You come across a product one day, and you’re interested in buying it.

It costs P5000 (around $122) and you’ve got P5500 in your wallet.

That’s a big amount for the average buyer. In fact, shelling out P5000 is an investment in itself.

And that’s what keeps you from making the next move. You like how shiny, sparkly, slick, and beautiful this product is, but you don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash just yet.

You want security, confidence, and reassurance that you’re not just throwing away money on something that would fail you in a couple of months.

So, what do you do?

You read reviews.

You read what previous buyers have to say. You read blog posts, forum posts, and even tweets that have covered and mentioned the product. You consider the pros and cons presented to you, weighing both to see which side tilts faster.

Many other factors (e.g. benefits, brand rep) would come into play, but reviews, star ratings, and testimonials are the deal breaker. They tell you what you’re getting into and what to expect.

Reassure Your Clients

Freelancing works the same way.

Your freelance services are the product—your knowledge, expertise, and customer service. What can you do, then, to convince the client to invest in you?

Testimonials, recommendations, feedback ratings, and even 140-character raves on Twitter can make all the difference for the freelancer working to get his or her name out there. With actual, concrete accounts of what the working experience is like, potential clients will feel much more confident in their decision to hire you for their projects.

Grab Those Valuable Testimonials

With this in mind, you’ll want all the best client testimonials and feedback to back you up. Who wants to buy a product with 10 1-star ratings and testy rants, right?

But how do you gather these positive recommendations? Here are five solid ways to do so:

1. Ask the client directly.
2. Create a client testimonial form, and ask your client to fill it up.
3. If you are connected on LinkedIn, request for a recommendation.
4. On oDesk/Elance/Freelancer, make sure to end your contracts or agreements with a written testimonial.
5. Keep an eye out for positive mentions on social media.

You can try any or all of these methods in capturing client testimonials. To supplement this, I’d like to share with you my own testimonial/recommendation form created solely on Google Docs. It’s a little outdated, but it’s simple, straight-to-the-point, and it serves its purpose.

http://goo.gl/8TJTF

You can use this as a template for your own client testimonial form. You can also revisit this in the Freebies section of the blog.

Empower your freelance business through positive client testimonials and recommendations, and you’ll see a huge difference in terms of how much effort it takes to win the client’s favor. Good luck!

What other ways would you recommend in capturing client testimonials? Share your thoughts in the comments.

best practicesclientsfreelancingfreelancing tips

About the Author: Stef G.

Founder of The Freelance Pinoy, Stef is a freelance copywriter and blogger who loves writing great content and helping fellow freelancers in their journeys toward success. You can follow her on Twitter @stefgonzaga.