| Testimonials are a great way for customers to learn | | | | targeted mail out from a medical supplier to |
| about your products, services and capabilities. Coming | | | | surrounding businesses increased their sales by 45%. |
| from a third party they certainly add more credibility to | | | | What can Marketing Talk do for you? Look hard at a |
| your business. | | | | testimonial to see how you can turn the same words |
| Here are 7 ways you can utilize customer testimonials: | | | | into a different order to create intrigue. A perfect way |
| 1. Keep a word document building to attach to quotes | | | | to sell your services on a flyer, brochure or website. |
| and tenders | | | | 5. Gather one for each product offering you have |
| Build a word document as you receive testimonials, put | | | | Publish testimonials from a variety of clients that |
| the testimonial itself in quotes and add the name, title | | | | covers all the ranges of work you do. For example a |
| and business name of the person giving the testimonial. | | | | mortgage broker could publish 3 testimonials as |
| When you are pitching to a new customer this is a | | | | follows. One from a young couple looking for help as |
| credible document to support the rest of the | | | | they secure their first loan, one from a property |
| information you provide them. If you are emailing this, | | | | investor and one from someone still overseas and |
| remember to convert it to a PDF. Never use a | | | | purchasing before they arrive. People reading your |
| testimonial if you cannot display full details, it always | | | | testimonials will also learn of other services they may |
| looks fabricated. | | | | not have been aware of, and this reinforces your skill |
| 2. Add a page or toggle testimonials around your | | | | set. |
| website | | | | 6. Using grabs from testimonials |
| Prospective clients are reading your website to glean | | | | Don't think you need to use a testimonial whole. If a |
| more information about you, so this is a perfect place | | | | client's testimonial is 3 paragraphs long, it is quite okay |
| to promote your testimonials. Set up a complete page | | | | to lift some words from one sentence and use it to |
| devoted to testimonials, or if your website has the | | | | validate one part of your business. For example one |
| capability, you can store the complete list and have | | | | client might have written 4 paragraphs that covered |
| them toggle around. That means every time someone | | | | various areas of your business. Selected sentences |
| clicks to another page of your website, a different | | | | might work for "service" "products" "problem solving" |
| testimonial will appear. Another method is to pick | | | | etc. Use them as you need them to showcase areas |
| appropriate testimonials that apply to specific pages of | | | | of your business or product offerings. |
| your website, and permanently display them on that | | | | 7. A collection of grabs from testimonials |
| one page. | | | | You could choose a few short strings of words from |
| 3. Write in case study style | | | | several testimonials that sum up your business and |
| This is an excellent way to present your abilities. The | | | | display them on your brochure or website like |
| first paragraph would be the scenario or problem the | | | | excerpts. Always add the name and details, as |
| client engaged you for, the second paragraph would | | | | previously mentioned, if you cannot display full details, it |
| be how you resolved it, and the third paragraph would | | | | looks fabricated. |
| be the client's comments on your results. Several case | | | | In Summary |
| studies in this format promotes your capabilities | | | | Actively source testimonials and promote them on |
| expertly. It is always good if you can include some | | | | your website, in work samples, brochures, proposals |
| measurement, eg. it saved an amount of money, | | | | etc. If you think the word testimonial might scare |
| increased business a certain %, saved productivity | | | | people off, then ask customers "for their story" instead. |
| time, or increased overall numbers or profits. | | | | When customers email you with praise, copy what |
| 4. Use testimonials as an intrigue statement | | | | they wrote and ask them if you can use that |
| Turn a testimonial around to say something to spike a | | | | statement in advertising material and in your website |
| client's interest. One I have used is "One quirky | | | | with their information attached. |