Miles Ahead Marketing

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.

Special offer!  Limited time only!  Act now!  Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!

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.