Next time one of your customers says something wonderful about you, ask them if they’d be willing to put it in writing and let you use it in your marketing materials. Why? Because enthusiastic endorsements from happy customers can be used to sell your products and services.

Need some help figuring out the best way to use your glowing testimonials? Give me a call. Or better yet, take a peek at what my customers have to say about my services, and then give me a call!

Testimonials are one of the most effective ways to eliminate the fear or objections that people might have about doing business with you. If you say you are good, potential customers may not believe you. But when others say you are good, your credibility skyrockets.

What Makes a Good Testimonial?

The most effective testimonials are those that are specific (“Linda helped us to increase sales by over 50% in just 6 months” vs. “We like Linda’s work”), cite complete attributions (“Jeffrey Nguyen, CEO, ABC Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles”) and use the customer’s own words. Visual testimonials – such as videos or testimonials that include images of or from your customers – are also very well received.

Where Can You Use Testimonials?

Once you collect testimonials (and obtain permission to use them!) you can use them in all of your marketing materials. For example:

• Websites and Brochures – Use testimonials throughout your website and brochures to eliminate common sources of customer anxiety, such as price, quality and reliability. Place them in a side column, use them in your sales text, create separate “testimonials” pages, etc.  
  
  
• Emails – Use relevant testimonials in the introductory letters that you email to prospective clients. Place testimonials in the first two inches (i.e. the part that displays in the preview panel) of sales-oriented pieces.
  
  
• Direct Mail – Choose a testimonial that addresses a common buyer objection head-on and use it on the outside envelope, to help convince recipients to open the mailer. Or try using a powerful testimonial as the opening or P.S. of a direct mail letter.
  
  
• Print Ads – Create an entire marketing campaign built around “case study”-style customer testimonials. Include eye-catching photos of the customers using your products.

Once you start using testimonials you can stop bragging about yourself, and start letting others do the bragging for you!