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Introduction

You make claims on your website about your business and you should.

Your sales copy explains how doing business with you has very little or no risk and it should.

You are very positive about your business and your products and services and you should be.

However, everyone expects this of you. If you were not confident about your business then this is the kiss of death. No one would want to do business with you if you were not confident about your business. Therefore, your website claims and your online copy are not as effective as you might think as all people know that it came from you or your marketing department.

So what’s a business to do?

Use testimonials!

This report will explain the power of testimonials.

It will explain why they are so effective.

It will dissect the key elements of an effective testimonial and show you how to make sure that yours are effective.

It will also show you how to collect them and give you some ideas on how to use them.

This report will also tell you what you must avoid.

Use testimonials to power up your business. Let people know how satisfied your existing clients are and this will help them make a decision and therefore help you!

A powerful set of testimonials is a great way to differentiate your business in your marketplace.

If you want to power up your sales and top line revenue then read on . . .

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Selling Online with Testimonials

Your customers' successes, triumphs, and positive results are very important for your business.

Your website can be full of great sales copy and photos that illustrate all the fabulous features and benefits of your product or service. However, your potential customers still need to know how people who have actually purchased and used your product or used your service think about it.

The concept is simple. Your website visitors know that you believe in your product, or you wouldn't be selling it or promoting it. But what do people with the same desire, problem or need that they have say about your product or service?

To answer that question is one of the most fundamentally important tasks your website needs to accomplish. The good news is that it is as simple to do as it is important.

You need to use testimonials.

You can use reviews and comments from your satisfied customers, in text, audio, or even video format on your web site. You can use them to answer the key questions and also transform your sales materials into a credible, unbiased recommendation for your product.

If you are not using testimonials now then adding testimonials is probably one of the easiest ways to improve your website. A good one can generate more selling power than some of the best sales copy.

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Why Are Testimonials So Effective?

First, testimonials build trust. If your customers are raving about what your product has done for them or about the great service you gave then their testimonial is telling your visitors first and foremost that they had a positive experience with your products and company.

Second, testimonials get attention. 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 or how good your service is.

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. It lets a visitor know that your product or service can help them too.

For example, let's say that you're selling a special toothbrush that usesinnovative technology to clean teeth. A visitor coming to your site to research the merits of the cleaning capability reads all about the amazing cleaning capability of your product and how wonderful it is.

This is a key selling point. People would want to know this before they decided to buy.

However, lots of teeth-cleaning products can make a statement about how wonderful it is and many of those products are very ordinary. So why should they purchase your product ahead of all the rest?

Now image this . . .

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Your visitor is looking over the page and a testimonial catches their attention from one of your satisfied customers. The testimonial explains that your toothbrush produces excellent cleaning results.

Furthermore the testimonial states that many other products have been tried and no other product had ever produced results like this.

That is a powerful and effective testimonial. It can convince your reader that your product does work and that it can be trusted to deliver on your promises.

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 less effective testimonial.

"I love this product! I can't get enough! I'm so glad I bought this and I'll be back to get more, for sure!"

What could be wrong with that? It sounds like you have a happy customer. How is this ineffective?

Here is why it is less effective. What does this testimonial really tell your visitors? Does it prove that the product works? Does it explain exactly how your customer benefited from using it? The feedback is definitely positive but 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 would certainly have effective impact.

"I used the technique you taught me and for the past week my site traffic has jumped up significantly. In the past week, since the ads have been running, my website has sold over $4,200 in goods and services and it's the first time in 5 months that anyone had really purchased anything..."

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Now that's a great testimonial! But what makes it so powerful? Let’s dissect it.

Elements of an Effective Testimonial

Let's break down the elements of an effective testimonial in more detail.

1. A good testimonial is filled with benefits. A comment that states "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 very clear in every testimonial – for example: "This product increased our profits by 48% in only a month!" or "This product made my teeth cleaner than they have ever been in the past and my hygienist was totally amazed!" or "We've never seen any product that could restore the color and beauty to our deck, so quickly and with very little preparation until now." 2. A good testimonial substantiates your claims. If you say your product can do something, your testimonials should back up your promises. It should have 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? 3. A good testimonial is from someone your audience can relate to. Let your visitors see that your product helped someone just like them. If your product has helped a person just like your visitor and helped a person with the same problem as your website visitor then the testimonial has made an important connection. Make sure your testimonials come from someone with whom your target market can identify. If you sell online computer courses primarily to seniors, for example, then ask your customers if you can include their age along with the testimonial. If you are selling to small business owners then perhaps you could include a picture of their business. If you are selling a product for pets then ask how many pets they have and perhaps a photo again could be used. 4. A good testimonial is credible. Accompany each testimonial with the first name, last name, and location (at least the town) of each testimonial-giver to show that your endorsements come from real people. Again, if you can include a photo then this adds impact.

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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. 5. A good testimonial endorses the key benefits of your product. Your testimonials should always emphasize the key benefits of your product. It's fun to hear that your super-duper carpet cleaner smells nice or that it mixes easily with water and both of these things matter to people who would consider using your product in their homes but have you established that it cleans their carpets well?

Whenever possible ensure that your testimonial relates to the benefits that you define for the product or service. 6. A good testimonial could also be comparative. Did your customers try another product that didn't work before they found yours? You want your website visitors to know what your product can do that other products can't or that yours does better. Choose testimonials that let people know what makes you different or that sets your product apart from your competition.

Now that you know what you're looking for in a testimonial, how do you actually gather testimonials from your customers?

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 then getting testimonials from your buyers might take a little more effort.

Collecting Testimonials

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 our product helped you." or "Click here to let us know what you think!"

Place 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.

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Another effective method is to create an autoresponder that contacts your buyers after they've purchased your product. It is always a good move to follow up after a purchase to ask how they're enjoying the product. It also gives 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 website.

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, both good and bad, in your auto-responders, your newsletters, and other spots on your website.

How to Use Your Testimonials

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.

Consider the following:

1. Include your best testimonials in a visible place right on your homepage. You could place them in your sidebars. You could even place one in your headline.

2. Place some testimonials right in the middle of your homepage sales copy to keep your readers focused on your credibility as you outline the features and benefits of your product.

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3. Set up a whole page dedicated to your glowing testimonials, as well as including snippets of your customer’s comments throughout your site. Be sure to put a link to your testimonial page next to each of the snippets! 4. 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.

Things to Avoid

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 be used. If your testimonials are in your “voice” and they 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.

Conclusion

If you're not using testimonials on your web site, you are missing out on one of the most powerful, easy-to-use, and inexpensive 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. Testimonials can act as referrals if they are from real people just like the person that is reading the testimonial.

People want to know that the product actually works before they make the move to purchase. Testimonials help to create trust in your product or service as it is coming from someone who has already used the product successfully. Otherwise the message is coming only from someone trying to convince us to buy it!

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Just like that recommendation or referral from a friend, testimonials offer unbiased, benefit-related, results-based evidence that your product or service does exactly what you say it will do.

We have seen many of our clients experience a big boost in sales when they have put positive comments from their customers in their brochures, flyers and on their web sites. There are few things can put a skeptical visitor's mind at ease faster than a credible review from a satisfied user.

No matter what stage you are at in building your business, you want to focus on establishing credibility with your potential clients. Once you’ve won their trust, you may have won a loyal customer for life.

Use positive, fact-filled testimonials on your web site as this is a high-impact, simple, way to let your visitors know that you are worthy of their trust.