Testimonials are powerful sales tools when used effectively.
Here are three reasons I love them:
1. Marketing experts estimate that testimonials can increase sales in
consumer businesses by 30 percent and double or triple results in B2B sales.
Most people feel at risk doing business with someone they've never bought from
before. Testimonials help eliminate that risk.
2. Most business owners don't use testimonials, and those who do often
do it poorly. So you'll be ahead of the pack if you use this underutilized PR
tool effectively.
3. A testimonial lasts forever. Some of your best testimonials may be
from years ago, and you can still use them on your website and in your marketing
materials.
You can ask for testimonials; you don't have to wait for someone to send you
one. You can even write testimonials for satisfied customers or "tweak" what
they've written, as long as you get their approval.
Here are 10 ways to use testimonials so they will lead to sales:
1. Emphasize concrete results or expected results. Results will depend
on your product or service and your audience. If you're selling a weight-loss
product, the number of pounds and inches lost will be important in testimonials.
If you're selling a way to increase sales, dollars made will be key.
For example, a testimonial that reads, "Yanik Silver is a great internet
marketer" can be improved by expanding it:
"At first I was very skeptical that he could help us, but I took a chance and
was absolutely amazed at the results. We went from $1,200 a month to our highest
month of $44,000 online in just five months. ...The crazy thing is we have only
had time to apply about 20 percent of what he has taught us." --Carol
Tuttle, author, "Remembering Wholeness," CarolTuttle.com
2. Use as much "real information" about the testimonial source as
possible, including full name, business name, title and website address, if
appropriate, plus city, state or country. We've all seen testimonials from J.D.
in Boise, Idaho, and who knows whether he's a real person? Identifying
characteristics make a testimonial much more credible.
3. Use emotional language. Ask your clients to describe not only
quantifiable information but also how they feel about you, your products and
your services. I've had client testimonials that included: "Margie is the best
vendor I have ever worked with" and "I have worked with other public relations
firms and none can compete with Margie." That's stuff I couldn't write if I
tried. Not only does it make your testimonials sound sincere, it helps people
connect on an emotional level.
4. Get different testimonials for different purposes. Think
about why people buy and why they don't, and use testimonials to provide
information. Testimonials should come from different geographic areas, various
industries and from women and men so people realize how many areas your product
or service covers. For example, let's say you sell premium-priced T-shirts and a
typical objection is that they are too expensive. A testimonial from a satisfied
customer can address that issue head on:
"I thought these shirts were expensive, but they looked really nice so I
figured I'd try them out. I'm glad I did. Organic cotton is softer, lasts longer
and keeps its color better than my other T-shirts. I just ordered three more
because now I don't want to wear my old T-shirts!" – Jane Winston, mom of 3,
Toledo, Ohio.
5. Include specific benefits in testimonials. This makes your
testimonials work twice as well. For instance, if you offer a money-back
guarantee, mention that in a testimonial. Adding that information to the above
example shows how powerful this is:
"I thought these shirts were expensive, but they looked really nice so I
figured I'd try them out. Plus, there's a 30-day money-back guarantee so I
figured I had nothing to lose. I'm glad I ordered the T-shirt. Organic cotton is
softer, lasts longer and keeps its color better than my other T-shirts. I just
ordered three more because now I don't want to wear my old T-shirts!"
6. Get lots of testimonials. You can't have too many testimonials, so
always be on the lookout for more. The 20th testimonial someone reads may be the
one that persuades him or her to buy.
7. Add testimonials on a regular basis. People who come back to your
website or re-examine your marketing materials can benefit from finding new
content.
8. Use different formats for testimonials. Test whether video, audio,
written formats or a combination of them works best.
9. Put testimonials everywhere. A favorite technique I use on my
website is rotating testimonials on my home page. That way people don't have to
look for them. Of course you should include them in all of your marketing
materials. If you have a brick-and-mortar location, ask providers to put the
testimonial on their letterhead and send you a copy to hang up. I once went to a
video production company, and the walls were covered with testimonials. They
didn't have enough space for all of them. That was impressive.
10. Get household-name testimonials. This can be a testimonial from
someone well-known and respected in your industry or community. Human nature
says that people are impressed by celebrity, so use this to your advantage in
testimonials.
It takes time to gather effective testimonials, but it’s worth it.
Start using this powerful sales tool today, and watch your business grow.