Positive testimonials about your product given by past, satisfied customers are amongst the most powerful tools known in marketing. Frankly, you can’t afford not to incorporate testimonials into all your ads, sales letters, brochures and more.
Testimonials are powerful tools of persuasion. Here’s why—in the eyes of potential buyers, a testimonial is much like having a trusted friend recommend your product.
A testimonial is that part of the ad – perhaps the only part – that doesn’t seem like just more ad hype.
The Value of a Real Person’s Views
That’s because the message of a testimonial is not coming from the seller himself. Customers know that businesses will say just about anything to make a sale. Everyone has a well-developed, “let the buyer beware” mentality when he or she confronts ads and sales pitches. And we all naturally and habitually cast a sceptical eye on most ad claims. We are on the constant lookout for deception.
But a testimonial from a “real person” is different.
When a potential buyer reads or sees a testimonial from an “ordinary” person, he or she gets the feeling they are receiving an endorsement straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. And they are!
Objective
That’s the beauty of a testimonial. When an objective, third-party individual, who has no financial interest in your company, is willing to put his or her reputation on the line to promote your product, it says a lot about how good that product really must be.
Testimonials “prove” that your product is as good as you say it is. It shows potential buyers that others have already tried and tested the product, and found it good enough to go out and brag about it and tell others to buy it. When a customer confronts a testimonial, he or she thinks: “Hey, it worked for him, so maybe can work for me, too!” You can’t beat that kind of endorsement.
The best testimonials are made by people who are, or appear to be, in the same demographic group as your potential buyers.
This way, the testimonial endorsement appears to be coming from a known and trusted person.
Testimonials made by well-known people or admired celebrities are also powerful persuaders.
Here are some great examples of the power of the star endorsement:
A new book produced by The Institution for Leader Arts boasts testimonials from “Storming” Norman Schwarzkopf, who called it “A must read for aspiring leaders in and out of uniform. Other testimonials come from the President of General Motors, the President of North American Airlines and the former president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Lindsay Wagner, star of the 1970s television drama The Bionic Woman, sang the praises of Select Comfort Mattresses in ten-minute infomercials. Product inquiries jumped 28 per cent.
Swords from the Claymore Armoury in Scotland use celebrity testimonials from very diverse sources. On the one hand, you have champion racing driver and famously patriotic Scot, Jackie Stewart, saying “To celebrate my Knighthood in 2001, my staff at the Jackie Stewart Shooting and Fishing School, Gleneagles, presented me with a magnificent replica of a Scottish Lowland Two Handed Sword. The sword was hand-built by Thomas Yeudall of the Claymore Armoury in Ayrshire, Scotland. Being a lowland Scot myself, I was delighted to receive such a fine gift, which now sits proudly in my home.”
On the other is the Hollywood action man actor The Rock, who sings the makers’ praises: “Thomas, I can’t thank you enough for the amazing work! It will forever be a true treasure to me! As I’ve admired Sir William Wallace and the history of Scotland! Thank you again.”
And then there’s the volume of famous faces speaking up to recommend Allen Carr’s Easyway to Stop Smoking.
Sir Richard Branson, Ruby Wax, Sir Anthony Hopkins are all happy to wax lyrical about the benefits, with Sir Richard highlighting the business benefits: “His methods are absolutely unique, removing the dependence on cigarettes, while you are actually smoking. I’m pleased to say it has worked on many of my friends and staff.”
How to Get Great Testimonials
If you don’t have any testimonials for your product or service, go out and get them.
Contact satisfied customers and ask them simply tell what they liked about your product, and how they benefited from it.
Have them sign their testimonial statement, and get their permission to use it in all your marketing mediums. If you can include a picture or live video tape of satisfied customers making a pitch for you, all the better.
Keep all of your signed permission editorials on file for future use and reference, and because you must have proof of permission to use another person’s statement in your advertising media.
Also, get both a first and last name to use in your testimonials. Testimonials that are signed, “Mike K., Wales” can easily seem faked or simply made up, (and of course they often are!)
Customers are wise to that.
Even if you are a brand new business and have yet to create a satisfied customer, you should strive to get testimonials you can use. These can come from people you know and who are familiar with your product.
But whatever you do, use testimonials! No marketing vehicle is complete without at least one.
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