on the good job you’re doing for your clients.