As you start to grow and scale, proof is the single biggest lever for bridging the trust gap with prospects. The more proof you have, the easier everything else gets.
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1Landing pages convert higher
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2Sales calls close easier
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3Cold outreach gets responses
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4Referral partners trust you faster
The Ryan Bakke Example: Ryan runs a tax firm. He doesn't speak to clients at any point in the process — no sales calls, no consulting calls, no emails. Just a 1-hour weekly group call. Yet people have massive trust in his brand. How? A database of 50+ case studies, reviews, and video testimonials showing he's saved clients tens of thousands in taxes. He delivered great results for years and documented every win.
Level 1 Easiest
Case Study Slides
Put together a few slides walking through a real client win. Lowest barrier to entry — you can do this today.
Level 2 Gold Standard
Video Testimonials
Interview-style videos with clients you've delivered great results for. Nothing builds trust faster.
Level 3 Volume Play
Online Reviews
Google Reviews and Trustpilot. Volume matters more than a perfect average rating.
You don't need to have saved someone $100k in taxes. Even small, specific results are believable and build trust. "Increased take-home by 30%" beats "improved their finances."
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1The Client — name (or anonymized), industry, firm size. Make it relatable to your target market.
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2The Problem — what was broken before? Messy books, no cash flow visibility, missed deadlines, tax surprises.
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3The Result — specific outcomes. Numbers if possible. "Increased take-home by 30%" beats "improved their finances."
Before
- "John had no visibility into his cash flow"
- "He didn't know how much he could pay himself"
After
- "Today he has a systemized financial plan"
- "Increased his take-home pay by 30%"
Any bookkeeping client you do even a halfway decent job for, you should be able to get a case study like this. You're just documenting the win in a way that's believable.
Instead of YOU saying how great you are, the prospect hears it directly from another customer. There's something about video that written testimonials just can't match — the prospect can see a real person, hear their voice, watch their body language.
8–10
video testimonials is your target
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1Quality keeps going up — as you collect them, you get better at asking and your clients give better answers
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2Cycle the weaker ones out — as you get better testimonials
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3After 8–10, it's diminishing returns — shift your effort to online reviews
Full process covered in the "Getting Testimonial Videos" module — Riverside FM, the Before/After/Bridge interview framework, and outreach templates.
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1Volume matters more than average rating
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2Stay above 4.0, ideally above 4.5
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3Collect as many as humanly possible
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4Offer incentives — gift cards make people feel good about leaving a review
The Mexican Restaurant Example
4.9 Stars
4.9 ★
100 reviews
Looks okay...
4.5 Stars
4.5 ★
10,000 reviews
Must be amazing.
People trust volume. A slightly lower average with massive volume signals a proven, established business. Stop obsessing over all 5-star reviews and start focusing on getting as many reviews as possible.
After every client engagement that goes well, follow this process:
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1Document the Win
Write down the before/after internally. Even just a Google Doc. Capture the specifics while they're fresh. -
2Ask for a Review
Request a written testimonial or online review (Google / Trustpilot). Make it easy — send them a direct link. -
3Ask for a Video
If they're enthusiastic, ask if they'd be open to a short video testimonial. Not everyone will say yes — that's fine.
Make it a habit, not a project. Every time you deliver a good result, capture it immediately. Don't wait and try to "batch" testimonials later — you'll never get around to it.
Even small wins count. "We helped John get visibility into his cash flow for the first time" is a real proof point. And here's the timing trick: when a client says "wow, this is so helpful" or "I wish I'd found you sooner" — that's your moment. Ask right then.
Landing Page
Add quotes and results to your pages for higher conversion rates.
Email Sequences
Drip testimonials to leads before a sales call with the Proof Stack Email Sequence.
Sales Calls
Tell specific client stories during your calls to build credibility in real time.
Partner Outreach
"Hey, here's what we did for a client like yours" makes affiliate outreach far more compelling.
Social Media
Before/after case study posts are among the highest-performing content you can create.
The Compounding Effect
Month 1
1 case study
Month 3
3 case studies, 1 video
Month 6
5 case studies, 3 videos, 20 reviews
Year 1+
10+ case studies, 8 videos, 100+ reviews
Ryan didn't get to 50+ case studies overnight. He documented wins for years. The earlier you start, the bigger your proof arsenal when you need it for paid ads, funnels, and scale.
Client Win Inventory
List every client you've gotten a positive result for, even small wins. This is your proof pipeline — you can't capture proof if you don't know who to ask.
Create Your First Case Study
Pick your best result and create 2–3 slides telling the story: before, after, how. Keep it simple.
Ask 3 Clients for Reviews
Request a Google or Trustpilot review this week. Send them a direct link. Offer a gift card if needed.
Video Testimonial Shortlist
Identify 2–3 clients who might be willing to do a video testimonial. You don't need to ask yet — just identify them.
Start capturing proof today. Every testimonial, review, and case study you collect makes the next client easier to close. Don't wait until you have perfect results. Go do those action items this week.