"Do You Really Need Testimonials at Your Site?" By Jim Daniels
I get this question a lot. And frankly, I've never been a big
testimonial guy. Well, until recently.
If you've ever wondered about the effectiveness of testimonials,
this article should clear any doubt in your mind.
As most of my subscribers know, I develop and promote Internet
marketing products and services. And this is a niche that is,
well... somewhat crowded.
Heck, just do a search at google.com for "internet marketing
expert" and you'll find more than nine million (yes, that's
9,000,000) web pages listed.
Wow. That's a lot of experts. (I wonder how many of those nine
million really know their stuff.)
But heck, do a search for ANYTHING you need or want online and
you'll find thousands, if not millions of choices.
So who do you believe?
That's the question millions of potential customers want to know!
Who can they believe? Who can they trust?
What website will not rip them off or leave them for dead after
they get their money?
As a web business owner myself, I hate to have to admit this,
but... making purchases from unknown vendors on the web can be a
real crap shoot. There are far too many cons, scams, cheats,
hacks and just plain old bad businesses on the web.
And because of that, TRUST is something you have to instill in
your visitors order to make sales on the web.
But how do you portray an image of trust online when customers
can't see you or shake your hand?
Simple. You let your other customers do the talking. Here's a
perfect example from my site...
__________________________
Good Afternoon Jim,
"In a word, WOW! "
"Your ezWebBusinessBuilder is a one-stop source for developing
all aspects of a successful Internet business. The information
and tasks are easy to understand and implement. It is clear you
will help many people 'get it all together' for long-term
success."
Thank you, Chip Snyder Hagerstown, Maryland
__________________________
Even the GIANTS realize the value of testimonials...
Go to amazon.com - one of the web's largest Internet-only based
retailers, and look for any product you might be interested in.
When you get to the product page, more than likely you'll find
one thing prominently displayed...
Customer comments.
Why does amazon.com include these with nearly everything they
sell? It's a simple theory. People are more comfortable
purchasing when they can first read what people like themselves
think about the product. It makes them feel more at ease knowing
not only that other folks like them bought it already, but
exactly what they thought of it.
Simply put, a few good customer testimonials can increase sales
literally overnight. How do I know? Last Friday I posted a bunch
of fresh testimonials at my site and saw my conversion rate
increase by 30%. Overnight.
The site where I experienced an overnight increase in conversion
rate can be viewed at ezWebBusinessBuilder - notice how I worked
the testimonials into the copy. They not only help answer
potential customers' questions, they flow with the copy as well.
And yes, even I was surprised at how effective they were. I've
never been a big fan of blending testimonials into copy, but
that little experiment convinced me that I was stubborn about
that for far too long.
If you are not using plenty of testimonials at your site
already, I suggest you start. If you don't have any, just drop
your customers a line and ask them what they thought of X
product or Y service. If you've been in business any length of
time you surely have some happy customers who would be willing
to write letters.
And if you're brand new to business, fear not. You WILL get
testimonials. I suggest you use a follow-up autoresponder to
contact customers a month or so after they make any purchase
from you. You don't need a long questionnaire, just a simple,
"what did you think" message will suffice. You'd be surprised at
how much a customer will tell you when you leave it up to their
own imagination.
Here are five tips on using "customer comments" at your
website...
1. Make sure testimonials at your site are specific and not
generic in nature. Generic testimonials are not as believable as
detailed comments. So ask your customers to elaborate on their
comments if possible.
2. Be sure to get permission from your customers to use the
testimonials.
3. Include the customer's full name and geographic location. A
good sprinkling of customers across the globe shows that your
product/service works everywhere.
4. Use customer comments throughout your websites and
newsletters. Set up a whole page of letters like I have here -
and then take your very best one or two testimonials and put
them on your most prominent pages.
5. Consider the top three or four reasons your potential
customers may be hesitant to order. Then post customer comments
that address those issues.
OK, let's wrap today's tip up with a quick summary...
The web is still like the wild American west 100 years ago --
full of snake oil salesmen. If you want to establish your web
business and earn steady, reliable income, you need to earn the
trust of your potential customers.
Letting potential clients read comments from your best customers
is still the best way to do that. So do it, and do it over and
over. You may be surprised at the results.
About the author:
To your online marketing success, Jim Daniels - JDD Publishing
Creator of http://www.ezwebbusinessbuilder.com/cmd.php?af=275493
the world's first View it and Do It software for profiting from
the web.
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