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Testimonials are an extremely effective way to establish credibility, trust and do it in a way that is not too salesy. When done right, they can communicate what benefits your product of service offers without having to be pushy or use hype. |
No language you use will be more powerful and moving than what your current paying customers say about what you sell. Customers tend to use language that’s familiar to them and this appeals to other potential customers. And not only is using your customers language more effective than anything a copywriter can come up with, but its free!
Good testimonials also help substantiate what you offer. If you claim that your product or service offers a particular result, testimonials back up those promises so potential customers can feel that they will actually get the results you promise. Accompanied with the name of who has given the testimonial helps to further establish credibility for your products or services.
Good testimonials serve to help potential customers put themselves in the shoes of the person giving the testimonial, and therefore get them closer to imagining what it would be like to purchase your product or service.
Most of us want to know that a product or service works before we buy, and in the absence of a referral from someone we trust, testimonials are the next best way of building trust. Here you would want to ensure that the testimonial-giver and your target customers are similar in terms of their profile or needs.
For example, if you sell to small businesses, you would want to ask for permission to mention that the person giving the testimonial is a small business owner.
Good testimonials speak about benefits and avoids generic statements like “Your product is really useful”. Though you might receive statements like these, you certainly don’t need to use them. Ask for what benefit or result your service provided, and probe to emphasise outcomes. Examples of strong statements you want to look for are “Working with you has helped increase my sales by 25%” or “Your products reduced the pain in my lower back – to the point where I can live my life the way I want” or something similar.
Once you have decided to include testimonials as part of your marketing arsenal, you would need to go about collecting and using them effectively. Here are a few things to consider:
lMake testimonials a regular part of how you do business. Once a customer has used your product or service, build it into your routine to ask for their time for feedback so you can provide the same great results to others.
l If you have sold already to a group of customers, ask them for their feedback on buying from you. “How has using my product/service improved your business/life?” is an example of what to ask.
lIf you haven’t sold yet, offer a group of target customers a free trial in exchange for providing feedback on their experience of using your product or service.
lTestimonials can take many forms, and having a combination of text, audio, and video used throughout sidebars on your website is a great way to maximise their use. Offering a dedicated page on your website or in printed form with more detailed testimonials can also fully leverage their power.
Using results-filled testimonials is a powerful way to build credibility and trust without having to resort to hype. Taking the time out to collect and integrate them into the way you market your business will pay off significantly.
♦ Ahmed al-Akber is the managing director of ACK Solutions, a firm that helps companies to improve their marketing and sales results by offering more effective ways attracting customers and significantly better products and services. Ahmed has worked internationally in marketing, sales, and strategic planning at companies such as the Coca-Cola Company, Philip Morris International and Dell. Questions or comments can be sent to Ahmed on [email protected]