Word of Mouth

Everyone loves happy, loyal customers who sing the company’s praises. They’re not only the foundation of your revenues, they’re a reminder of why you started the business in the first place.

But are you making the most of their compliments and satisfaction ratings? Do you fully appreciate their value as promoters and brand ambassadors?

Referrals can be the best form of advertising because people trust friends’ recommendations and like authentic stories about how a product or service solved someone’s problem. They might have the same problem, too.

Delighted customers can deliver authentic and powerful testimonials. By saying what you can’t, they can help prospective customers overcome their initial skepticism.

testimonial

Display testimonials prominently on your website’s homepage and other pages. Include a form on your site that lets customers give you their vote of confidence and show how your product improved their life.

Use an auto-reminder to contact customers after they’ve made a purchase to see how they’re enjoying the product and as for feedback on their experience with your business.

Here are some of the best ways to collect powerful testimonials:

  • Monitor Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, and other social media for “happy mentions” and reach out to those customers privately by email for a testimonial.
  • Communicate clearly and regularly with sales and support teams to let you know when a customer gives a great testimonial.
  • When someone compliments your product or service write it down immediately. Thank them and ask their permission to use it.
  • Timing is key. Customers will be more willing to give you a testimonial if you ask for it right after they’ve hit a critical success.
  • Ask in advance. Let clients know before their purchase that you would like a testimonial from them if the product fulfills their needs.
  • Adding photos, video or audio will enhance the testimonial’s credibility and power.
  • Urge customers to be specific about the product’s benefits, how it solved their problem and what it can do that other products can’t.
  • A great testimonial will not only reveal how great your product is, but also how well you treat your customers and make them feel.
  • Don’t over edit. Little grammatical errors help the reader connect and demonstrate the testimonial is real.
  • This should go without saying: never write a fake a testimonial.

This guest post is by Caren Burmeister. Caren is a retired newspaper reporter turned freelance writer who enjoys yoga and caring for her two fat cats.