Web Site Testimonial
How adding a SINGLE element to your web site can multiply your profits
-- and get your customers selling your products FOR you!
Here at IMC,
we've spent the last decade teaching our customers and subscribers
how to set up online businesses that make real profits. The list
of success stories is long -- and keeps growing!
That's how
I know that the techniques we recommend here really work
-- and not just for us (of course, we thoroughly test each strategy
and technique before letting you know what works and what doesn't)...
but for anyone.
... Which
brings me to the subject of this newsletter: I want to talk to
you about why your customers' successes, triumphs, and positive
results are SO important for your business.
The fact is,
even if your web site is full of fabulous sales copy and photos
that illustrate all the great features and benefits of your product
or service, your potential customers still need to know:
What
do people who have actually purchased and used your product or
service think about it?
It's simple:
your readers know that YOU believe in your product, or you wouldn't
be selling it! But what do people with the same problem or
need that they have say about your product?
Answering
that question is one of the most fundamental tasks your web site
needs to accomplish -- and it's as simple to do as it is important.
By using testimonials
-- reviews and comments from your satisfied customers, in text,
audio, or video format -- on your web site, you not only answer
the question, you also transform your sales pitch into a credible,
unbiased recommendation for your product.
Overcome
buyer skepticism with a
glowing testimonial
As I said
before, adding testimonials is probably one of the easiest ways
to improve your web site -- but a good one can generate more selling
power than some of the best salescopy out there!
So why are
testimonials so effective?
-
Testimonials
build trust:
Whether your customers are raving about what your product
has done for them or about the great service you gave, they
are telling your visitors first and foremost that they had
a positive experience with your products and company.
-
Testimonials
aren't "salesy": Because testimonials aren't
written in your "voice," they stand out in your
copy as candid and unbiased accounts of how well your product
works.
- Testimonials
overcome skepticism: A
good testimonial has the power to convince even your "tough
sell" visitors that your product or service really made
a difference in your customer's life -- and can help them, too.
For example,
let's say that you're selling a special lotion designed for dry
skin. A visitor finds your web site -- a person with dry skin
who needs some relief -- and reads all about the amazing moisturizing
ingredients in your product and how wonderful it smells.
Those are
two good selling points -- things that people would want to know
before they decided to buy.
But lots of
products can make those promises -- and many of them don't work!
So why should they purchase your product ahead of all the rest?
Then, as they
look over the page, a testimonial catches their eye from one of
your customers, explaining that your lotion quickly healed a lifelong,
agonizing skin condition -- something no other product had ever
managed to do!
That's the
power of an effective testimonial: it can convince your reader
that your product DOES work -- and that you can be trusted to
deliver on your promises.
How
to choose the right kind of testimonial
to turn your visitors into customers
When you're
choosing testimonials, there are a few key ingredients to look
for that make the difference between an ineffective testimonial
-- and one that sells.
Here's an
example of a glowing, but ultimately ineffective testimonial:
"I
love this product! I can't get enough! I'm so glad I bought
your stuff and I'll be back to get more, for sure!"
What could
be wrong with that? It sounds like you have a happy customer on
your hands!
But what does
this testimonial really tell your visitors? Does it prove that
the product works, or explain exactly how your customer benefited
from using it? While the feedback is definitely positive, the
testimonial does not provide enough detail to have any real impact
on your visitors.
Here's an
example of the kind of effective, benefits-driven testimonials
that we include on our own web sites:
"I
used the methods you told me to use and for three days my
phone's been ringing! I sold over $3500 in
goods and services in three days! It's the first
time in 5 months that anyone had really purchased anything..."
Now that's
a great testimonial! But what makes it so powerful?
Let's break
down the elements of an effective testimonial in more detail...
-
A
good testimonial is filled with benefits: A comment
like, "This product is great!" is nice for you
to hear, but it doesn't tell visitors what your product can
actually do for them.
You want
the benefits of what you offer to be front and center in every
testimonial: "This product doubled our profits in
a month!" or "This product made the pain in
my back disappear completely -- and did it fast!"
or "We've never seen any product that could get the rust
off our car without damaging the paint -- until now."
-
A
good testimonial substantiates your claims: If you
say your product can do something, your testimonials should
back up your promises -- complete with actual facts and
figures. How much money did your customers save by using
your product? How much time did they save by using your service?
How did it solve their problems or improve their lives?
-
A
good testimonial is from someone your audience can relate
to: You want your visitors to see that your product
helped someone just like them, seeking the solution
to the same problem your visitors have. Make sure your testimonials
come from someone with whom your target market can identify.
If you sell
primarily to seniors, for example, ask your customers if you
can include their age along with the testimonial. If you are
selling to moms with children, ask if you can mention how many
kids they have -- or include a photo of their family!
-
A
good testimonial is credible:
Accompany each testimonial with the first name, last name,
and hometown of each testimonial-giver to show that your endorsements
come from real people. Always try to include a photo
as well.
And if
you can, take it to the next level by including audio or video
testimonials for maximum effect! Do anything you can to help
your visitors connect with your testimonial-givers on a personal
level.
-
A
good testimonial endorses the key benefits of your product:
Your testimonials should emphasize the key benefits
of your product. It's fun to hear that your super-duper floor
cleaner smells nice or that the bottle doesn't drip -- both
things that matter to people who would consider using your
product in their homes -- but have you established that it
cleans their floors well?
-
A
good testimonial is comparative:
Did your customers try another product that didn't
work before they found yours? You want your visitors
to know what your product can do that other products can't.
Choose testimonials that set your product apart from your
competition!
Now that you
know what you're looking for in a testimonial, how do you actually
gather the reviews you need from your customers?
The
secrets to getting great testimonials
-- even if you haven't sold a thing yet!
If your customers
have given you positive feedback on your product already, then
you may already have some great testimonials to add to your site.
However, if
your customer response is a little scarce -- or if you're just
starting out -- getting testimonials from your buyers might take
a little more effort.
So how do
you collect the testimonials you need -- and keep them coming
as you grow your business?
One easy way
to collect testimonials is to include a link on your site with
a form that allows your customers to give you their vote of confidence:
"Tell us how this product changed your life!" or "Click
here to let us know what you think!" Put this link next to
some testimonials that you've already gathered to give customers
an example of the kind of feedback you're looking for.
A more effective
method is to create an autoresponder that contacts your buyers
after they've purchased your product -- even a month later --
to ask how they're enjoying the product, as well as giving them
a chance to offer feedback on their experience with your business.
And, of course,
any time you receive a great letter or e-mail from a customer,
ask them if you can use their comments on your web site to recommend
your product to others. If they were happy enough to let you know,
they're bound to want to spread the word.
If you haven't
yet begun selling your product and have no feedback yet, offer
your product or service for free to a select group of customers
in exchange for their thoughts on the product or some details
on their experience with your site.
The
impact that testimonial will have on your bottom line will be well
worth the initial expense!
As soon as
your online business is up and running, make a point of giving
every one of your customers a chance to share their experiences
with your product or service. Ask for feedback -- good and bad
-- in your autoresponders, your newsletters, and other spots on
your web site.
Strategies
for using your testimonials as effectively
as possible
Once you've
got some testimonials to share with your visitors, you need to
make sure that you're putting them to the best possible use on
your site.
Always
make sure that you...
-
Include
your best testimonials front and center on your homepage, like
in your sidebars, or even above your headline.
-
Place some
testimonials right in the middle of your homepage salescopy
to keep your readers focused on your credibility as you outline
the features and benefits of your product.
-
Set up a
whole page dedicated to your glowing testimonials, as well as
including snippets of their comments throughout your site. Be
sure to put a link to your testimonial page next to each of
those snippets!
-
Include
testimonials on each and every page of your web site. No matter
where your visitors click, you want them to find a positive
customer review of your product or service.
Now let's look
at a few mistakes to avoid when using testimonials on your web site...
-
Don't
edit your testimonials to exclude a comment or add information
you want to hear! If you can't post a comment "as is"
and feel comfortable with it, it shouldn't go up. If your
testimonials are in your voice and all sound the same, no
one is going to trust that they are legitimate.
-
Never
use a customer testimonial without permission.
-
Never,
ever invent testimonials! This is fraud, plain and simple,
and lying never results in a positive impact on your
business.
Final
thoughts
If you're
not using testimonials on your web site, you are missing out on
one of the most powerful, easy-to-use, and cheap marketing
tools available to you.
Most of us
would rather act on a referral from a friend than make a purchase
based on a sales pitch alone. We want to know that the product
actually works before we take the leap to buy, and we're
bound to put more trust in someone who has already used the product
successfully than the person trying to convince us to buy it!
And just like
that recommendation from a friend, testimonials offer unbiased,
results-based evidence that your product does exactly what
you say it will do.
Time and time
again, we've seen our clients experience a HUGE boost in sales
when they've put positive comments from their customers front
and center on their web sites. Few things can put a skeptical
vistor's mind at ease faster than a rave review from a satisfied
user!
No matter
what stage you're at in building your business, you want to make
sure that you're establishing credibility with your potential
clients. Once you've won their trust, you've won a loyal customer
for life!
Using glowing,
fact-filled testimonials on your web site is one of the most high-impact
-- yet simple -- ways to let your readers know that you
are worthy of their trust.
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