Miles Ahead Marketing

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Everybody, even us marketing folk, is all too familiar with these and other clichéd phrases used to sell products.  While these phrases are often necessary – and can be very successful when used correctly – they can also desensitize prospects who are wary of “marketing speak.”  After awhile, it all starts to sound the same.

Our goal is to break through the marketing background noise with a powerful and crystal-clear message.  Testimonial marketing is your secret weapon for standing out from the crowd of jargon and inflated promises.

A real quote from a real customer will instantly take you up a few notches on the credibility scale.  For example, check out this great testimonial from Jack Connelly, a customer of my golf mat business:
 
“Hi Jay,

I wanted to let you know that I truly believe your new Country Club Elite Golf Mat is the best artificial surface on the market. This spring we Installed 24 of your mats to create a tee line for outings and grass tee relief as needed. The product still looks like new and our members love it. It really does eliminate the problems common with most mats - there is no bounce and the feel really is REAL. I was concerned about forcing members to hit off of mats since we have always had a natural grass practice range. But the response has been sooo good that some of my membership would prefer to hit off of the mats even when they don’t have too. Please feel free to use me as a reference, I have already recommended you and your product to a number of clubs.  Thanks again for a great product.”

What a great quote!  The conversational tone, combined with the real-world scenarios Jack offers, connects instantly with prospective clients.  He even addresses a concern (members may not like artificial-turf mats) that prospects may also have.  In putting that concern to rest with a positive outcome, he’s just done a gigantic service to my business without my having to say a single word.

Let’s look at another example, this time from one of the top 50 golf instructors in America according to Golf Digest:

“Dear Mr. McGrath,
It was my pleasure to meet you at this years PGA show. Thank you so much for your help with our custom MEGSA Mats and also introducing me to your new Country Club Elite Mats. As you know we run multiple golf academies and have been looking for an acceptable synthetic hitting turf option for years. I had given up hope until seeing your product. It provides a true feel with true results especially on a “fat-shot”. We plan on installing your product at two of our academies this year with more to come. Best wishes for your continued success.”

Another great testimonial.  This time, much of the value in the quote comes from the fact that Mike Bender is a leader and expert in his field.  That someone who is affiliated with the PGA and praised in industry publications is fawning over my mats is definitely not lost on customers.  Quotes from authority figures and opinion makers will take you even higher on the credibility ladder.

In my next blog, I’ll discuss the proper techniques for using testimonials across all of your marketing materials.

Before we dive head-first into the nuts and bolts of using testimonial marketing to send your business skyrocketing, it is first important to understand just why it is that the technique works in the first place.  And believe me, it does work.  Before long, you’ll be working smarter (not harder) than ever before, and you’ll realize the tangible benefits to your bottom line.  But, like I said, first things first.

The Jerk
Picture this: You’re at your 20-year high school reunion.  You’re having a great time catching up with the great looking girl you dated when you were 17, when suddenly a gentleman you don’t recognize interrupts your conversation. 

He begins to regale you with his tales of business success and world conquest.  He tells you about the cool million he made his first year out of college and the quaint summer home he just purchased in the south of France.  Unable to get a word in edgewise, your lady friend wanders away, leaving you there to listen to this guy’s pompous ramblings.

This scenario is everybody’s worst nightmare.  There’s nothing worse than listening to somebody drone on about how great they are.  Right? 

Then why do we do exactly that to potential customers?  Like you and I, prospects aren’t interested in hearing somebody babble on about how attractive they are or what award they’ve won; this technique pushes people away rather than drawing them in.

The Hero
Imagine if the scenario above had unfolded with your gorgeous high school gal pal pointing the stranger out from across the room.  She whispers to you about how he graduated early from college, made a million playing the stock market a year later, and went on to be a renowned business guru and philanthropist.  Chances are, your curiosity would be peaked and you’d want to learn more about this overachiever.

And therein lies the beauty of the customer testimonial: you are transformed from a nameless entity trumpeting your own greatness into a credible business offering a quality product or service. 

Marketing guru Bob Serling calls it the “pre-emptive strike.”  Rather than being your own cheerleader and allowing the prospect’s flag of skepticism to be raised, you make a strong assertion right out of the gate – and offer irresistible customer quotes to back up each and every point you make.

So get out there and let your prospects know just how amazing your business is – but let your satisfied customers do the talking.

In my next blog, I’ll show you a few examples of customer testimonials that have made a huge difference for my business and explain why they’ve worked so well.

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