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.)
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 in 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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
_________________________________________________________________________________
To your online marketing success, Jim Daniels JDD Publishing,
Creator of http://www.ezWebBusinessBuilder.com
the world's first View it
and Do It software for profiting from the web.
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