Testimonials from satisfied clients lend an extra dimension of credibility to your business communications. Although most people use them only on their websites, there are a number of other creative ways to work testimonials into your marketing materials.
Before I go into details, however, I’m assuming that you have a consistent, effective system for gathering testimonials in place. If not, now is the time to establish one. Here are a few tips for making the process as easy as possible for your clients:
* Ask clients if they are willing to talk about their experiences with your business (of course, you’ll only do this for clients who are happy with your service).
* Schedule a short phone interview (5-10 minutes) to let the client talk about his/her experience. Try to get specific information by asking questions, such as, “Did I do anything that went beyond your expectations? Was there something about my service/business that surprised you?”
* Write a brief quote, based on your clients’ input and send it to them for review. Three to five sentences is the standard. If the client has a long story, consider using it as the basis for an article or blog post (see below). Make any requested changes and send it back for final approval.
Creative Uses for Testimonials:
* Instead of having a separate testimonials page on your web site, intersperse them on appropriate pages throughout the site
* Pull out short, strong phrases from testimonials and place them in your email signature with a hyperlink to the corresponding page on your site
* Include them in welcome letters when clients sign up for your services
* Feature testimonials that are relevant to articles in your newsletters
* Place a brief testimonial on your business card
* Don’t limit testimonials to the written word. Audio and video testimonials command attention (this is most
effective if your clients can speak confidently while being recorded)
* Use testimonials as a basis for an article or blog post
Do you have additional ideas about how to use testimonials? If so, I’d love to hear them; your ideas may inspire others as well.
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© 2013 Holly Anthony
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Holly Anthony is the founder of Office Moxie, a company dedicated and passionate about helping clients create an online presence through social media, email marketing, WordPress Websites and blogs. To learn more about how Holly and the team at Office Moxie can help you make the most of your online marketing strategy, visit their website and sign up for the free Office Moxie ezine at Office Moxie.