12/ 27/ 2007
by Marcia Passos Duffy
You have all your marketing ducks in a row: a great Web site, brochures, sales flyers, maybe even a weekly e-newsletter. But many businesses often overlook perhaps the most important marketing piece that can often make or break a sale: the client testimonial.
Testimonials -- much like reviews in the press -- are third party endorsements of what you are claiming your product or service can do for people. When used correctly, testimonials add credibility and help alleviate any worries or concerns your prospects may have when purchasing your product or service.
However, before you can use testimonials in your brochures, Web site, and sales letters, you first need to get them. There are essentially two different types of testimonials: unsolicited and solicited.
Unsolicited testimonials
Unsolicited testimonials are those little nuggets of gold that arrive in your email or post office box every once in a while that sing praises about your product or service. Perhaps you already have collected quite a few. There is only one step left to using these kudos as testimonials and that is to get the permission of the writer (make sure you tell them how you plan on using their testimonial, and make sure you get permission to use their name and company).
Solicited testimonials
Solicited testimonials can arrive in a variety of ways, depending on how you actively pursue them: comment or warranty cards, follow-up surveys, Web site comment sections or direct asks.
Ideally each testimonial should communicate a specific aspect of your product or service. The worst kind of positive testimonial is one that is too general: "XYZ Company's product worked great!" or "John Smith's ad agency was wonderful to work with." These testimonials, while not necessarily bad, don't say anything about benefits -- there's nothing a prospective client can sink his teeth into.
Better would be: "John Smith's ad agency created the best advertising campaign in our company's history: the targeted direct mail campaign they created generated 1000 new qualified leads in just two weeks!" or "XYZ company was there for us during a snowstorm when everyone else wouldn't answer their phones. They got our computers up and running in one hour and we were able to keep our doors open when our competitors could not!"
How to get a testimonial
It is, however, hard to get a well-written testimonial. It takes a long time to get busy clients to write it, and when they do it often doesn't speak to what you want to promote in your business. You could write it for them -- but frankly, they end up sounding insincere.
There are several ways you can garner testimonials: you can interview your client about what they liked about your product or service, or you can hire someone -- like a PR, marketing or freelance writer, or even your own sales staff -- to interview your client (make sure they also can transcribe the interview, edit it and pull out the most salient points to use in the testimonial).
Again, you need to get the client's approval to use it. Satisfied clients are often more than happy to be interviewed about their experience using your product or service.
What a testimonial should include
There are three things every testimonial should include:
- Names. Get the green light to use your client's name and company. Testimonials are much more believable when it includes this information. Plus, if your industry is close-knit, chances are people will recognize the person who wrote it.
- Short, readable sentences. Testimonials should be three sentences or less and stick to one major point with a definable benefit.
- Emotion. Toss out any flat testimonials such as "XZY company did a great job." Replace it with testimonials like this: "Wow! I never thought I could get my project out so fast! XZY made our company look good and resulted in a repeat sale for us."
How to use testimonials
There are many creative ways you can use these testimonials once you have gathered them.
- Add them to your direct mail campaign.
- Put them on your Web site.
- Use one or two of the best testimonials in your print advertising.
- Dedicate a space on your brochure to put several client testimonials.
Testimonials are a powerful tool you can use to gain credibility, trust and generate more business. But, don't forget that there are FTC guidelines regarding testimonials. These testimonials must reflect typical experiences of your customers unless you state otherwise clearly in your ad or Web site. You also cannot publish a testimonial that can't be substantiated. You also must make it clear that you did not pay to obtain a testimonial. Read more information on the FTC rules regarding the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.
