Utilizing Testimonials Effectively to Promote Your Business or Product

Everyone has seen them, they’ve been used every where, for every type of product and service imaginable. It is also probably the one single element that has the potential to really capture your audience’s attention. Prospective clients want to hear from other parties of what their experiences have been with you, your products or services. Testimonials are crucial because it is someone other than you which is telling them, the prospects, just how much they benefited from you or your product/services. The prospective client expects you to go on and on about how wonderful your product is or how great your services can be. However, when you have someone that has experienced this first hand, their testimonial is so much more convincing and accepted! If this is not part of your web marketing plan, it is certainly something you should implement immediately. Obtaining testimonials isn’t as difficult as it may seem, even if you are new to marketing on the internet. Also, just like everything in life, how you go about getting them is quite easy… You ask for them! There are numerous methods which will entice your current clients to offer testimonials. Depending on the nature of your business, read through them and use the avenue that suits your business and style the best. Of course, you can always offer a mixture or use all of them at different times. If one method doesn’t stimulate a client to give you their testimonial, perhaps another method will. * Everyone enjoys receiving something that’s free. Review your client list and offer some of your top clients or customers a free offer in exchange for their testimonials. Perhaps you can include a reduced rate or special sale price when they submit their testimonials. * You should automate a system where you request feedback from your customer or clients with every invoice. Perhaps it can be an attachment or part of an auto-responder system. You should be creative with this. * You can offer articles about your new promotion to receive testimonials to different ezines, newsletters or even websites that are always looking for new articles. There are a few tips to keep in mind when putting your testimonials together for your website: * Whenever you receive good feedback, remember to ask if you can use it for your testimonial page on your website. Usually, you’ll be surprised in the client adding even more positive comments that you can use for your testimonial. * Use your customer’s own words for the testimonial. Not only do you not want to upset your customer by adding or changing their comments, but you want for it to sound natural. You also never know when a potential client might check out your testimonials just as they would double check your references. * Offer assistance to your customers in putting together your testimonial without putting words in their mouths. Offer examples of what they can include stating clear examples of why they benefited from your product or services. The more exact the example is, the more beneficial it will be to you. * Try to pursue testimonials from people that are similar to your target audience; people or companies that they will identify with. * Asking for a photo to accompany their testimonial is also a great way for potential clients to see that the testimonial came from a real person, instilling more credibility. It also helps them identify with someone that is happy with your products or services. * Don’t forget to include as much information to add credibility to the testimonial: name, company name, and clickable URL link, if possible. These testimonials can also come in handy in a variety of other marketing venues. They can be used in your monthly newsletter, on your brochures or letterhead, or even on the back of your business cards. It will help reassure the potential client that other’s love your products or services and therefore almost ensuring that they will love it too. Start your testimonial collection campaign today. Remember to ask for them, offer something in return and use them often and wisely! You will be amazed at how your sales will substantially increase!