One of the most
misused forms of sales and marketing is the testimonial. This is a shame
because it’s also one of the most powerful things you can do to promote your
business to prospects. It’s not that difficult. Just follow these seven rules
to help ensure your testimonials deliver new customers in a big way…
One of the most
misused forms of sales and marketing is the testimonial.
This is a shame
because it’s also one of the most powerful things you can do to promote your
business to prospects. Testimonials are referrals or endorsements from your
customers and serve as statements that testify to your competence,
professionalism and ability to deliver a strong product or service.
Testimonials are widely used not only because they’re effective but because
they are low-cost or free way to promote you business and build its image.
By all means, use
testimonials but make sure to use them properly or they won’t deliver much of a
punch. There’s are easy ways around the classic mistakes made by so many users
of testimonials. Just follow these seven rules to help ensure your testimonials
deliver new customers in a big way.
Use the person’s full name, title and company. Anonymous
testimonials carry no credibility. They suggest you never bothered to get
the person’s permission to use the statement, or that they gave some
excuse why their name couldn’t be associated. That’s a very bad sign. More
cynical people might even think you fabricated the quote, which destroys
your integrity with that prospect. By contrast, a testimonial attributed
to a person of high rank with a respected company elevates your company’s
status. If someone isn’t willing to stand behind their testimonial you’re
most likely dealing with someone who isn’t a true fan of your business.
Move on.
Make sure your testimonials are recent. If you’ve been using the
same statements on your marketing materials for five or 10 years it
indicates you haven’t been active. It’s important to refresh the
testimonials and keep them up to date and relevant. If your testimonials
are outdated people are apt to think your business is outdated.
Use a photo. You know the person making the endorsement is really
committed to their statement when they agree to have their name, title,
company and photograph as accompaniments. It also brings a visual
dimension to your testimonials, bringing them more fully to life. Photos
help attract the eye, increases the odds people will read your
testimonials.
Use testimonials from well-known people and companies that have
celebrity value. If you have client companies such as GE, FedEx, Google
and Southwest Airlines what does that say about you? That you’re playing
with the big boys. That you’ve got the chops to do business with Fortune
500 companies. That’s a major seal of approval. If the business person
providing the testimonial is a C-level executive, that adds additional
sizzle. Naturally, the statement also takes on heightened status when it
comes from a well-known business leader of local or national repute. There’s
a reason why major corporations use people like Michael Jordan and Valerie
Bertinelli to endorse their products.
Make sure they’re effusive. I see far too many testimonials that
are lukewarm in their praise. You’re better off using no testimonials than
ones that sound like they were grudgingly supplied. Good testimonials are
given without reservation and are enthusiastic in their endorsement. Your
prospective clients aren’t likely to get a charge from testimonials that
don’t include plausible superlatives.
Use at least three. A single testimonial leaves your business
sounding like it has one lonely fan. Two tends to be a bit thin unless
they’re truly outstanding. Three good testimonials give you substance.
More are fine but don’t go crazy or it becomes overkill and can make you
look like you’re trying too hard. Keep them fresh, effusive and selective.
Use audio or video. If a person is willing to go on video or be
recorded it shows true commitment to being a spokesperson for your
business. And the testimonials come to life with vocal inflections and
facial expressions. It’s much harder to fake enthusiasm for a product or
service during an audio or video recording session.
Follow these rules
and your testimonials will stand head-and-shoulders above the vast majority of
your competitors. That means you’ll win the business and grow your company.
Mike Consol is president of
MikeConsol.com, which provides business writing seminars, PowerPoint
presentation skills training, Web 2.0 strategies and media training. Consol
spent 17 years with American City Business Journals, the nation’s largest
publisher of metropolitan business journals with 40 weekly newspapers across
the United States.
