Vanquish Effect: Stop Sending Testimonials

Most consultants think testimonials help close the deal.

They don’t.

They often kill it.

Here’s why.

A testimonial puts your prospect in the wrong posture. Instead of exploring their own decision-making, they go looking for borrowed conviction.

And who gives out bad references? No one.

So what are you really proving?

Worse, testimonials create a subtle pressure-cooker effect. Now the prospect’s thinking,

“Everyone else loved this, so if I’m unsure, what’s wrong with me?”

That doesn’t create momentum.

It creates hesitation disguised as “due diligence.”

Early in my career, I handed them out like candy.

Now I don’t do so easily.

Because a few things started to happen:

– Prospects would email a dozen clients with a list of questions—expecting free consulting.

– Some sent assistants to do the vetting, outsourcing their own decision.

– Others treated it like a box to tick, not a conversation to have.

Your clients didn’t sign up to sell your prospects.

They paid for transformation, not to be a reference desk.

If a prospect needs that much proof, they’re not close to buying.

They’re buying time.

And if you give them a testimonial without serious buying intent, you’ve just enabled the stall.

Truth is, your best proof is you.

How you speak.

How you carry tension.

How you hold your ground without reaching.

If they need to be convinced, what they’re really saying is:

“I don’t trust you.”

And if you hand them over without intent, you’re not sending a testimonial.

You’re sending a signal:

“I’m still trying to earn it.”

Don’t.

As promised, Vanquish in under 1 minute.

Build, Scale, Vanquish.

Jonny