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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