You have a great product and you want to let potential customers know about it. Let someone else do the bragging for you. Add credibility to your advertising with testimonials from satisfied customers. It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to put power behind your marketing. Here are five tips for using testimonials:
- Always use real testimonials. True testimonials convey genuine sincerity that is hard to match. Fabricated testimonials can sound contrived and decrease your company’s credibility.
- Prefer longer testimonials over short ones. A few sentences in context make a better testimonial than a single sentence or just a few words. For instance, “…fabulous!” or “Excellent product!” does not do the job of few specific sentences; “I was interested in the Jet Paks on the Bullfrog Spas and I was not disappointed when I tried my spa for the first time. The Neck Blaster Pak really relieved the tension in my neck and shoulders!”
- Don’t try to polish the customer’s words. Testimonials are more authentic if they don’t sound like professional ad copy. They are more convincing if they are not edited for style.
- Use full attribution. Today’s savvy customers will evaluate both the quality of information and the quality of the source. Give a name, city, and state to increase the believability of the testimonial. “Kevin Gray, Portland, Oregon,” sounds much more plausible than, “Jim S. in Virginia.”
- Get permission. Most customers are happy to give permission to use their words or letters as testimonials. Ask specifically for permission to include their testimonials in current and future promotions including brochures, advertising and other materials.
Don’t be afraid to ask happy customers for a testimonial. Soon you will have a file brimming with ideas for your marketing materials.