Add a Single Element to Your Web Site and MULTIPLY Your Profits
We want to talk to you about why your customers' successes,
triumphs, and positive results are SO important for your
business.
The fact is, even if your web site is full of great sales copy
and photos that illustrate all the fabulous features and
benefits of your product or service, your potential customers
still need to know:
What do people who have actually purchased and used your
product or service think about it?
It's simple: your readers know that YOU believe in your product,
or you wouldn't be selling it! But what do people with the same
problem or need that they have say about your product?
Answering that question is one of the most fundamental tasks
your web site needs to accomplish -- and it's as simple to do as
it is important.
By using testimonials -- reviews and comments from your
satisfied customers, in text, audio, or video format -- on your
web site, you not only answer the question, you also transform
your sales pitch into a credible, unbiased recommendation for
your product. OVERCOME BUYER SKEPTICISM WITH A *GLOWING*
TESTIMONIAL
As said before, adding testimonials is probably one of the
easiest ways to improve your web site -- but a good one can
generate more selling power than some of the best salescopy out
there!
So why are testimonials so effective?
*Testimonials build trust: Whether your customers are raving
about what your product has done for them or about the great
service you gave, they are telling your visitors first and
foremost that they had a positive experience with your products
and company. *Testimonials aren't "salesy": Because testimonials
aren't written in your "voice," they stand out in your copy as
candid and unbiased accounts of how well your product works.
*Testimonials overcome skepticism: A good testimonial has the
power to convince even your "tough sell" visitors that your
product or service really made a difference in your customer's
life -- and can help them, too.
For example, let's say that you're selling a special lotion
designed for dry skin. A visitor finds your web site -- a person
with dry skin who needs some relief -- and reads all about the
amazing moisturizing ingredients in your product and how
wonderful it smells.
Those are two good selling points -- things that people would
want to know before they decided to buy.
But lots of products can make those promises -- and many of them
don't work! So why should they purchase your product ahead of
all the rest?
Then, as they look over the page, a testimonial catches their
eye from one of your customers, explaining that your lotion
quickly healed a lifelong, agonizing skin condition -- something
no other product had ever managed to do!
That's the power of an effective testimonial: it can convince
your reader that your product DOES work -- and that you can be
trusted to deliver on your promises. HOW TO CHOOSE THE *RIGHT*
KIND OF TESTIMONIAL TO TURN YOUR VISITORS INTO CUSTOMERS
When you're choosing testimonials, there are a few key
ingredients to look for that make the difference between an
ineffective testimonial -- and one that sells.
Here's an example of a glowing, but ultimately ineffective
testimonial:
"I love this product! I can't get enough! I'm so glad I bought
your stuff and I'll be back to get more, for sure!"
What could be wrong with that? It sounds like you have a happy
customer on your hands!
But what does this testimonial really tell your visitors? Does
it prove that the product works, or explain exactly how your
customer benefited from using it? While the feedback is
definitely positive, the testimonial does not provide enough
detail to have any real impact on your visitors.
Here's an example of the kind of effective, benefits-driven
testimonials that we include on our own web sites:
"I used the methods you told me to use and for three days my
phone's been ringing! I sold over $3500 in goods and services in
three days! It's the first time in 5 months that anyone had
really purchased anything..."
Now that's a great testimonial! But what makes it so powerful?
Let's break down the elements of an effective testimonial in
more detail...
- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL IS FILLED WITH BENEFITS: A comment like,
"This product is great!" is nice for you to hear, but it doesn't
tell visitors what your product can actually do for them. You
want the benefits of what you offer to be front and center in
every testimonial: "This product doubled our profits in a
month!" or "This product made the pain in my back disappear
completely -- and did it fast!" or "We've never seen any product
that could get the rust off our car without damaging the paint
-- until now." - A GOOD TESTIMONIAL SUBSTANTIATES YOUR CLAIMS:
If you say your product can do something, your testimonials
should back up your promises -- complete with actual facts and
figures. How much money did your customers save by using your
product? How much time did they save by using your service? How
did it solve their problems or improve their lives? - A GOOD
TESTIMONIAL IS FROM SOMEONE YOUR AUDIENCE CAN RELATE TO: You
want your visitors to see that your product helped someone just
like them, seeking the solution to the same problem your
visitors have. Make sure your testimonials come from someone
with whom your target market can identify. If you sell primarily
to seniors, for example, ask your customers if you can include
their age along with the testimonial. If you are selling to moms
with children, ask if you can mention how many kids they have --
or include a photo of their family! - A GOOD TESTIMONIAL IS
CREDIBLE: Accompany each testimonial with the first name, last
name, and hometown of each testimonial-giver to show that your
endorsements come from real people. Always try to include a
photo as well. And if you can, take it to the next level by
including audio or video testimonials for maximum effect! Do
anything you can to help your visitors connect with your
testimonial- givers on a personal level. - A GOOD TESTIMONIAL
ENDORSES THE KEY BENEFITS OF YOUR PRODUCT: Your testimonials
should emphasize the key benefits of your product. It's fun to
hear that your super-duper floor cleaner smells nice or that the
bottle doesn't drip -- both things that matter to people who
would consider using your product in their homes -- but have you
established that it cleans their floors well? - A GOOD
TESTIMONIAL IS COMPARATIVE: Did your customers try another
product that didn't work before they found yours? You want your
visitors to know what your product can do that other products
can't. Choose testimonials that set your product apart from your
competition!
Now that you know what you're looking for in a testimonial, how
do you actually gather the reviews you need from your customers?
THE SECRETS TO GETTING GREAT TESTIMONIALS -- EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T
SOLD A THING YET!
If your customers have given you positive feedback on your
product already, then you may already have some great
testimonials to add to your site.
However, if your customer response is a little scarce -- or if
you're just starting out -- getting testimonials from your
buyers might take a little more effort.
So how do you collect the testimonials you need -- and keep them
coming as you grow your business?
One easy way to collect testimonials is to include a link on
your site with a form that allows your customers to give you
their vote of confidence: "Tell us how this product changed your
life!" or "Click here to let us know what you think!"
Put this link next to some testimonials that you've already
gathered to give customers an example of the kind of feedback
you're looking for.
A more effective method is to create an autoresponder that
contacts your buyers after they've purchased your product --
even a month later -- to ask how they're enjoying the product,
as well as giving them a chance to offer feedback on their
experience with your business.
And, of course, any time you receive a great letter or e-mail
from a customer, ask them if you can use their comments on your
web site to recommend your product to others. If they were happy
enough to let you know, they're bound to want to spread the word.
If you haven't yet begun selling your product and have no
feedback yet, offer your product or service for free to a select
group of customers in exchange for their thoughts on the product
or some details on their experience with your site.
The impact that testimonial will have on your bottom line will
be well worth the initial expense!
As soon as your online business is up and running, make a point
of giving every one of your customers a chance to share their
experiences with your product or service.
Ask for feedback -- good and bad -- in your autoresponders, your
newsletters, and other spots on your web site.
STRATEGIES FOR USING YOUR TESTIMONIALS AS EFFECTIVELY AS
POSSIBLE
Once you've got some testimonials to share with your visitors,
you need to make sure that you're putting them to the best
possible use on your site.
Always make sure that you...
- Include your best testimonials front and center on your
homepage, like in your sidebars, or even above your headline. -
Place some testimonials right in the middle of your homepage
salescopy to keep your readers focused on your credibility as
you outline the features and benefits of your product. - Set up
a whole page dedicated to your glowing testimonials, as well as
including snippets of their comments throughout your site. Be
sure to put a link to your testimonial page next to each of
those snippets! - Include testimonials on each and every page of
your web site. No matter where your visitors click, you want
them to find a positive customer review of your product or
service. Now let's look at a few mistakes to avoid when using
testimonials on your web site...
- Don't edit your testimonials to exclude a comment or add
information you want to hear! If you can't post a comment "as
is" and feel comfortable with it, it shouldn't go up. If your
testimonials are in your voice and all sound the same, no one is
going to trust that they are legitimate. - Never use a customer
testimonial without permission. - Never, ever invent
testimonials! This is fraud, plain and simple, and lying never
results in a positive impact on your business.
If you're not using testimonials on your web site, you are
missing out on one of the most powerful, easy-to-use, and cheap
marketing tools available to you.
Most of us would rather act on a referral from a friend than
make a purchase based on a sales pitch alone.
We want to know that the product actually works before we take
the leap to buy, and we're bound to put more trust in someone
who has already used the product successfully than the person
trying to convince us to buy it!
And just like that recommendation from a friend, testimonials
offer unbiased, results-based evidence that your product does
exactly what you say it will do.
Time and time again, we've seen our clients experience a HUGE
boost in sales when they've put positive comments from their
customers front and center on their web sites. Few things can
put a skeptical visitor's mind at ease faster than a rave review
from a satisfied user!
No matter what stage you're at in building your business, you
want to focus on establishing credibility with your potential
clients. Once you've won their trust, you've won a loyal
customer for life!
Using glowing, fact-filled testimonials on your web site is one
of the most high-impact -- yet simple -- ways to let your
readers know that you are worthy of their trust.