If you run a business, you should have testimonials from satisfied customers who have used your product or service. Why? Because testimonials are an asset for your business. Testimonials are used by small business owners up to billion dollar businesses to add credibility and to boost their sales.
Customers Always Wants “The Best”
Customers always want the best product available in the market. Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t want the best, I’ll settle for second best?” If you search online for the solution to any problem you are facing, you will be bombarded with tons of products claiming to solve your problems once and for all. For example, take a look at the “making money online” market. You will find tons of websites all providing revolutionary methods for making money online.
If you look at this from the customer perspective, you can understand the insecurities he/she faces as they contemplate making an online purchase of a product or service on the Internet. The customer is moving out of their comfort zone as they prepare to purchase a product or service they may have never used before. Every customer is worried about the money they are about to spend. But more importantly, the customer is apprehensive whether the product will actually work for them or not.
Customers look for the social acceptance of any product. If a product is working for the average Joe or Jane, then they have more confidence that will work for them as well. This is the mindset of the average customer.
As a product creator, you should get honest product reviews from your satisfied customers to instill confidence in the mind of prospective customers. Once you are able to do that you can get more sales from the traffic that you are bringing to your sales page. Then it is just a matter of converting the traffic into sales (which is an entirely different topic for another day)!
How can I get Honest Testimonials?
You can get honest testimonials from people who are using your products or services as a solution to their problems. If you are selling an e-book, as those that have purchased your e-book for testimonials. Sometimes you can offer an additional incentive for testimonials (maybe another e-book for free). The important thing to remember is to ask them for an “honest review.” Even if they provide some “constructive criticism” in their review, take that and make adjustments. If all you have are 5 Star Reviews, some people will find that “hard to believe.” If they see a few 3 and 4 Star Reviews mixed in, then the 5 Stars become even more believable because they know that everything does not work for everybody!
You should offer you book or e-book on forums relevant to your niche. Focus on conversations about your niche. Notice the questions people are answering. Do not just jump in and start promoting your book. But you should offer comments and suggestions to actually “help” the people in the forum. After a month or so of this, you will begin to be recognized by the people running the forum and the regular posters. This will give you credibility. Then, when answering some questions (and after a month or so, some of the questions will begin to be repeated), give a brief answer and then say something to the effect of “I have more information on this in my e-book – and then give a link to the landing page of your e-book promotion. Now, you have established dual credibility. Not only are you considered an “expert” on the forum, but you are an author in that niche as well. Ask the people on the forum for reviews and testimonials (perhaps in exchange for a “special link” where they can receive the e-book for free).
Are there risks? Yes, of course!
The process may be a bit risky because the information that you have collected and worked hard on would be out there in the public domain for free. The people who receive your e-book may take and not leave any feedback. That is to be expected. If you give away 100 copies of your e-book, you should probably expect between 15-20 testimonials. If you have collected the email addresses of those who downloaded the e-book, that number will be higher because you can contact everyone on the list and “remind them” of your agreement. Even then, it will never be 100%.
If you have a product or service you are offering, try giving something away for free. Stores do it all the time through coupons. All you need to do is promote one segment of your service and offer it for free. Then ask for a testimonial about that certain product or service. Use the contact information you have obtained to then offer the remaining services or products, perhaps at a discount (for being a “preferred customer” because of their testimonial).
Use your imagination. The ideas are endless and will only result in one thing… Increased Sales! And after all, isn’t that what you are really after?
Testimonials will give you credibility in the market place and in the niche you are working in. Testimonials are actually easy to obtain if you use your current products to “ask for them.” But you must be willing to give something in order to receive something in return. Even your clients must agree to that. After all, they are “giving you money” in order to “receive your product or service.” So use the same concept to ask for testimonials you can use to turn other prospects into paying customers.