“So now you have a pile of glowing customer testimonials.

What's next?” - Dave Smith

Well, obviously your next step is to use the testimonials you solicited. Generally, you want to place them in your Marketing materials and other places where prospective customers will see them.

But you probably have a variety of testimonials, in email, letter and verbal format. These testimonials probably speak to a wide range of aspects of your business, and your product or service offerings. You may have some that sing the praises of a particular product, and others that rave about your customer service standards. Some might be from customers, others from the media.

I show clients how to use their testimonials strategically and to get the most out of their power. Testimonials may be more believable than sales copy, but the way you use them in your Marketing is the same: with a clear purpose in mind.

When discussing this strategy, I will cover:

Why testimonials need to be used strategically
How to choose the right testimonials
Where to use testimonials in your business
How to make the most of your testimonials

Testimonials need to be used strategically to maximize their value and their impact on your business.

Let's say you were reading a brochure about a new product that you were interested in purchasing. The copy describing the product claims that it is the “best product you'll ever use” and that the quality “far exceeds the competition”. That might be true, but I bet you are a little skeptical.

Next to the sales copy, there is a quote from a customer that reads, "Exceptional customer service. The salespeople made every effort to ensure I found what I needed and left the store happy".

What does that do to increase your confidence in the product?
Does it help to eliminate some of your skepticism?
Probably not.

It is just telling you that you will be treated well in the store. For you to really harness the power of testimonials in your Marketing materials, you must put some thought into where you place them and why. They need to support the message you are trying to communicate, even though the words are not yours. They need to make sense in the context of where they are used.

Each time you use a testimonial you need to decide what you are trying to accomplish or what message you are trying to support.

When you put some thought into how you use testimonials, they will have a stronger impact on your target audience.

Remember that the key to maximizing the power of your testimonials is making sure that your prospects see them when they need to see them.

PS: You want to use testimonials to back you up when you have said or claimed something unbelievable or are trying to build credibility. You want to place them, so they are seen right before you ask for the close, or the call to action. Let others speak for you when it matters the most.

Is this what YOU do with your testimonials or reviews?