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