From Collecting Them to Posting Them: What You Should Know About Program Testimonials

For today's consumers, claiming that you offer a "high quality" program simply isn't enough. Consumers want proof of these claims – and they want them from an independent source. Program testimonials can provide third-party endorsements that help lend credibility to your claims and assure consumers that your program is a worthwhile one. Additionally, effective testimonials help to distinguish your program from competitors and provide your participants with a sense of security. To gather compelling and useful testimonials, consider the following tips.

Make Sure Your Program’s Participants are Happy

First thing's first: you need to be sure that participants are, in fact, satisfied with your program. You can gather this information by making periodic phone calls or sending out satisfaction surveys. Your satisfied participants will be ideal candidates for contributing program testimonials.

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback halfway through the program by calling or emailing parents. It’s likely that they hear everything from their students – both good and bad. They will most likely react favorably to being asked for feedback while there is still an opportunity to rectify any issues.

Ask Program Participants the Right Questions

To gather the most useful program testimonials, you have to ask the right questions. Consider asking the following:

• What has pleased you the most about our program?
• Would you recommend our program to others? If so, why?
• What specific results did you get from our program?
• Before enrolling in our program, what hesitations did you have?

Keep Program Testimonials Concise and Updated

You want your testimonials to be easy to read, so keep them succinct and to the point. For added authenticity, consider including names and job titles with testimonials. Then, make sure your material stays fresh by regularly updating testimonials. Potential participants are looking for recent reviews, not outdated ones. Take a look at an example of a great testimonial below:

“This program was beyond helpful to my language skills, personal growth, and increasing my sense of responsibility, all of which have been and will continue to be essential in my journey to college.”

– Clara G., Gap at CET Beijing, Summer 2019

This testimonial is short, sweet, and to the point! It’s a great resource for potential participants to reference when learning more about the program and its benefits.

Be Sure Program Testimonials Contain the Right Information

Although it's important to keep testimonials concise, there is some key information that the most compelling testimonials should include:

• Specific information: A participant who speaks in general terms about their "great experience" with your program won't result in a very convincing testimonial. Instead, the best testimonials include specific information — what, in particular, made their experience with your program so great?
• Struggles the participant was having prior to enrolling in the program: This allows readers to empathize with the participant.
• A picture: If possible, include a picture of the participant participating in the program. This helps bring the testimonial to life.
• Permission: Be sure to get permission from participants prior to using their testimonials. 

Final Thoughts

It’s evident that program testimonials are crucial to generating new applicants for teen enrichment programs. Program testimonials are the key to attracting new potential program participants. If you aren’t already collecting program testimonials, the time is now. For more information about how to collect and showcase beneficial program testimonials, please contact us.