Offer proof to your prospects. Testimonials are one of the
most powerful and cost effective selling tools you can
implement in your arsenal of marketing. Why? Because you
are offering social proof to your prospects from their
peers attesting that your services/products actually work.
If you say you are good at what you do, it's self serving.
But, if others say you are good...it's credible.
Providing testimonials from current and prior customers of
their actual problem and the specific results from your
company enhances your company's credibility. It's not
enough to say that you solve problems - you have to show
your prospects the direct results of other people.
Testimonials offer proof that you are the real deal.
People receive a lot of information and they are often
skeptical. But, they will be more inclined to buy from you
if you show examples of their peers who have achieved
positive results. An effective testimonial is filled with
specific benefits and substantiates the claims you are
making. Whenever possible, testimonials should offer
tangible, quantified results. (ex: I lost 65 pounds, I
raised my income by 42%, I saved $300, and so on.) To show
it comes from a real person, a good testimonial includes a
first and last name, a city and state, a business name,
their industry, and a website URL.
Be sure to ask people for a photograph. You can add their
picture next to their testimonial in your office or a in
brochure. It's a great strategy for your website's
testimonial section. And, you can take your website to a
higher level of interactivity by including audio and video
for an even greater impact. If you want to include audio
testimonials on your site, I recommend Audio Acrobat for an
easy-to-use recording system.
If you are offering a new product or just starting your
business, you can contact business associates and offer
them a free session or product sample to try. In exchange,
ask them for a heartfelt testimonial. Most of the people
you contact will be delighted to do a trial run of your
offering and provide a testimonial.
On your website, your brochure, and in your presentations,
provide testimonials from current and prior customers of
their actual problem and the specific results from your
company. These third-party endorsements work to sell for
you - even when you are not around. Your testimonials also
help close the sale with prospects. Depending on your type
of business, you can even cover your walls with pictures of
happy customers. Or you can create a notebook that shows
pictures of customers with your products.
Even after you've been in business for a while, don't stop
collecting testimonials. You can use an autoresponder
service like Professional Cart Services to automatically
follow up with a customer who has purchased something from
you to ask them how they are doing. Ask them to provide a
testimonial. Incorporating a testimonial into an
advertising campaign and/or direct mail marketing is also
very effective.
You'll find that incorporating the power of social proof
into your marketing arsenal will help spread word-of-mouth
advertising. It will also help you easily close sales.
Often, a person will review your testimonials and be
prepared to buy before you've even met. The reward of
collecting testimonials is always worth the effort!
----------------------------------------------------
Wendy Maynard, your friendly Marketing Maven, publishes
REMARKABLE MARKETING, a weekly marketing ezine for business
owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. If you're ready to
skyrocket your sales, easily attract customers, and have
more fun, subscribe at
http://www.gomarketingmaven.com/ezine_3.html
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