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  • Will You Add? - Use Testimonials to Market Yourself

    Service Without the Smile or Common Sense
    You would think experience, frequency of service, and the importance of repeat customers would create an expectation of quality. But you would be surprised if you thought that.Recently I met with a client for whom I have done a number of programs. We have a routine for our programs, and as always we maintained our routine. We meet at the same hotel. The starting time is not too early, but also not late enough to take away the par
    r credibility. It is far stronger to have an endorsement with a name than without. Use the customer’s name and the company name. Make sure to ask permission to use their name first.

    4. Ask your customers to write testimonial letters. Say, “I was wondering if you could help me.” (People love to help!) “Would you write a testimonial letter for me outlining how happy you are with our product/service?” (Only ask customers tha

    The Seven C's: Partnership Danger Signs - The 6th C: Changing Vision
    A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.The 6th C: Changing VisionIn order for a business to be a success the vision and mission must be reflected in all aspects of the structure, the culture and the strategy by which business is conducted. Contained in these are core values and principles set forth by the owners and leaders. If there are discrepancies between a
    Testimonials are a wonderful way to market yourself. They give you credibility—a third-party endorsement. It is no longer you alone saying that you and your company and products or services are phenomenal—it is someone else saying that they are phenomenal! When you place an ad, everyone knows that you have paid for it. It is you “tooting your own horn.” Much more believable and credible is someone else “tooting your horn!” Use testimonials in your marketing materials, use them on your web site, use them in advertisements, use them in your media kits, put them on business cards and make sure to use them in your sales presentations and/or on the telephone as success stories.

    So, how do you get all of those glowing testimonials from satisfied customers? Ask. Get in the habit of asking every single satisfied customer for a testimonial. There are many ways to do this. Here are a few:

    1. Ask your customers to fill out a brief customer satisfaction survey. Leave space for comments at the end. Make sure to also ask at the end of the survey, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    2. If you use public speaking to increase your visibility and generate leads for your business pass out an evaluation form to your audience. Make sure to ask at the end of the evaluation form, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Again, most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    3. Using the satisfied customer’s name greatly increases your credibility. It is far stronger to have an endorsement with a name than without. Use the customer’s name and the company name. Make sure to ask permission to use their name first.

    4. Ask your customers to write testimonial letters. Say, “I was wondering if you could help me.” (People love to help!) “Would you write a testimonial letter for me outlining how happy you are with our product/service?” (Only ask customers that

    Sabotage Your Own Business?
    Imagine if someone wanted to sabotage your business - put yourself in their shoes. How would they do it? What are the weak spots they would target? You may find such an exercise a bit creepy but it might offer some interesting perspectives on your business continuity planning, your plans for dealing with emergencies.It is often difficult to step back from the day to day running of the business and take an overvie
    testimonials in your marketing materials, use them on your web site, use them in advertisements, use them in your media kits, put them on business cards and make sure to use them in your sales presentations and/or on the telephone as success stories.

    So, how do you get all of those glowing testimonials from satisfied customers? Ask. Get in the habit of asking every single satisfied customer for a testimonial. There are many ways to do this. Here are a few:

    1. Ask your customers to fill out a brief customer satisfaction survey. Leave space for comments at the end. Make sure to also ask at the end of the survey, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    2. If you use public speaking to increase your visibility and generate leads for your business pass out an evaluation form to your audience. Make sure to ask at the end of the evaluation form, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Again, most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    3. Using the satisfied customer’s name greatly increases your credibility. It is far stronger to have an endorsement with a name than without. Use the customer’s name and the company name. Make sure to ask permission to use their name first.

    4. Ask your customers to write testimonial letters. Say, “I was wondering if you could help me.” (People love to help!) “Would you write a testimonial letter for me outlining how happy you are with our product/service?” (Only ask customers tha

    Building A Learning Organisation - Part 3
    ...continued from Part 2APPLY THE GOLDEN RULESThe following practices and approaches can be used while managing the learning process.1. Thrive on change. Management must not be afraid of change. There should be commitment to and focus on the things that matter most. Change is necessary and therefore clear objectives and plans must be in place. Change will translate itself into a learning opportunity.2. Encour
    ny ways to do this. Here are a few:

    1. Ask your customers to fill out a brief customer satisfaction survey. Leave space for comments at the end. Make sure to also ask at the end of the survey, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    2. If you use public speaking to increase your visibility and generate leads for your business pass out an evaluation form to your audience. Make sure to ask at the end of the evaluation form, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Again, most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    3. Using the satisfied customer’s name greatly increases your credibility. It is far stronger to have an endorsement with a name than without. Use the customer’s name and the company name. Make sure to ask permission to use their name first.

    4. Ask your customers to write testimonial letters. Say, “I was wondering if you could help me.” (People love to help!) “Would you write a testimonial letter for me outlining how happy you are with our product/service?” (Only ask customers tha

    Entrepreneurs - Use Successful Thinking to Examine Our Careers and Our Direction
    It takes courage to examine what we are doing and where we are going. But if we honestly stop and think about it and then pull out of those non-productive activities and rectify those poor decisions we have made in the past, we will never look back.While we are on the topic of successful thinking, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Carlson's "back burner thinking." Richard Carlson, Ph.D., stress psychologist and
    o increase your visibility and generate leads for your business pass out an evaluation form to your audience. Make sure to ask at the end of the evaluation form, “May we use your name and comments in our marketing materials?” Have a space for them to check “yes” or “no,” along with their signature. Again, most people are delighted to have you use their comments!

    3. Using the satisfied customer’s name greatly increases your credibility. It is far stronger to have an endorsement with a name than without. Use the customer’s name and the company name. Make sure to ask permission to use their name first.

    4. Ask your customers to write testimonial letters. Say, “I was wondering if you could help me.” (People love to help!) “Would you write a testimonial letter for me outlining how happy you are with our product/service?” (Only ask customers tha

    Everyone talks in code!
    How often have you left a meeting with a customer or your boss telling yourself he likes my ideas. Only to find later that you didn’t get the sale or your boss has told everyone that you are crazy.As we get older it seems to us that everyone talks in code. No one tells us what they really mean. Everything is hidden behind a veil of double talk.But all is not lost. We found a copy of the code breaking manual on the web site
    r credibility. It is far stronger to have an endorsement with a name than without. Use the customer’s name and the company name. Make sure to ask permission to use their name first.

    4. Ask your customers to write testimonial letters. Say, “I was wondering if you could help me.” (People love to help!) “Would you write a testimonial letter for me outlining how happy you are with our product/service?” (Only ask customers that you are sure are happy!)

    5. Offer to write it for them, “I know that you are very busy. I’d be more than happy to draft something for you to edit.” People do genuinely want to help, and people are also genuinely very busy. This makes it easy for them to help.

    6. Every time you complete a project and/or a customer says something positive to you about your product/service, say to them, “Would you write that down on your letterhead? It would be a big help to me, and I would use it to market my product/service.”

    7. Use your testimonials as success stories when speaking with prospects or even customers. This enables you to tell others what you have accomplished for your customers without appearing to brag. The model of a success story is: Your customer had a problem. You fixed it. They are now very happy. Remember to always tell your success story from the customer or prospect’s point of view. That means stick to the benefits that your customers received from your work.

    8. And if you occasionally suffer from the “blahs,” here’s another tip. Post your favorite testimonial letters on a bulletin board or clear wall space near where you work. Put the rest into a three-ring binder. Anytime you start to feel “blah,” read through your letters from all of the people saying how much you have helped them. It will perk you right up!

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