How To Get Testimonials That Don't Suck

If you go over to my website (I can't tell you where it is, but I bet you can find it) you're going to notice two things in rapid succession . . . 1. My shiny, glowing head, artfully arched eyebrow and Mona Lisa smile . . . 2. A testimonial from direct marketing superstar Jeff Paul saying that my copy "Sucks In Cash Like A Nuclear Powered Vacuum Cleaner." Now, why would I put a testimonial from Jeff way up at the top of my site, even before the headline? Well, if you think about it for a minute, it's pretty obvious. If I open up my sales letter (or website or ad) bragging about how great I am, I just sound like a egotistical git. But if a client says it for me (especially a well known client) then all those big promises are suddenly a heck of a lot more believable. In fact, the testimonials I've got up near the top of my page (from guys like Jeff Paul, David Garfinkel, Harlan Kilstein, Jason Moffatt and Michael Cage) do more to establish my credibility as a marketer and copywriter, and to convince prospects to get in touch with me than all the other copy on my site combined. Not to  be hypey, but good testimonials are marketing ROCKET FUEL . . . they cut right through the "BS meter" of your prospect, and let you obliterate objections with lightning speed. Or at least they should. But unfortunately, most of the testimonials you see out there in the marketing wild . . . err . . . kind of suck. They're over-long, rambling and usually have no point at all . . . plus they're often banished to some never-read "testimonials page" to die. But in today's article I'm going to give you a step-by-step process you can use to get great, high-impact testimonials from your customers every time. ================ Where's the Sizzle? ================ Legendary copywriter John Carlton has three basic rules for a good testimonial: 1. Short 2. Specific 3. Sizzling Here are two examples of short testimonials that John's received that follow his three rules:     " Who says crime doesn't pay? John let me steal one of his headlines for a     seminar pitch... netting me a cool $251,771 in just 3 days."     "I study Carlton's copy like a 14 year-old boy reads Playboy. Completely dazzled,     entranced and full of desire." Can you see how these testimonials POP off the page? In very few words, they convey that John's copy makes money (and a LOT of money) and that the man knows a thing or two about stirring up emotions. If you look at John's http://www.marketingrebel.com site, you'll see that the whole damn page is covered in these kind of testimonials . .  .many of them from the big "gurus" of the online marketing world. (Actually, at a recent conference, John called this page his "wall of testimonials.") And every one of those testimonials in another slat in the bridge that makes you want to walk up to John and hand him your wallet. Like I said, powerful stuff . . . ===================================================== "OK, Chris, But How Do *I* Get Testimonials Like That? ===================================================== Ahh, good question. You see, when most people go testimonial hunting, they do it the absolute *wrong* way . . . They send out an email to a client or a customer and say "Hi, would you give me a testimonial?" And then they wait. And then they wait some more. And then, maybe after a little bit more waiting (and a few more emails sent) they finally get a response . . . only to find that the testimonial they received is long, boring and vague. ============================================== So How Do You Turn A "Lame" Testimonial Into A Winner? ============================================== Another good question. The best way to get "awesome" testimonials is to . . . 1. Use powerful questions to lead your customers to give you what you want. 2. Edit like crazy. Now, in the age of Amazon testimonials and "Web 2.0" it might sound a little weird to say that you should "lead" your customers. And I'm in no way suggesting that you should put words in their mouth. But the fact of the matter is that writing something (even something as simple as a testimonial) scares the heck out of most people. So how do you conquer their fear, get past the vagueness and get the "Power Testimonials" you need? With "Testimonial Generator Questions." Here are just a few of the questions I send out to people when I'm collecting testimonials for my products or the products of my clients: 1.  What problem were you facing that (our product) solved? 2. How much has (our product) increased your profits or income? 3. How much time or money has (our product) saved you? 4. Has (our product)  made your life easier? How? 5. What did you like about (our product?) What do you like about the experience of working with (our company?) 6.  Were you pleasantly surprised by any part of your experience with (our product?) 7.  What did you find remarkable about (our product?) 8. What is the most important thing people should know about (our product?) 9. Would you recommend(our product)  to your friends, families or co-workers? Why? 10. What part of your experience with (our product) makes you want to do business with us again? 11. Other thoughts or comments? Send out specific questions like these and you'll be *shocked* how many more of your customers are willing to give you powerful, sales-producing testimonials. Of course once you get the form back, your job is just half done. That's when we get to step two . . . editing! Now, again, I'm not saying that you should alter or change what your customer is saying in any way. In fact, you want to keep the rhythm, the cadence and the style of what your customers say as much as possible. After all, if every testimonial on your site sounds the same, your customers will smell a scam. But you also want to help your customers to be their most succinct and specific selves. That means going through their responses to your questions, picking out the most powerful bits and forming them into a new, probably shorter and more powerful testimonial. And then you put your new and improved testimonial under your customer's nose to make sure it passes muster. The result? Short, specific and sizzling testimonials that do wonders for your credibility . . . and for your sales. Later, C 2008-08-27T19:53:30Z

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how-to-get-testimonials-that-dont-suck

2008-08-30T05:04:09Z

Join Chris Haddad as he gives you a step-by-step process you can use to get great, high-impact testimonials from your customers every time.

How To Get Testimonials That Don't Suck

2009-02-24T09:45:46Z