Offer proof to your prospects. It's not enough to say that
you solve problems - you have to show that your customers
are getting results from your business. 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 evidence to your prospects from
their peers attesting that your services/products actually
work.
Providing testimonials from current and prior customers
that demonstrate their actual problem and the specific
results from your company enhances your credibility.
Testimonials offer proof that you are the real deal. People
receive a lot of information and they are often skeptical.
But, they will be much more inclined to buy from you if you
show examples of their peers who have achieved positive
results. These third-party endorsements work to sell for
you - even when you are not around.
If you are offering a new product or just starting your
business, you can contact business associates and friends
to offer them a free session or product sample to try. If
you have been in business for a while but haven't collected
testimonials, make a list of all of your customers who you
know have had a GREAT experience with your services or
products. Even if you already have a number of
testimonials, don't stop collecting new ones. You can
replace mediocre praise with the incredible ones. You can
also keep your testimonials up to date and current.
Here are some ideas and opportunities to obtain new
testimonials:
1. Write down the praise: Whenever one of your customers
gives you a compliment in person or via e-mail, thank him
or her and then ask if you can use their comment as a
testimonial. Make sure he or she understands that you will
be using it in your marketing materials. If someone sends
you a testimonial that requires editing, go ahead and edit
it, but be sure to send it back to ask if the changes are
okay - explain the editing was for brevity, clarity,
grammar, etc.
2. Create a website link: Another easy method to help you
collect testimonials is to include a link on your website
that lets people click on it to give their feedback. "Click
here to let me know what you think." Put this link next to
testimonials you've already placed on your site to provide
other examples.
3. Offer an incentive: Periodically you can have a
"testimonial drive." Send out an e-mail and offer an
incentive for your customers to provide a testimonial.
Depending on what type of business you run, it could be a
coupon, discount, free services, and so on.
4. Make it part of your sales cycle. As you wrap up an
interaction with a customer, ask them for a testimonial.
BEFORE you complete your work with a customer, ask him or
her to provide a testimonial with tangible and specific
results from working with you or from your products. If you
wait until your work is complete, you may have a more
difficult time getting a testimonial since your customer
can move into an "out of sight, out of mind" place. For
example, if you are a financial planner, you could ask them
toward the end of your sessions together. If you run a
Garden Center, have cards by the register and a drop box.
5. Ask your "star performers" for testimonials. Almost
every business collects raving fans. These are the
individuals who buy every book you sell, the customer who
you see in your store three times each week, or that
individual who gets an incredible result from using your
offerings. Make a point of asking these individuals to give
a testimonial. If they have just had a BIG result, be sure
to ask them right afterwards.
6. Follow-up after a purchase: Use an autoresponder like
www.mavenmerchant.com 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.
Here are some specific ways you can use testimonials to
enhance your marketing materials:
** Use testimonials in a sales letter or on a postcard that
you send out to acquire new prospects.
** Incorporate testimonials into your advertisements.
** Place testimonials and success stories on your website
and in your ezine.
** When you are talking to a prospect, use success stories
of other clients to help show the prospect how your other
clients have excelled.
** During a seminar, presentation, or teleseminar, use
testimonials and success stories to illustrate points and
inspire people to take action.
----------------------------------------------------
Wendy Maynard publishes MAVEN 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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