Feature Article
"The Power Of Social Proof & How To Get Testimonials!"
by Daniel Levis
For better or worse, people are very interested in doing things that
everybody else is doing. Sometimes we even behave like lemmings,
and run enthusiastically off cliffs.
We're conditioned that way.
Personally, I like to fight it, & question things. But if I
don't put a conscious effort into it, I often find myself going
along with popular wisdom, almost automatically.
As buyers, we demand social proof. Only a small percentage of
the population gets excited about being the first to try
something new. Pioneers can come back with arrows in their backs.
That's why there is no more effective salesperson than an
existing customer, right? Getting your customers to testify, in
the market court is money getting good!
But often, new business owners will struggle with getting these
all-important testimonials. Or at least good ones that are
effective selling tools.
I've Got A Confession To Make!
In all my years of selling, and working really hard to help my
customers to build their dreams, I think I can count on one hand
the times that a nice thank you letter arrived in the mail. The
kind I could take & use in my selling efforts.
Nonetheless, I have dozens & dozens of them.
Here are three ways to get them, & they all have to do with you
guessed it, asking for them.
1) After you're finished delivering on your promises, you
approach your customer & say something like this.
"Are you happy with your purchase? If yes, you continue, "I was
wondering if you'd do me a favor & just write me a brief note
about your experience, in particular the part about _________, &
___________." Would you be so kind?
These blanks are critically important. You need testimonials
that are specific. And you need them to reflect your USP (Unique
Selling Proposition), so that when you use them in your
marketing, they reinforce your sales message as powerfully as
possible.
Need a killer USP? Get this http://www.getresponse.com/t/306618/
Now, if your customer is happy, you will almost always get a
positive response when you ask for a testimonial. But if you
stop there, you will almost always wait & wait & wait for your
all-important "social proof", until even you have forgotten
about it.
You MUST take this one additional step.
Immediately after your customer agrees to give you a
testimonial, you say. "I know you're busy, would you mind if I
were to write the letter for you, & then give it to you for
editing before your assistant puts it on your letterhead, &
gives it back to me? 97% of the time you will have the
testimonial of your dreams within a week.
2) You can offer gifts to customers who will take the time to
provide you with a testimonial. Be careful with how you word
this though.
You do not want to give the impression that you are giving gifts
in exchange for the testimonials themselves.
You are simply compensating your customers for their time. You
are just coaxing out latent testimonials. You are giving people
an opportunity to express themselves without putting themselves
out.
3) You can get third party testimonials from industry
experts, sometimes called "endorsements".
This is particularly effective, & surprisingly easy.
Here's how it works.
You find your expert, and you buy something from them. You can
even do this by just participating in the front end of their
marketing efforts. Either way, here's what you do.
You send them an honest heart felt testimonial that is acutely
targeted to supporting their USP. And under your signature, you
say. PS, You are interested in ___________. I was wondering if
you would be so kind as to accept one of our ________, for your
personal use, without charge. It will help you to __________. If
you like it, it would mean much to me if you would give me your
opinion of it.
You will be amazed by the responses you get with this simple yet
highly effective approach. The real class acts will respond to
you, and when you set it up this way, they will know exactly
what you are after. If you have a good product, you'll get what
you need fast.
Remember this. People love to give advice. They love to offer
their opinion. It makes them feel important.
The legendary Robert Collier used this "power of opinion" many
times over to not only illicit customer feedback & testimonials,
but to simultaneously sell hundreds of millions of dollars worth
of goods & services. And this was at a time when a dollar was
worth 10 cents. Whoa!
Would you like to find out exactly how he did it, so you can
start doing it to? Or better yet, how you can adapt the core
kernels of his brilliance into every aspect of your marketing.
I should hope so!
Click Here http://www.getresponse.com/t/306619/
You can get three sample chapters for no scratch.
Until next time, Good Selling!
Daniel Levis
Selling to Human Nature
5482 25th Side Road, RR#1
Utopia, ON L0M 1T0
Canada
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