Add a Single Element to Your Web Site and Multiply Your Profits
Add a Single Element to Your Web Site and Multiply Your Profits
We 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 great sales copy
and photos that illustrate all the fabulous 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.
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OVERCOME BUYER SKEPTICISM WITH A *GLOWING* TESTIMONIAL
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As 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.
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HOW TO CHOOSE THE *RIGHT* KIND OF TESTIMONIAL TO TURN YOUR
VISITORS INTO CUSTOMERS
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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?
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THE SECRETS TO GETTING GREAT TESTIMONIALS -- EVEN IF YOU
HAVEN'T SOLD A THING YET!
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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.
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STRATEGIES FOR USING YOUR TESTIMONIALS AS EFFECTIVELY AS
POSSIBLE
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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.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
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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
visitor'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 focus on 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.
About the Author Larry Potter - For
More Great Ideas, visit: http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/862721
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