The Secret to Adding Credibility to Your Business ? Testimonials!
You may not realize it, but you already have a gold mine of
endorsements waiting to be created. Everyone who is serious
about building a business and creating credibility uses this
idea. What is it? Testimonials from your satisfied clients. Whether you are just starting out or have been in business for
years, testimonials are a proven way to communicate the value
your business delivers. Think about it, don't you want to know
what other people think about a product/service before you buy?
I do! The reason testimonials are so powerful is because they come
from someone, other than you, who has used your
products/services and knows how fabulous they are. This is
great news if you don't feel comfortable 'blowing your own
horn' because the words come from your clients. You are
simply sharing what others have said about you. Even better,
testimonials don't have to cost you a cent. HOW TO GET TESTIMONIALS All you have to do is ask. You can write your request in an
e-mail or ask verbally. Just ask, "Would you be willing to
help me?" In my experience satisfied clients are more than
willing to write testimonials. If you want to give clients an incentive to give you
testimonials you can offer them something of value in return
for their time and effort. In exchange for the testimonial
you can offer a discount, create a drawing for a prize, or
provide them with additional information. You can also incorporate asking for testimonials into your
business process. One way to do this is to ask for them in an
evaluation or survey. Another way is to let clients know up
front that once they become a client that you plan to ask what
they thought about your products/services. In addition to asking for testimonials you can 'listen' and
'watch' for them by paying attention to what clients tell you
verbally and write to you in e-mails or letters. If you hear or
see a compliment ask the person if you can quote them on what
they said and include it in your marketing materials. Think
about it, you may even have a powerful testimonial sitting in one of your e-mail folders right now just waiting to get permission for use. Another approach is to ask someone else to interview your clients (a reporter or writer). This is a more involved process and can be worth it if your product/service is complicated or if you want to create a case study. No matter what, always ask for permission to use the person's
name and/or company with their testimonial. You can give the
options of using initials or first names only if people do not
want their full name used. Keep in mind, a full name is the most credible. You can also use pictures of the people who write testimonials to make an even stronger impact (again, ask for permission). FORMAT FOR TESTIMONIALS Written testimonials are the most common and easiest to create.
There are other options that engage additional senses, the ears
and eyes. Audio testimonials are becoming more popular (often
accompanied by a photograph) as are video testimonials, which
allow you to see and hear someone speaking about your
products/services. WHAT TO ASK FOR IN A TESTIMONIAL If you're like me, you want some guidance when asked to provide
information. Help your clients out by being clear about what you are looking for in a testimonial, specific information. Ask them to describe the situation before they used your
products/services and then ask them to describe the situation
now, the benefits that they experienced and how they feel as a
result of this. WHERE TO USE TESTIMONIALS Once you have your raving testimonials, and permission to use
them, you can put them to use in multitude of ways. Include them on your website mixed in throughout your text. Add testimonials to your brochures and flyers. You can even put them in your newsletters. Are you beginning to see how powerful testimonials are and what
they can mean for your business? Choose the approach that feels
right for you and get into action today! (c) Stephanie Ward 2005 Life & Business Coach Stephanie Ward helps business owners
set their profits on fire! Get your free monthly profit
tips plus bonus report at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
CRM: Strategic Engine or Just Another Tool?
CRM?strategic engine or just another technology tool? How would you answer this question about your company's CRM initiative? It depends on how honest you are in answering some other questions, including:
Effective Marketing
For any business to be successful whether on or offline it has to be marketing effectively. You are going to need more than a great looking site with fabulous products or services to obtain success. You will need to run an effective marketing campaign and for this you will need a marketing plan.
The Most Powerful Marketing Strategy Available To Small Businesses
Most small business owners want to generate huge profits, with little effort and in the least amount of time. If you fall into this category then joint venture marketing is the fastest, easiest and most profitable way to do that.
Marketing Your Franchise Online
Do you want to successfully market your business franchise online? Here's an internet strategy you can use for your franchise opportunity.
The Path To Your Prospects Wallet Begins At His Heart
You want your prospect to make the decision to buy your product or service. So you show him what you have to offer in your sales letter, web page, ad or commercial. You lay out the facts, and he comes to a rational decision based on them. Right?
If You Do No Other Preparation
Far too often we see small businesses rush into doing things without planning and preparing. Unfortunately, marketing is a great case in point. Many small businesses set up shop and then hurry to get a brochure made up, develop a web site, and get out and start networking without much planning or preparation. And then they wonder why their results are so poor.
Promote your Business and Products through Submitting Articles to Top Web Sites
Articles submitted to online publishers bring your site new visitors and increase your ezine subscribers. You can also get these benefits by submitting your articles to top Web sites that not only promote your products, but also your services.
Marketing Person You Think You Arent
Have you thought about starting your own business? Have you started one and are having challenges with marketing, fear of failure, fear of success?I could go on and on. Has the question, Now what? ever entered your mind? If so, I would like to share my story with you. A journey, from corporate to business owner and everything in between.
Free Publicity for Restaurants
One of the best ways to get a restaurant free publicity is by
taking advantage of events and seizing the opportunity.
For example, February 5th is Television Weather Persons' Day!
Bet you didn't even know such a day existed, but it does, and
it can give you free publicity. How? Weather people are the
forgotten people at television stations. Deliver one of your
specialties at the station. There's a good chance the weather
person will be so delighted with the attention, he or she will
mention you on the air. Even if they don't mention you, your
goodies will be shared with the others on the staff and you'll
get your name out there. When you call to let them know about a
newsworthy event (and you will call, won't you?), they'll know
about your restaurant.
Corporate Gift Tips To Wow Clients & Associates
1) Know the company and their culture. Are they trendy and artistic or conservative and elegant? Your gift giving should reflect this. Also, global customs vary significantly. Ensure you understand the proper gift etiquette to avoid offending overseas clients.
Marketing Mimics Life
Clichés. We've all heard them...and hear some of them so often that we categorize them as tired, stale old sayings. But, the fact is, particularly in both life and in small business marketing, that there is a validated truth in these commonly applicable and very popular clichés.
Have Something Good To Say
If you don't get this right, you can just forget about everything else...your advertising will fail miserably if you don't have something good to say. The great business philosopher Jim Rohn probably summed it up best in his lecture about communications. He was talking about personal communications, not about advertising, but I think the principle holds true. He says to be a master communicator, all you've got to do is follow this three-step process: First, have something good to say. Second, say it well. And third, say it often.
Powerful Direct Marketing Numbers
Direct Marketing works!
When You Need More Than Magic To Keep Your Marketing Going
It is easy to focus on what remains outstanding and not seewhat you have accomplished or how you have grown over thepast year. Even marketing experts have difficulty nailingdown time to market. I too fritter away time at trivialtasks like organizing paper clips, shuffling paper from onestack to another, updating my computer and watering plants.On worse days, I prefer doing laundry and making my kitcheneven cleaner.
Are Corporate Awards and Corporate Gifts Beneficial for Your Business?
With the increased challenges that all companies are faced with, many corporations have implemented various initiatives to continue to grow corporate earnings and shareholder value, some have discovered the strategic value of corporate awards and corporate gifts.
From the boardroom to the frontlines to the client across the country, corporate awards and gifts offer many benefits to enhance performance. Not only are you showing your appreciation to the employee or customer, you setting a standard of thanks for the hard work and dedication.
Marketing Hesitation Costs Dearly
Timing is everything. Hate to be late? The early bird gets the worm.
Mortgage Marketing - How to Find Your Niche
Ann Landers, Dr. Phil and Roger Ebert take pleasure in being recognized as leading experts in their respective fields. Because of this status they enjoy greater visibility and reputation than their peers. So instead of having to cold call or advertise for new clients, they benefit from prospects seeking them out. Yet, when you study these experts closely you realize that they're no more talented, smarter or knowledgeable than the rest.
Lack Of Business Isnt Always The Problem
When you're just starting out in business, it's a safe bet that you need more clients. But what if you have been up and running for a while, and you're still not making as much money as you would like? You may be in the habit of thinking that attracting new clients is the answer, but this isn't always the case.
Fail Your Way To Small Business Marketing Success!
Are you willing to fail your way to great marketing Success?
How Gratitude Works
Want to know what the highest-impact, lowest-cost tool is in your marketing toolkit? First, here are ten reasons to start using this tool right away:
|
