How You Can Use Testimonials in Your Marketing

It’s generally accepted that word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising. If someone whose opinion you value recommends a product to you chances are pretty good that you’ll be inclined to give it a try.

Other forms of promotion don’t have nearly the same level of acceptance. Every advertisement positions its product as the one you should purchase and logic tells us this just isn’t so. What can a marketer use to cut through the hype?

The testimonial is really a variation on word-of-mouth promotion. When we see an advertisement with a movie star flashing impossibly white teeth to sell toothpaste our minds make the connection between someone we know – the star, and acquiring those teeth by using the brand advertised.

The testimonial also lets someone other than yourself tell people how good you are. It’s not you extolling your worth to prospective clients – that’s to be expected; it’s someone who’s a client just like them saying they’ve used you and been satisfied with the outcome.

Think About How it Will be Used

Before you start asking all your favorite clients to give you a testimonial saying how good you are think about how you want to use their words of approval. Is it in advertising? Is it in a piece of printed literature? Is it a live statement on radio? Each of these forms of testimonial has its own special requirements.

If there’s a photograph in the advertisement next to the testimonial the person had better be at least moderately attractive. The testimonial should also be brief and direct.

This also applies to the use of testimonials on websites. A brief statement and a photograph will do the job – if they’re both carefully chosen.

In a piece of print literature you usually have a bit more space so a longer testimonial can be used. This is where a letter expressing satisfaction is often reproduced.

On radio the testimonial has to come from somebody who sounds authentic but has a voice that won’t grate on the eardrums. Be sure they introduce and qualify themselves before giving you their recommendation.

Some users of direct mail even include complete copies of customer letters in their mailings, printed on different types of stationery so they look authentic. So consider where your testimonial will go before you start asking for it.

Having decided where the testimonial is to go, you’re now ready to ask for your satisfied clients to say something about you that will impress others. Remember that a testimonial if a favor somebody gives you so if you ask for one they’ll expect you to use it.

Ask for the Kind of Testimonial you Need

People who give you a testimonial are subconsciously establishing a bond with you and your firm. They might expect some sort of favor in return (and you’d be sensible if you anticipated this and came up with a suitable reward for their help) but even more important is the feelings of loyalty they’ll receive.

One of the best ways to source a testimonial is from a client who gives you an unprompted compliment. When this happens ask politely if they’d be willing to put that in writing because it would be very helpful to your business. Most will say ‘yes’ and give you the reference.

If feasible, ask your client to refer to the particular service you provided that pleased them so much. In this way you can build up a ‘bank’ of testimonials that cover any and all areas of your practice. The best kind of testimonial combines a general statement of satisfaction with a specific reference highlighting your special areas of expertise.

A good testimonial will generate empathy in those whom you’re hoping will join your client base. One way to approach it is to ask the person giving the testimonial to refer to their experiences before they started using your firm – how you’ve outperformed the competition and acquired their loyalty.

Another thing to elicit if applicable is the person’s qualifications – “As owner of a manufacturing business with 200 employees…” sounds like a person who would want the best in professional services and only be satisfied if they were getting it from your firm.

Save all written testimonials. Over a period of time they can build up to quite an impressive collection. Save them in a booklet with clear plastic sleeves; you can even consider framing some of the very best ones and putting them in your office.

Finally, when you do receive a testimonial be sure the person who gives it to you understands how it will be used and gives you their permission to use it in that way. When you do get the final brochure or a copy of the advertisement send it to them with your thanks in writing.

Testimonials cut through the skepticism of the marketplace and give your communications the status of near-objectivity. Used wisely they will be among your most powerful marketing tools.

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Copyright 2003, RAN ONE Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from www.ranone.com.