Testimonials - are they an effective sales tool?

Although many companies use testimonials to sell, their success has long been debated - are they really an effective sales tool?

Web usability research suggests that most web users are too savvy to judge a product or service on hype alone. By using a testimonial, you are able to validate every statement you make about the item that you’re trying to sell. In fact, research shows that using a testimonial can increase sales by around 30% 

There are so many different types of testimonial available: celebrity endorsements, testimonials from experts and even straightforward testimonials from a company’s customers. Whichever type you choose to use, each has its own advantages. Customer testimonials are both easy and cost-effective to obtain. By simply including a feedback form with any order you send out, you’ll have plenty of great testimonials to include in your sales material when they are returned. Research shows that obtaining a testimonial from an existing customer is the most attractive to potential customers. After all, most people are inclined to believe a ‘real’ person more than they would trust a company spokesperson or boss. However, you might want to consider getting a testimonial from a celebrity instead, which would raise the profile of your product or service. Another alternative would be to obtain a testimonial from an expert or trade association in your product or service’s field. Doing this would add a great amount of credibility to your product or service, as the public trust trade associations. Doing this could also prove to be less expensive than a celebrity endorsement.

Whatever type of testimonial you decide to go for, you should never feel tempted to make up testimonials, as this could backfire dramatically on your business. Indeed, using a false testimonial could leave your business open to claims of false advertising and this could ultimately have a negative impact on your company’s reputation. In order to prove that your testimonial is authentic, it’s essential that it doesn’t feature clichéd phrases. Ideally, it should also include the full name of the customer, their location and best of all, a photograph of them

This article is copyright protected and is not for republishing

• del.icio.us
• digg
• Furl
• Reddit
• YahooMyWeb
• blogmarks