The Power of Testimonials
| Category: Marketing | Date: 2001-05-17 |
The Power of Testimonials
If you've known me for awhile, you soon learn that I'm a fanatical jazz fan. I take all the money I make and spend it on jazz CDs. What's left over I spend on food and rent.
But I don't like to waste my money. And this is one of the reasons I shop at Tower Records. Don't like it? bring it back within 2 weeks. As a result, I've built a substantial jazz collection with nary a dud.
But what I like just as much is the on-line CD store at Amazon.com. And it's not because of the selection, and they won't take returns on opened CDs. It's because of the testimonials or reviews listed under each CD.
I read those reviews closely because they're by people just like me - jazz fans with a strong opinion. And if enough of them think the CD is great, I figure I have little to lose. I'm rarely steered wrong.
The best business comes from word-of-mouth marketing -from testimonials. These are clients that have been convinced not by what *you've* said, but by what *someone else* has said. After all, why would they lie?
One of those marketing mysteries is why more businesses don't use the testimonials they receive to help persuade prospective clients to do business with them. After all, a testimonial letter or email doesn't do you much good sitting on your computer or in a file somewhere.
So sharing testimonials is like magnifying word-of-mouth. They can help build a solid case for your services and they can do it at relatively little cost for years to come.
Some people are not persuaded by testimonials. Perhaps they like technical information better. But if you're not a "testimonials kind of person," that doesn't mean your prospective clients don't like them.
There are several ways to get testimonials:
Just ask. Ask that they write down their comments and send them to you once the project is complete.
Prepare comments based on what you think they'd say and run it by them for approval and editing.
Get someone to call your clients and interview them and write down and edit their comments.
In no case should you ever make up a testimonial - ever!
Testimonials that talk about bottom-line results (increased sales 23%) are the very best.
Testimonials that talk about what it was like to work with you (fantastic service!) are good as well
Vague and noncommittal testimonials are worse than none at all (did the job adequately...)
Skeptical that testimonials persuade? Please read the one below from John Callos that I received recently:
"The purpose of my email to you is to thank you. Your early encouragement has worked wonders. I remember a comment that you made to me that you may not remember, but to me, it is what has driven me. You said to me that 'my broad skill set would put me in the league of some of the industry's best, and highest paid consultants.'
"Believe it or not, I have had an incredible first six months in business. Right now, I am writing you from a cyber-cafe in Singapore, where I am on a 4-month project to build an entire Internet business bank completely from scratch. My fees? Are you ready? $45,000 per month, plus they paid to get me and my family here. Can you even believe it?!! I never made this kind of money in my entire life!
"And lastly, to cap it all off, on my 38th birthday a few days ago, I received an email from Guru.com. I was awarded the "Guru of the Year" award in the category of "Rookie of the Year" !! WOW!
"I was a virtual nothing when I called you and ordered your tapes. I had nothing substantive going on. It was you that gave me that seed of encouragement that has grown to propel me daily. Whether it was true or not was unimportant. I believed that coming from you, a verified expert as the "Consultant's Consultant" you must know what you are talking about. So all this year I have been walking around thinking that I would be one of the "greats."
"I think I may be proof that if you really believe something, then you make it happen."
So yes, testimonials work. Work at collecting them and then use them everywhere possible - in your printed materials, on your web site, and in your e-mail newsletter
About the Author
Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing works with professional service businesses to help them attract new clients. His web site is a valuable resource for anyone looking for effective marketing ideas.
:To contact see details below.
robmid@actionplan.com
http://www.actionplan.com
If you've known me for awhile, you soon learn that I'm a fanatical jazz fan. I take all the money I make and spend it on jazz CDs. What's left over I spend on food and rent.
But I don't like to waste my money. And this is one of the reasons I shop at Tower Records. Don't like it? bring it back within 2 weeks. As a result, I've built a substantial jazz collection with nary a dud.
But what I like just as much is the on-line CD store at Amazon.com. And it's not because of the selection, and they won't take returns on opened CDs. It's because of the testimonials or reviews listed under each CD.
I read those reviews closely because they're by people just like me - jazz fans with a strong opinion. And if enough of them think the CD is great, I figure I have little to lose. I'm rarely steered wrong.
The best business comes from word-of-mouth marketing -from testimonials. These are clients that have been convinced not by what *you've* said, but by what *someone else* has said. After all, why would they lie?
One of those marketing mysteries is why more businesses don't use the testimonials they receive to help persuade prospective clients to do business with them. After all, a testimonial letter or email doesn't do you much good sitting on your computer or in a file somewhere.
So sharing testimonials is like magnifying word-of-mouth. They can help build a solid case for your services and they can do it at relatively little cost for years to come.
Some people are not persuaded by testimonials. Perhaps they like technical information better. But if you're not a "testimonials kind of person," that doesn't mean your prospective clients don't like them.
There are several ways to get testimonials:
Just ask. Ask that they write down their comments and send them to you once the project is complete.
Prepare comments based on what you think they'd say and run it by them for approval and editing.
Get someone to call your clients and interview them and write down and edit their comments.
In no case should you ever make up a testimonial - ever!
Testimonials that talk about bottom-line results (increased sales 23%) are the very best.
Testimonials that talk about what it was like to work with you (fantastic service!) are good as well
Vague and noncommittal testimonials are worse than none at all (did the job adequately...)
Skeptical that testimonials persuade? Please read the one below from John Callos that I received recently:
"The purpose of my email to you is to thank you. Your early encouragement has worked wonders. I remember a comment that you made to me that you may not remember, but to me, it is what has driven me. You said to me that 'my broad skill set would put me in the league of some of the industry's best, and highest paid consultants.'
"Believe it or not, I have had an incredible first six months in business. Right now, I am writing you from a cyber-cafe in Singapore, where I am on a 4-month project to build an entire Internet business bank completely from scratch. My fees? Are you ready? $45,000 per month, plus they paid to get me and my family here. Can you even believe it?!! I never made this kind of money in my entire life!
"And lastly, to cap it all off, on my 38th birthday a few days ago, I received an email from Guru.com. I was awarded the "Guru of the Year" award in the category of "Rookie of the Year" !! WOW!
"I was a virtual nothing when I called you and ordered your tapes. I had nothing substantive going on. It was you that gave me that seed of encouragement that has grown to propel me daily. Whether it was true or not was unimportant. I believed that coming from you, a verified expert as the "Consultant's Consultant" you must know what you are talking about. So all this year I have been walking around thinking that I would be one of the "greats."
"I think I may be proof that if you really believe something, then you make it happen."
So yes, testimonials work. Work at collecting them and then use them everywhere possible - in your printed materials, on your web site, and in your e-mail newsletter
About the Author
Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing works with professional service businesses to help them attract new clients. His web site is a valuable resource for anyone looking for effective marketing ideas.
:To contact see details below.
robmid@actionplan.com
http://www.actionplan.com
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