The truth about using testimonials on your website
Testimonials are one of the most effective tools a small business has in their marketing arsenal.
Testimonials can be powerful tools to build your business
You already know that word-of-mouth advertising is the best kind to have: the price is right and its effectiveness in winning over prospects can’t be beat.
With every website and most marketing materials the ThreeDames creates, we recommend using testimonials. Sadly, a typical business owner will wait for a positive referral to drop into his or her lap instead of seeking out these business-building gems.
We hear a number of misconceptions around the use of testimonials that we would like to correct:
Misconception #1: “No one in my industry uses testimonials on their websites.”
When we heard this, our response was: “Great! Now you will have a leg up on your competition!”
The client’s concern was that since others in the industry did not have testimonials available, it must mean that their customers would consider it unprofessional.
Their logic went something like this: “If our competitors aren’t using testimonials, they must have a reason for not doing so.”
But we have to ask: In what possible industry do customers not want reassurance that their buying choice is a good one?
Regardless of whether you sell products or services, sell to retail customers or to wholesale vendors, sell to consumers or sell to businesses, real people are behind every purchase. And no one, I repeat, no one, wants to make a foolish buying decision. A testimonial helps reassure your prospect that buying from you will be a good choice.
Misconception #2: “My customers would be annoyed if I ask them straight out for a testimonial.”
Well, it is true that you might have a curmudgeon lurking in your customer base, but typically, people who are happy with a service or product are pleased to share this information with others. We suspect that you will be pleasantly surprised by how many of your customers are willing to sing your praises in writing.
An interesting insight on how customers react to being asked for a referral comes from noted psychologist Robert B. Cialdini, whose research focuses on persuasion and influence.
Cialdini suggests in his book, Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, that when you ask someone for assistance, the person doing you the kind turn will actually feel more favorably toward you than if you hadn’t asked them.
Cialdini explains that if someone helps you out, they naturally justify in their minds their reasons for doing so:
We know from other studies that people are strongly motivated to change their attitudes in ways that are consistent with their behavior…We might be reluctant to ask for the favor because we’re afraid this person will like us even less…The results of this research indicate that such hesitation is unwarranted.
What do you have to lose? Your customers might actually like you more if you ask for a testimonial.
Misconception #3: “If I suggest what I want them to write about, it will be ‘cheating.’”
You want to make it as easy as possible for your customers to provide you with kudos, so why burden them with the challenge of guessing what you would like them to say?
Instead, try offering them a suggestion on what, specifically, you would like them to address in their testimonial. For example:
Betty, since you are so pleased with how quickly we installed the widget that you purchased from us, I was wondering if you would mind providing us with a testimonial on the professionalism of our installation team?
While you are at it, ask for permission to use the testimonial on all of your marketing materials, and see if your client will allow you to use a photograph of them as well.
Misconception #4: If I use a testimonial on my website, my competition will know who my customers are and will target them.
Sure, your competitor could target your clients after reading their testimonials, but if you stop and think about it, your competitors are already targeting your clients, aren’t they?
We think it is more important to maximize the ways your website can enhance your efforts to gain new customers instead of hiding how wonderful you are to avoid your competition’s wrath.
Besides, once your customers give you a testimonial, they will be less likely to switch to another vendor (see Misconception #2, above).
Special offer only for ThreeDames clients
If you are a ThreeDames client, we would like to encourage you to try using testimonials or to freshen the ones you are currently using on your website.
Set a goal this week to ask three of your favorite clients for testimonials. (Don’t forget to drop a small note in the mail to thank those who comply.)
Once you receive your new testimonials, contact us for a free 30-minute consultation on creative ways to incorporate your new testimonials into your website or your marketing materials.