testimonials

Buy This Product, Friend: The Hidden Power of Testimonials

Thursday Bram — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:36:32 +0000

When we make purchasing decisions, we like knowing that we’re doing the right thing. Every day there are more options out there, whether we’re talking about groceries or automobiles. Testimonials are one of the easiest ways for sellers to reassure buyers that a particular product is the right choice. After all, if someone else is willing to tell you that she’s truly pleased with her purchase, you can expect that you’ll be pretty happy, too. And therein lies the problem. How do we know we can trust the testimonial? (See also: Advertising Jargon That Aims to Mislead)

Interpreting Testimonials

As you’re reviewing testimonials available for a given product or service, you want to make sure that you're seeing a reliable recommendation. You want what's called "social proof" — a recommendation that can be linked back to a real, identifiable person. Marketers consider video testimonials and other indisputable recommendations to be the most effective, and for good reason.

But Is It Trustworthy?

Even if you're looking at written testimonials, there are a couple of characteristics worth considering. If the seller has posted a text testimonial with just a first name (or maybe even no name), we’re tempted to trust the testimonial as honest or reliable. But if someone doesn’t want their name to run with their testimonial, maybe there’s something else going on. It’s good to see a full name at the least. Even better is a link back to a review, social media account, or website.

Strength in Numbers

You also want to see more than one testimonial.

If a business has been operating for awhile, there should be plenty of examples of how well they can do, just as there may be multiple reviews of the business on Yelp and its counterparts.

It’s a little concerning if the testimonials all sound the same, by the way. It’s not necessarily an indicator that the seller didn’t get the testimonials from a wide variety of buyers, but it can mean that the seller gave suggestions on what to write or asked submitters to follow a certain format — which is less helpful for shoppers deciding which product or service to buy.

Understanding the Appeal of Testimonials

When you're purchasing, it's important to understand the impact a testimonial can have on you — on a basic level, we're programmed to trust other people's opinions. A survey conducted by Nielsen in 2009 found that 90% of consumers will trust recommendations from people they know. Seventy percent will trust opinions posted online, which can include reviews and testimonials.

Most of us are more willing to make a purchase when we see a testimonial. It's not the only factor, but it's one that we need to be aware of in order to make an accurately informed decision.

This article is from Thursday Bram of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Getting More Than a Good Reference

Thursday Bram — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:05:28 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/getting-more-than-a-g...

Most of the time, when a business owner is thinking about references, it's a question of how much to discuss about a former employee. But there are occasions when a business will be asked to provide references of some sort. Such situations usually fall into one of two categories. First, you may provide a service to customers. A new customer may ask for references or testimonials from former clients to get an impression of the sort of job you'll do. The second type of request for a reference you may see is from a vendor, especially one that may be extending you credit. In either situation, a good reference is critical to your ability to do business.

By just doing a good job and paying your bills on time, you can generally gather good enough references to meet your needs, as far as winning over new clients or new vendors goes. But if you can get a stellar testimonial or reference, you can leverage those references to help you move your business to the next level.

The Best References

Unless the individual or company in question has some interest in seeing your business succeed, it can be difficult to get a testimonial or a reference that goes beyond "they were fine." But "fine" doesn't bring in new business. It can be enough to win over someone already considering doing business with you, but that's about it. Only those references that show that you impressed your customer in some way are going to really be helpful: you can add them to your marketing materials, send them out to prospective new clients or even (provided you have permission) give out the referrer's phone number for a more personal testimonial.

To get those sorts of references, you have to find a way to go above and beyond. Over delivery is necessary. Wherever you can impress, you need to do just that. That may seem impossible, especially when you're already working hard to make your customers happy. But even small efforts can lead to a big reference. Any step that you can take, you should. Even something as simple as a follow-up phone call can make a difference, especially if that's a step that your competitors don't take.

Depending on the types of references you can get, you can truly move your business forward. If, for instance, you're trying to find a vendor that will help you expand significantly (along with extending you a little credit), being able to point towards a vendor who you've not only paid on time but has another reason to enjoy working with your business (such as receiving early payments as a matter of course) can be invaluable. Especially if your prospective vendor can actually talk to a past vendor, you may find yourself being able to make a deal that previously seemed out of reach.

Testimonials Have to Be Easy

If you leave things up to a customer — at least as far as testimonials and references go — you may not get what you're after. Unfortunately, many people are more motivated to describe bad experiences they've had than to write you a note telling you how wonderful your company is. It's crucial to directly solicit references from your customers and the companies you work with, preferably as soon after a project is completed as you can. It's crucial to make it as simple as possible to provide those responses, as well. The easier you make the process, the more references you're likely to get.

Of course, some clients and vendors will never provide you with a testimonial. But if you offer a simple prompt that can be followed and keep the time you need them to spend on the process to a minimum, you're more likely to get a better response. Having more references or testimonials to pick from can be beneficial to your business: Rather than having to carefully decide between a handful of references and try to decide what the best option may be, you can go through a few pages and cherry pick those testimonials that put you in the best light. You can also rotate through your references, showing anyone interested in working with you that your excellence continues and your good references aren't a matter of chance.

Testimonials must also be timely: always be collecting is a good process. If you're using a testimonial that's several years old and a client or vendor finds out, it's very easy for them to ask if you haven't done anything worthy of a testimonial in the last year. Similarly, they can make assumptions about why you're using an older testimonial and whether your business is still able to live up to it. Just by adding new testimonials once a year, or even more often if you have the time, you can avoid those questions and continue to move forward with your business.

Making Use of Online References

If your customers, as well as the other companies you work with, are particularly impressed with your abilities, ask them to make those comments online. After all, if the first few pages of search results for your company include wonderful testimonials, you may not be asked for additional references down the line. Anyone searching for you can already see what a pleasure your company is to work with.

It's difficult to motivate less-enthusiastic clientele to visit such sites as LinkedIn, Google Maps or Yelp and provide a positive reference. But if they're firmly in favor of the work you've done, they'll often be willing to explain that to others. The secret, just like with all testimonials, is to make the process as simple as possible. If you e-mail a client, following up on the work you've done and including a link and instructions for posting a testimonial on whichever site you prefer, you're likely to get the reference that you're after. Make it a habit and you'll have customers won over before they even contact you.

This article is from Thursday Bram of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The Power of Real People: Using Customer Profiles to Sell Your Story

Chris Birk — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 12:53:21 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/the-power-of-real-peo...

Consumers crave authority and credibility.

They’re also in search of peers who not only understand their problem but who have also found a powerful solution.

And that’s why customer profiles can prove so crucial.

Highlighting positive feedback and glowing consumer reviews is an essential part of a top-level business site. But there’s only so much a quick quote or a brief “Thank You” note can convey. Companies in a host of industries and spheres are creating multidimensional content that showcases how their goods and services made a difference for their thankful consumers.

Stories, profiles and videos — often more journalistic in nature than purely advertorial — can provide a more positive and lasting impression than most straightforward testimonials and still dovetail with online marketing needs.

The reality is there’s real power, not to mention ROI, in real people.

Customer Profiles

Customer profiles take traditional testimonials to a higher level. They also require more time and investment and come with some unique challenges. At the outset are three hurdles:

Identifying satisfied customers who consent to the process and to public identification
Ensuring the customer’s story is actually worth telling
Committing time or money to conduct an interview and then produce a story

Unlike a testimonial, customer profiles are typically borne of interviewing and storytelling. These are more involved than just collecting and repackaging positive feedback.

Finding Profile Subjects

It may be true that everyone has a story, as journalism wonks love to say. But the hard truth is that not everyone’s story is worth telling.

Comb through your testimonials and notes of praise and look for consumers who rave about your product or service. Seek out repeat customers. People who are truly passionate about their experience with your business are great initial targets.

Make sure subjects understand your intentions from the beginning. Their name, hometown, age, photo, and possibly more will be disseminated to the masses.

Give them complete editorial control over the finished product. That concept makes even some recovering journalists squirm, but the bottom line is that this isn’t objective news — if the customer isn’t happy with a quote or wants a paragraph rephrased, make the changes.

Consider creating an incentive (a small token or gift) as way to thank — and, um incentivize — consumers to share their stories. Send them a copy of the finished piece along with their beautiful fruit basket. Whatever it is, make it nominal.

Telling Their Stories

The key here is to let the subject’s story unfold naturally. Provide general themes and problems that scores of consumers might face.

Instead of writing a glowing account of your product or services, focus on the consumer and his or her own unique circumstances. Allow the subject to talk about how your company provided the perfect solution. Stay out of the way as much as possible.

Allsup, the nation’s leading Social Security Disability Insurance representation company, does an exemplary job of this (Full disclosure: I have written some of their profiles).

If you have a corporate mission statement or formally established company values, consider weaving one of those into the profile as a running theme.

Brevity is always your friend on the web. Craft a solid lede, or opening paragraph, that pulls in prospective consumers. Use strong, active verbs and subject-verb-predicate constructions. Prize short sentences and economy of language.

No matter how compelling the tale, most consumers aren’t going to commit to a 1,500-word profile on a company website. It’s best to shoot for no more than 750 words. But 500 is better.

Adding Multimedia Elements

Video can be even more powerful than the written word.

It also requires a bigger commitment from your consumers. Someone who’s happy to see their name in print might not want a two-minute interview hosted on your company site in perpetuity.

There are also technology and travel concerns, from video load times on your site to the logistics of actually logging and then editing the tape. Of course, you can record an interview without physically being there, but odds are the finished product won’t look nearly as polished.

Colleges and universities have long capitalized on these types of video stories. While Sanford Brown calls theirs “alumni testimonials,” many of the edited videos are nearly a minute long — definitely enough for prospective students to get a sense of personal story and positive outcomes.

Building Interest

Don’t limit yourself to the confines of your website when the time comes to publish. Send press releases and try to connect the customers to smaller media outlets in their community. Make sure you have permission from the subject.

Trumpet these stories through your social media channels.

At the same time, encourage your front-line employees, customer service representatives, and others to keep an eye out for future profile subjects.

This article is from Chris Birk of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: