Raise your hand if you get impostor syndrome in your business sometimes. (If you’ve actually just raised your hand for real, you’re my kind of weirdo 🥰 x)

I get it too.

I’m actually not going to waffle on about impostor syndrome here. There are enough people doing that on social media already. I will waffle on about case studies though. They’re one of the best ways I’ve found to get over that feeling that someone is about to call me out as a fraud ANNNND they’re a brilliant way to build trust with future clients. Double bubble!

So why do we resist it?

Why don’t we reach out for testimonials and case studies when we know they’re so valuable?

I posted the other day about getting a “Thank you” email from a client. It was a silly post about realising that you might actually be good at your work, and how, sometimes creative folks find that hard to accept. A wonderful business buddy commented (Thank you Amanda) that a compliment (or testimonial), isn’t just about you. The person giving it wishes for you to receive it. They’re not ‘just being nice’.

“A compliment is not just about receiving, it’s also about honouring the other person’s desire to give.”

—Amanda Grace

We can be so quick to deflect the kind words of others that we don’t receive it properly. We don’t take time to believe the compliment and the impostor syndrome continues. We don’t share the stories that can help us connect with others. And we don’t give the due respect to the person offering it.

What are we like?

Do you track the results and impact of your work?

Do you regularly request feedback and testimonials? Despite the resistance, I found that this is a great way to be reminded that my work actually does make a difference in people’s businesses. Seeing those real results squishes that dang impostor feeling, and sharing those results as case studies helps others to see that working with me is valuable, my process works and clients are so happy with the experience that they want others to hear the story.

But don’t be that guy!

I think it’s important to set that expectation with clients. Some folks prefer not to share their journey and I totally respect that. I’ve been at the at the other end of it. In the past some overly zealous service providers shared my words and my image without permission. I was miffed. I’m not an especially private person, but I do prefer to have a say in how my stories are shared. So in my business I only use case studies from people who are up for it from the start or have given expressed permission.

Do you have a process for creating case studies and asking for testimonials? Do you ask for them? Share them? And can you receive them without suspicion?