3 Simple Steps to Fantastic Testimonials
What's the first thing you look for when buying a product or service online? Ok, after
the price? ;-)
That's right - testimonials! Rave reviews from other people who have used the product or service that you're
considering investing in can make a huge difference in whether or not you take out your credit card, right?
When potential clients or customers visit your website, they want to see the same thing. It makes them feel
that much more comfortable that they're making a good choice in handing over their money to you. Make it easier
for them to buy (and easier for you to make a sale) by including testimonials for every product or service you
offer.
But not just any nice words will do. You want your testimonials to be results-based so as to do the selling
for you. Here's what I mean:
1. Use the Before/After Template
Ideally, your testimonials should tell a very short story about where your client or customer was at before
they starting using your product or working with you, and then tells the great results they've gotten
since.
For example, one of my clients wrote this testimonial for my 21 Easy & Essential Steps to Online Success
System:
"Hi Alicia,
I also wanted to chime in about how happy I am with your 21 Steps program.
I have purchased several other marketing programs, and while they all provided good information, none
provided the steps, resources and direction I was looking for.
21 Steps provides the exact steps I need to take, and when I need to take them! 21 Steps also provides many
of the resources I was looking for - where to post my articles, worksheets, webhosting sites, etc.
Since I purchased your program the traffic to my website has increased dramatically and my subscriber
database has already increased by over 10%.
Thank you, Alicia, for finally creating a marketing program that has everything I need - good information,
steps, a timeline and resources to complete those steps.
I'm looking forward to learning more from you in your weekly emails and the coaching cafe."
Kristine McKinley http://www.beacon-advisor.com
Here's a template you can use for your own testimonial gathering:
"Before I started (working with Your Name/using Name of Your Product), I was (brief description of
challenges/struggles/problem client/customer was having).
After I started (working with Your Name/using Your Product), (brief description of the results
client/customer has enjoyed since working with you/using your product)."
Follow this with your client/customer's full name and website address or city and state, if they aren't
online.
2. Email the Before/After Template to all your clients and customers asking for
their testimonials.
Once you've designed a fill-in-the blank template specific to what you're asking for a testimonial about,
send it via email to your clients or customers. Most of them will respond, especially if you make it this easy
for them.
In your email, ask for their permission to use their testimonial in your marketing materials. This may seem
like a given, but you want to make sure just the same. Also encourage them to include a photo of themselves to
use alongside their testimonial for more impact.
And consider giving them a deadline to send it back to you by; otherwise, your request may sit in their
inbox, even if they have the best intentions of responding.
3. Say thank you!
Make sure that you immediately respond to every testimonial you receive, solicited or not, to express your
gratitude for them taking the time to do so, and to tell them what it means to you and your business.
4. Use them!
Make sure that as each testimonial comes back to you, you use it! Put it on your website, your brochure,
your flyers, or whatever other marketing materials you use to promote your business.
By the way, if you don't have clients or customers yet for a particular product or service, ask for
testimonials from anyone you've helped for free, or for a more general testimonial about another product of
yours they've used. Testimonials are very important to increasing your credibility, and having one or two -
even if they aren't very specific - is better than not having any at all.
Testimonials are one of the best no-cost/high-impact marketing strategies available to you. Use them to
help put your prospect's mind at ease, and get more clients and customers for your business.
Alicia M Forest, MBA, Multiple Streams Queen & Coach™ and creator of "21 Easy & Essential Steps to
Online Success System™, teaches coaches, consultants, online entrepreneurs, and self-employed professionals how
to attract more clients, create profit-making products and services, make more sales, and ultimately live the
life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to create abundance in your business, visit http://www.clientabundance.com
How to Easily Get Customer Testimonials
Using customer testimonials in all of your marketing materials (sales letters, brochures, website,
advertisements, etc.), is one of the most powerful marketing tools available.
The reason why testimonials are so important and valuable in marketing is that prospects are much more
likely to believe a customer testimonial that praises your product or service then they are to believe slick
sales text written by the company that is advertising.
Another reason why testimonials are such a powerful marketing and sales tools is that they are very similar
to a referral. A testimonial is a person telling other people that they can trust your business and that you
offer a quality product/service.
Now that you know how valuable customer testimonials are, you are probably wondering how you get
testimonials from your customers. Here are four very easy yet highly effective strategies you can use to get
customer testimonials immediately:
- If you are a new business and you have not made any sales, let several of your friends try your product
or service for free. If they honestly like it, ask them if they will write a testimonial that you can use
in your marketing. This is very easy to do and should instantly get you several testimonials.
- If you are an established business and you have made sales, call your customers and ask them what they
like most about the product or service they purchased from you. As they tell you, make sure that you are
writing down what they are saying. After they are finished praising your product/service, tell them, “wow,
that was great! Can I use what you just said as a testimonial?” Almost always the customer will give you
their permission.
- Email your customers and say that you are developing new marketing materials and you would love to
include a client testimonial from them. Then ask if they would be generous enough to help you by emailing
you a brief testimonial. If you have a list of at least 100 customers, you should get at least a couple of
good testimonials by doing this.
- Mail your customers a thank you card for doing business with you. In the card say you would be very
thankful if they would be generous enough to give you a testimonial by either emailing it to you, faxing it
to you, or simply calling you on the phone.
By executing the above strategies, you should easily get 10+ strong customer testimonials. Then, make sure
to take advantage of these testimonials and use them in ALL of your marketing. By doing this, you will
instantly see an increase in response rate and sales from your marketing.
Peter Geisheker is the CEO of The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm. Peter specializes in
developing and implementing strategic marketing programs for small businesses. For more information and a
free marketing plan ebook, please visit http://www.geisheker.com.
