According to dictionary.com, "testimonial" comes from the root word "testimony," which derives from the Latin root testis (witness) and means "evidence in support of a fact or assertion; proof." So how can you make the most of testimonials in your marketing materials, Web copy, brochures, ads, e-zines, and business cards? There are seven simple rules to keep in mind.
RULE #1: Use the right testimonials. Although we may be a bit skeptical about the people who offer all those endorsements, at the end of the day, if no one is willing to say how good your product or service is, you're less likely to entice new prospects to give you a try. Generally speaking, the more testimonials, the better - as long as each one promotes a different benefit or overcomes a different objection. Benefit-related testimonials answer questions that describe your business's features and benefits, like:
- What kinds of problems have you successfully solved for others? - How does your knowledge/expertise help your clients? - Why are people willing to pay you more than they'll pay others in your industry?
Objection-related testimonials address the questions and doubts people might raise about doing business with you, such as:
- You offer high-ticket items where the cost might be a factor. - You have a difficult-to-reach location. - You are new to the business.
RULE #2: Avoid the "I HOPE so!" factor. The one thing that will nullify your testimonial faster than you can say, "I wanna be a millionaire" is the "I Hope So!" factor. I recently saw a gorgeous, full-color, 12-page brochure for an elite summer camp; we're talking tuition of $1,450 per WEEK. Understandably, they paid big bucks for this marketing piece. The entire brochure was stunning, until I reached the testimonial page. The first two testimonials for the camp read:
"My son had a lot of fun at XYZ Summer Camp."
and
"My daughter really enjoyed her time at camp - she made some great new friends."
You've got to be kidding, right? For $1,450 per week, my kid had better have the time of his life at your summer camp! They had the right idea, but the wrong testimonials.
RULE #3: Be specific. What would have improved the above "I HOPE so!" testimonials? Specifics. "Jack had always been terrified of the water, but during his time at camp, he won the ribbon for most improved swimmer!"
When it comes to a business testimonial, make sure your clients include the details about how much your product or service helped them. They increased their online conversions by 39.3% or they lost 23 pounds or they met the girl of their dreams after 17 first dates. The key here is to use exact numbers; do not round up or down. Rounded numbers sound less "real" and less convincing.
Also, as much as possible, use identifying information for the people who provide your testimonials. First name, last name, city, Web address, e-mail address. Let your prospects know these testimonials came from REAL people.
RULE #4: Ask for testimonials as soon as you've finished a job or delivered a product. Your satisfied clients often are more than willing to give you a testimonial - but like you, they're busy, so they won't always voluntarily offer. Sometimes, you have to ask!
The best time to ask for a testimonial is while your client or customer is beaming with satisfaction at the great job you've done. At this point, they are most inclined to offer glowing praise, full of the emotion that will connect with your future customers. You may still get a great testimonial if you wait until later to ask, but your chances of getting the best possible promotion from them are improved if you catch them in the moment.
RULE #5: The more senior/famous the individual, the more weight their testimonial carries. It just stands to reason that people are inclined to pay more attention to the president of a company than to a $10/hour employee. Likewise, celebrity being what it is, we pay even more attention to famous people. Reach for the stars when it comes to your testimonials. If you've impressed a high-profile client, ask them to share the details about their fantastic experience working with you.
Go after testimonials from the most senior / famous / credible people possible, but make sure the testimonials are true. It will do you no good to have someone famous vouch for your stunning ability to design Olympic-quality swimming pools if you've never built a pool in your life.
RULE #6: Make sure you know the person you're asking to testify for you. Because a testimonial means that someone is vetting you, having an individual give you a testimonial automatically links you, by association, with that person and/or their business - for good or ill. So do your homework before asking for a testimonial. Make sure the person speaking on your behalf is someone you want to be associated with. And vice versa. If you are asked for a testimonial, be generous and truthful. But if you don't know the person very well, or you'd really rather not provide them a testimonial, be honest and tell them. Don't let yourself be badgered into doing something that doesn't feel right.
A testimonials is not retractable. Once given, it's given. You can delete it from your marketing copy, but if you've been matched with an unsavory person or business, it can be difficult to undo that "guilt by association."
RULE #7: Give people choices. People are more likely to give you a testimonial if you make it easy for them. Offer them a choice of ways to provide their testimonials.
- Have people write their own testimonial and e-mail it to you - or, better yet, send you a copy on their letterhead.
- Put some thoughts down on paper for your client and ask them to OK your pre-written testimonial and/or send you a copy on their letterhead.
- Gain control over what your client will say by interviewing them about their experience of working with you. Ideally, the interviewer is a third party, the reason being that your client could be hesitant to be completely honest if you were asking the questions, even if their potential comments were positive. This process works well because it allows you to preselect the questions, in effect guiding the speaker's comments. Later, you can edit the responses to craft a complete testimonial that best suits your needs. You can include all or some of the words from the interview, provided that you do not alter the meaning with your editing.
- Give your client an added incentive to provide a testimonial by adding their picture. A photo helps both them and you. For them, it is an additional opportunity for personal recognition; for you, it personalizes the testimonial, adding an air of authenticity and credibility to it.
- Think about an audio testimonial. One way is to have them leave you a message on your voice mail. This allows you to listen, duplicate, and transcribe it yourself. Another option is to purchase a software program that allows you to capture and preserve voice data for recordings or use on your Web site.
- Even more powerful than audio testimonials are those captured on video, and it's never been easier. Using your cell phone or mini-Web cam to capture the power of a real person speaking on your behalf is unmatched in its ability to convince others of your greatness.
I mean, what is it that causes sensible, mature, educated people to burst into tears or go thorough 'mid-life' crises at the very mention of their 40th birthday?
It's weird isn't it?
After all, getting older is a natural part of life. Inevitable in fact, because if we don't get older then it means we must be dead!
After working with thousands of people from all walks of life I can reveal this; it's not the actual calendar years that cause people stress and concern, it's what those years do to your body, your face, your appearance.
Not much of a revelation, I agree, but nonetheless it's true.
In fact, if it wasn't for the visible signs of aging that build up over the years, most people wouldn't give a damn about how many candles they have on their birthday cake at all.
The trouble is, we're all brainwashed from quite an early age about what it means to grow older.
We're told "you're not getting any younger y'know!" or "You really should be slowing down and taking it a bit easier at your age" or "You shouldn't expect to achieve as much as you did when you were younger".
What a load of rubbish!
Look, let's get something straight once and for all.
Despite what you've been told by doctors, physios and so-called fitness 'experts' over the years, you do not automatically enter into a downward spiral of performance and appearance as you age.
Physical degeneration is NOT an inevitable part of the aging process.
In fact, you can and SHOULD be able to not only maintain but also improve your physical abilities across the course of your lifetime. You CAN be fitter in your 40's, 50's, 60's and even 70's than you are in your 20's and 30's.
Don't believe me?
Just look at the likes of ultra distance runner and adventure racer Helen Klein. She took up jogging at age 55, progressed on to complete over 75 marathons and 100 ultra-distance marathons (these are races over 100 miles in length) during a career that went on well into her mid seventies.
What about Professor Art De Vany, author of 'Evolutionary Fitness'? At age 68 he rides mountain bikes and dirt bikes competitively (in open competition), trains rigorously on a daily basis and has an amazingly muscular and firm physique with only 8% bodyfat. He's 68!!
These aren't isolated cases, though sadly, they are quite rare...though they needn't be!
Any day of the week you could begin the process of building the better, fitter, faster, firmer, stronger, leaner you and start to benefit from the amazing energy and vitality that's available to you at every moment of your life, regardless of age.
But first, I need you to understand something.
These improvements do not come from some new fad fitness programme.
They don't come from Dr Whoojammywotsits latest diet.
They don't come from those fancy gizmo's, gadgets or wonder pills that you keep buying from all those late night infomercials.
They come from good, old fashioned, honest-to-goodness effort.
Quite simply, if you want to get your butt off, then you have to get off your butt!
There is no other way!
Now, I know that's not what you want to hear and that many of you reading this will probably stop at this point, but nevertheless, it's true. And what's more, you know its true.
So, what are you going to do about it?
If you're like most people, probably nothing. You'll sit there, read this article and decide that I'm either nuts (You're could be right) or that the cost of getting what you want is too high and requires too much effort to achieve.
If that's you then I must respectfully inform you that you are officially insane. After all, isn't one of the definitions of insanity 'repeatedly doing the same things yet expecting different results'?
For those of you who still have your mental faculties intact : ) and are willing to make the changes necessary to achieve a fantastic body (regardless of your age), here are a few pointers.
1.Engage in challenging exercise EVERY DAY- Look, 3 times a week just doesn't cut it when it comes to maintaining or improving your physical self.
The human body is a movement machine, so MOVE IT!... or lose it.
2.Use strength based exercises AT LEAST 3 times a week where you challenge the muscles and joints and load the bones.
With over 600 muscles in the human body it just doesn't make sense to train the way most people do by isolating different muscles and blasting them to death. Instead, use my 600 rule and try to find exercises that use as many muscles as you possibly can.
3. Drink fresh, clean water every day.
You need around a litre for every 50lbs of body weight in order to maintain a decent hydration level within the body. Less than this and your organs, your skin, your muscles and even your brain cease to operate effectively.
4. Avoid all processed food.
Another name for processed food is 'denatured' food. In other words, all of the nature has been removed from it in order to make it last longer on the shelves.
Do you really want to eat something without any 'nature' in it? Only you can decide that, but I tell you this; foods with colourings, flavourings and numbers instead of ingredients will more likely end your life early than extend it.
Opt instead for fresh produce ensuring that 80% of what you eat comes from fresh (ideally organic) sources.
5. Eat less.
People eat too much. Enough said!
6.Sleep more
The human body requires sleep of both great quality and quantity.
Getting 8 hours a night is a good start, but not enough. To truly benefit from your sleep, try to get your sleep patterns worked out so that you are asleep between the hours of 10pm and 2 am to make the most of your body's hormonal repair processes. The hours 2am to 6pm are important to countering stress.
In other words, all sleep is not the same. The timing is important too.
7. Relax more
Yep, I know I said to move more but I also want you to relax more too.
That doesn't mean watch more TV. Read a book, listen to music, take a massage or acupuncture, take more holidays, add variety to your weekends.
Studies show that people who are more aware of the need for a blanc between activity and constructive relaxation live longer, are less stressed and achieve more.
Well, there you go. My guide to looking and performing better as you age.
It may not be what you were expecting. In fact, many of you are probably thinking, 'yeah, but I know all that already, where's the new stuff?'
Sorry, not this time!
There's nothing faddy, or hi-tech about this approach.
It just works.
My challenge to you is to take everything I've just told you and use it for 30 days in its entirety. Don't skip a thing.
If you do, I GUARANTEE that no matter what your current age or physical condition is, you'll look, feel and perform better than you have in years.
Dax Moy has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Writing and six pack. Dax Moy is a performance enhancement specialist and master personal trainer with studios in and around London.Voted one of the UK's leading fitness experts, Dax is a regular guest on TV, radio and print publications on the subject of health, fitness and t. Dax Moy's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.