When a prospect is deciding to hire you, register for your program, or buy your product online, you aren't there in person to help convince them you're "for real." That means you have to go the extra mile by building credibility, so your web visitor immediately can trust you!
One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this - and increase your sales by leaps and bounds - is to feature TESTIMONIALS from your clients and customers. Testimonials may seem like a given, but many people completely forget to use them in their marketing.
You can never have too many testimonials. In fact, if you enjoy watching TV infomercials like I do, you've probably noticed a typical 30 minute spot is over 80% testimonials! And that's for good reason... they are the hands-down BEST way to gain instant credibility. So rack 'em up, and put them everywhere!
Here are 3 ways to make sure your testimonials sell FOR you...
1. Ask for RESULTS-ORIENTED Testimonials
The most effective testimonials are results oriented. That is, they share actual results your clients or customers have gotten. Also include numbers, dollar amounts, and/or percentages to get your prospect's attention and dramatically increase your response.
Lame testimonial: "Alexandria Brown's Online Success Blueprint course is a great guide to online marketing."
Awesome testimonial (and a real one, too!): "Thanks to the Powerful, Simple Strategies I Learned From Alexandria Brown's Online Success Blueprint, I Made $60,000 in TWO DAYS. I Will Easily Quadruple My Income in 2006. Thank you!"
2. Include Full Information on the Client or Customer
Have you ever seen shifty ads in the back of magazines with testimonials like this? "These super magic pills melted away 300 pounds of my extra weight overnight!" - E.B. in Wichita, Kansas.
Yah, right! I'm sure "E.B." is a real person and that's a real testimonial. Hmmm...
The more information you provide about your clients and customers, the more believable your testimonials are. Include full name, occupation or company name, city and state they're from, web address (if applicable), and a PHOTO. (Even a crappy photo, if that's all they have. It's important to make them REAL to your reader.) You can see samples of how I did this at http://www.ezinequeen.com/blueprintworkshop0306.htm.
3. Use Audio (or Video) Testimonials for Even Better Results
Audio and video also add a TON of credibility to your testimonials, because your prospects actually hear and/or see the client or customer delivering the testimonial!
Audio is a snap to set up on your web pages using a great tool call Audio Generator. Have your customers/clients call their hotline and leave a voicemail testimonial. Then you just copy and paste the code onto your website! You can see samples of how I did this at www.ezinequeen.com.
I'm also venturing into video testimonials using Instant Video Generator.
Bug, Then Beg. And If All Else Fails... Bribe!
If you have trouble getting testimonials from your clients or customers whom you KNOW have had great experiences working with you or using your products, don't get mad at them. You just have to bug them. It's rare you'll receive a testimonial unsolicited.
First, contact clients/customers whom you know have gotten great results thanks to you. Ask them if they can write up a short testimonial outlining their experience. They'll probably say "yes" but will forget to follow up or take a long time.
I then usually offer to write something up for them based on what they've shared with me, which I'll email to them for approval. Every time I've offered this, they are relieved and say "great!" And 99% of the time they are delighted with what I sent them.
As a last resort, and if you're dealing with clients/customers whom you may not know as well, I suggest offering an "ethical" bribe to encourage them. For example, have a contest and the people whose testimonials are chosen for your web page get a free prize or product. Gets them off their butts and works every time!
