Get others to talk up your career or business

Whether you’re launching a business, seeking a new job or going after a promotion -- it’s time to bring on the cheerleaders. You need people who can attest to your talent, drive and trustworthiness. We’re talking about testimonials, recommendations and references.

These can be some of the most powerful tools in your career kit, “because people are wired for stories. Facts and figures are dry, but stories evoke emotion. They engage the heart and mind,” said Martha Carnahan, founder and principal of BrilliantVisions LLC, an Atlanta coaching and marketing strategy firm. “You can brag on yourself in your marketing or interview, but if someone else promotes you, people believe it. It builds your credibility.”

Carnahan learned the value of asking clients for their input while writing brochure copy for a former company.

“I asked my boss if I could talk to our clients to find out what they liked about us. Once I began talking to them, several things started to happen,” she said.

She was able to write much more compelling copy, because she knew her clients’ needs and concerns. She found that people liked to be asked and listened to. It improved client relations. “I also discovered small things that left our clients a little disgruntled. By setting those things right, we were able to make our clients ecstatic,” Carnahan said.

If endorsements are so powerful, why don’t people consistently request them?

“It can be embarrassing to ask someone to say nice things about you,” Carnahan said. “And if you ask and they don’t get around to it, then you have to nag them. That’s never good for relationships. There’s also the risk that what they write won’t fit your needs or is worded badly. Not using it would be awkward.”

In her e-book, “Brilliant Testimonials Toolkit,” Carnahan suggests a better approach. She defines a testimonial as “an authentic public statement of results from someone who has experienced your services.”

“The statement should be true, it should be public and it should focus on results. There’s a difference between a compliment and a statement about how someone has benefited from working with you or your products,” she said. “First, you need to ask the right people -- people who know you well enough to speak honestly about your work.”

Instead of asking for a written recommendation, Carnahan suggests asking for a short interview where you take notes. Keep it conversational, listening for the person’s words and energy, and going where he leads.

“If you try to stick to hard and fast questions, you could miss a real gem,” she said. Then, using his words, write several sentences and send it to the source for revision. Once you have a final draft, get the person's permission to use it in writing.

By taking some of the work out of the process for the people you are asking to assist you with your career, you make recommendation-gathering easier and more effective.

“Getting other people’s feedback should be an ongoing process for professionals and business owners,” said Darcy Eikenberg, an Atlanta leadership/workplace coach and founder of www.redcaperevolution.com. “I don’t care how high-tech we get, people still do business with people they want to work with, and that business often comes through word-of-mouth.”

You need to ask, and a good time to ask co-workers, vendors or your boss is after a successful project is completed, she said.

“Most times, people will feel honored that you asked, but it’s still a favor. To avoid putting them on the spot, ask through e-mail so that they have time to form a reply,” Eikenberg said. “Every professional should be on LinkedIn, and that site has a structure for requesting and giving recommendations, which can take some of the awkwardness out of asking. Recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates, and the candidate with 10 recommendations has an edge over the one with none.”

When asking people to be a reference in a job search, be specific about what you need, Eikenberg said. Remind them about your work experiences and tell them how their recommendation can help advance your career. Explaining a prospective job’s requirements can help them target their remarks and make them count.

“Today companies don’t always call references because of the legal issues about what they can ask or not, so you might ask a reference to cold-call a prospective employer and volunteer to answer questions,” Eikenberg said. “That vote of confidence coming from a third-party advocate speaks volumes.”