Among the variety of techniques available to you as a marketer, there is one that is virtually guaranteed to increase your business...testimonials !
To clearly understand why testimonials are so powerful we must first look at the basic perceptions of our audience.
Here's how "John Q. Customer" might describe his attitude:
"In addition to making me an enticing offer, you must prove to me that you are okay to do business with. You must eliminate any fear that I have about doing business with you. The basis of my fear is doubt and skepticism...two essential components for survival in today's tough business marketplace.
I come by my fears honestly and from experience. I have been conned before. I have been lied to before. The quality of products and services that I have purchased in the past have not always lived up to the claims made for them.
Hardly a day passes that the nation's press doesn't reveal some major breech of ethics by business and political leaders. Dishonesty and misrepresentation are commonplace. So why, in the face of all this negative experience, should I believe your advertising claims? "
These are sobering conditions in which to operate. It's easy to understand why customers temper their buying decision with caution. They don't want to lose money and, more importantly, they don't want to feel foolish. Eliminating this natural fear and skepticism is the job that testimonials do best. The reason is simple: If you say you are good, people ignore your self-serving back-patting. When others say you are good...it's credible. This goes to the very heart of why testimonials are so powerful...they give us credibility and believability.
When you deliver a good compelling offer that is both credible and believable, your sales and profits will increase.
TYPES OF TESTIMONIALS
There are four different types of testimonials. They are:
CUSTOMERS:
By far the strongest category of testimonial is the satisfied customer. In consumer offers a 30% increase in business is not unusual, and business-to-business offers often double or triple results through the use of good customer testimonials.
CELEBRITIES:
Celebrities are not as believable as customers. They are not credible because they are paid. I may not like the celebrity which could negatively affect my attitude towards your company or product. They generally increase awareness, but it may not be good awareness.
EXPERTS:
If you are selling artificial hearts, then a testimonial from Dr. Denton Cooley would probably boost business. Even though he might be paid, he is so credible that it would probably work. Your expert must be an expert in a relevant field.
EXPERT ORGANIZATIONS:
A trade association, a magazine in your field, a chamber of commerce, a newsletter, etc. Expert organizations carry a lot of weight because people believe that their opinion cannot be bought.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL?
To maximize the selling power of testimonials, you should keep a few tips in mind:
Tip#1...
Be Specific: Testimonials phrased in specific terms pull more weight than more general statements. For example...
"I increased my companies profits by $78,350 last year using your advice!"
is a lot more effective than..
"I enjoy working with your company."
Tip#2...
Cite Complete Attributions:
"Mr. John Jones, President
SMITH MANUFACTURING
Chicago, IL
rather than
" J. Jones, Chicago"
The more complete the attribution the more believable the testimonial.
Tip#3...
Use Customer Terminology and Phrasing:
Resist any temptation to rephrase you customers' words. You'll generally lower the believability factor.
Tip#4...
Use Photos of the Testimonial Writer: You will triple the believability and selling power if you print a photo along with the words. Photographs of the person using your product work best.
HOW TO COLLECT USABLE TESTIMONIALS...
Collecting usable testimonials should be an organized and on-going marketing function.
* First...Read the in-coming mail carefully and keep a file of customer comments. Follow-up on those with potential and put them in usable form.
* Second...Analyze your customer list and develop a sub-list of your top 10% of customers by sales volume and frequency of ordering. Carefully craft a letter to this select list "Asking for their help". Suggest to them what you are looking for in the way of comments and then let them provide you with the raw material. The important lesson here: You can't sit casually back and hope for testimonials to come your way. You have to go out and get them.
The reward, however, is always worth the effort. The time you spend nurturing your testimonial program will result in increased sales and profits, an improved image, more sales leads, lower sales costs, shortened selling cycles, and improved cash flow.
© Copyright 1988/2005 Thom Reece
Thom Reece is CEO of Online Marketing Resource Center [http://www.E-ComProfits.com] and publisher of "Thom Reece's Web Marketing Strategies & Techniques Newsletter". Free subscripton at: http://www.WMSTDirect.com, mailto:thom@e-comprofits.com
When it comes to your marketing message, the little things... Read More
What is the most important skill you can possess as... Read More
There are certain magical tactics that work so well that... Read More
Guerrilla Marketing Design is more an attitude than a system... Read More
Ever hear about an idea that is so simple yet... Read More
Viral?Viruses?Infections?not pleasant subjects for most situations. Unless you're discussing Viral... Read More
It's always a good time to review what's been working... Read More
All of us hate spam and all of us have... Read More
Have you ever been to a chat room?Have you ever... Read More
Try to run a search for the name Edward Gilbert.... Read More
I'd like to let you in on a little secret... Read More
There's no doubt about it . . .Big changes are... Read More
What secret dreams do you have for your Internet marketing... Read More
Are you Tired of being Burned by your Internet solutions?... Read More
Copyright 2005 Kurma GroupContent, content, content - everybody's talking about... Read More
Not long ago, industry pundits were touting B2B marketplaces or... Read More
I believe it is a principle of human nature that... Read More
The first thing I must say is it's a mine... Read More
There are two different groups of online marketers.First group: those... Read More
When forming a joint venture with another business, your most... Read More
It doesn't make any difference if you're promoting your own... Read More
Google is at least as interested as you are in... Read More
If you want to boost your website sales to the... Read More
How successful is your online business? Are you achieving the... Read More
"The Internet Gold Rush is under way" Bill Gates, chairman... Read More
What is the secret of being the best at Internet... Read More
(1) Create a Direct Response Website, with the minimum number... Read More
Several months ago I went on the cruise from hell.... Read More
Database Marketing is the gathering and storing of specific information... Read More
Perhaps the online community today is not so different from... Read More
My wife laughs every time she sees me doing it.At... Read More
There are some smart and sneaky techniques that can help... Read More
The world of entrepreneurship is a difficult one full of... Read More
It's always a good time to review what's been working... Read More
Most people spend their entire lives working hard for someone... Read More
All online businesses are nothing more than lead capturing machines.... Read More
Budweiser has the frogs. McDonalds has Ronald. Goodyear has the... Read More
Uniqueness is what separates each business, its services and its... Read More
If you've a business, you must always keep an eye... Read More
For many of us, it is time to start thinking... Read More
I have been running tests on the use of Pop-Unders... Read More
I've got a confession to make... I have been into... Read More
So you finally created the website that your business or... Read More
Does your business have a Web site? Have you missed... Read More
Major marketers in the United States have recognized the importance... Read More
In this article, "product" means any tangible product, digital products... Read More
Overcome lackluster copy and lack of product sales by using... Read More
So what's the most profitable internet marketing strategy you can... Read More
Everybody makes mistakes, but nobody likes to talk about them.... Read More
There are many people every day jumping into the online... Read More
Almost all of the articles on Internet marketing lacks coverage... Read More
If you're in the business of marketing online, a major... Read More
Even though the days of an IPO generating millions of... Read More
To most people Internet Marketing looks like a good way... Read More
Do you believe that there is a price to pay... Read More
How do you start a business on the net? Well,... Read More
Set up multiple simultaneous marketing campaigns with database marketing automation... Read More
One marketing technique used by advertisers old and new is... Read More
"Never underestimate the value of giving things away." I remember... Read More
Many people say that it is easy to write a... Read More
There are thousands of marketing tool kits available online for... Read More
Summer is finally here, and while for many, summer implies... Read More
"You can make a lot of money on the Internet... Read More
Internet Marketing is right for everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone is... Read More
Exchanging links has been an important part of generating traffic... Read More
Establishing & maintaining rapport with your online audience is perhaps... Read More
Internet Marketing |