Thus far in this series we’ve established that customer testimonials are a “must have” for your marketing system. We’ve talked about the difference between heralding your own good qualities and having a satisfied customer do the talking. We’ve also looked at examples of quality testimonials and why they work.
With the background established, it’s time to discuss exactly how to employ these tactics uniformly across all of your marketing efforts.
Marketing guru Ben Hart puts it very simply: “Be a relentless collector of testimonials.” This is the first and most important rule in testimonial marketing – you won’t get very far if you aren’t able to reach out to your clients and ask for their support.
So don’t be shy. Get out there and request that testimonial, preferably at the time when your customer is happiest with your product or service (but be able to approach customers at any point). For important clients, don’t be afraid to offer a small incentive as a show of appreciation for their help.
In this age of multimedia, be sure to cover your bases. Don’t settle for a simple written testimonial; if possible, videotape your conversation with your client, going over their needs and how you succeeded in meeting them. With this video, you’ll not only have their words captured, but you’ll also have audio and video clips to use on the web and in other media.
As these ideas suggest, you should not settle for simply placing testimonial blurbs on your website or in direct mail pieces. Marketing experts suggest placing testimonial quotes on AdWords landing pages, in print ads, and any other media you use to communicate with potential customers.
Dan Kennedy suggests cutting customers off at the pass by offering a “preponderance of proof.” Some of his clients even include mini flipbooks, full of testimonials, in their direct mail pieces. Getting creative with your quotes can go a long way.
See a sample sales letter.
In my next blog, we’ll discuss seven brilliant ways to increase response using testimonials.
