Key facts
- A random big logo with no link to the reader reads like bragging, and naming clients without permission can cost you the client.
- When it is a list of logos, when the client is a competitor of the reader, or when you never asked the client.
- Pick the client closest to the reader in industry, size or place.
- A later email is a good place for one short client story.
When does a client name help?
When it is close to the reader. A dentist trusts a story about another dental practice more than a famous brand from a different world.
When does it hurt?
When it is a list of logos, when the client is a competitor of the reader, or when you never asked the client. Ask first, every time.
What if I cannot name anyone?
Describe the client instead: "a three-location HVAC company in Ohio." Add the result they got, in numbers you can stand behind.
How to use a client name well
- Ask permission
Get a yes from the client before you mention them.
- Match the reader
Pick the client closest to the reader in industry, size or place.
- Keep it to one line
One name and one result. No logo lists.
- Stay true
Only state results the client would confirm.
When does Buzzlist fit, and when does it not?
It fits when
- You have happy clients who agreed to be named.
- You email groups that share an industry or region.
It does not fit when
- Your clients asked to stay private.
- Your best client competes with the person you are emailing.
Questions people ask next
Should the client name go in the subject line?
Rarely. It can look like a trick. Keep it in the body.
Is it fine to name a client in a follow up?
Yes. A later email is a good place for one short client story.
Can I make up a typical client?
No. Describe a real client without the name, or leave it out.