Add a Single Element to Your Web Site and MULTIPLY Your Profits

We want to talk to you about why your customers' successes,

triumphs, and positive results are SO important for your

business.



The fact is, even if your web site is full of great sales

copy and photos that illustrate all the fabulous features

and benefits of your product or service, your potential

customers still need to know:



What do people who have actually purchased and used

your product or service think about it?



It's simple: your readers know that YOU believe in your

product, or you wouldn't be selling it! But what do people

with the same problem or need that they have say about your

product?



Answering that question is one of the most fundamental tasks

your web site needs to accomplish -- and it's as simple to

do as it is important.



By using testimonials -- reviews and comments from your

satisfied customers, in text, audio, or video format -- on

your web site, you not only answer the question, you also

transform your sales pitch into a credible, unbiased

recommendation for your product.



OVERCOME BUYER SKEPTICISM WITH A *GLOWING* TESTIMONIAL



As said before, adding testimonials is probably one of

the easiest ways to improve your web site -- but a good one

can generate more selling power than some of the best

salescopy out there!



So why are testimonials so effective?



*Testimonials build trust: Whether your customers

are raving about what your product has done for them

or about the great service you gave, they are telling

your visitors first and foremost that they had a positive

experience with your products and company.



*Testimonials aren't "salesy": Because testimonials aren't

written in your "voice," they stand out in your copy as

candid and unbiased accounts of how well your product

works.



*Testimonials overcome skepticism: A good testimonial has

the power to convince even your "tough sell" visitors

that your product or service really made a difference in

your customer's life -- and can help them, too.



For example, let's say that you're selling a special lotion

designed for dry skin. A visitor finds your web site -- a

person with dry skin who needs some relief -- and reads all

about the amazing moisturizing ingredients in your product and

how wonderful it smells.



Those are two good selling points -- things that people would

want to know before they decided to buy.



But lots of products can make those promises -- and many of

them don't work! So why should they purchase your product ahead

of all the rest?



Then, as they look over the page, a testimonial catches their

eye from one of your customers, explaining that your lotion

quickly healed a lifelong, agonizing skin condition --

something no other product had ever managed to do!



That's the power of an effective testimonial: it can convince

your reader that your product DOES work -- and that you can

be trusted to deliver on your promises.



HOW TO CHOOSE THE *RIGHT* KIND OF TESTIMONIAL

TO TURN YOUR VISITORS INTO CUSTOMERS



When you're choosing testimonials, there are a few key

ingredients to look for that make the difference between

an ineffective testimonial -- and one that sells.



Here's an example of a glowing, but ultimately ineffective

testimonial:



"I love this product! I can't get

enough! I'm so glad I bought your stuff

and I'll be back to get more, for sure!"



What could be wrong with that? It sounds like you have a

happy customer on your hands!



But what does this testimonial really tell your visitors?

Does it prove that the product works, or explain exactly how your

customer benefited from using it? While the feedback is definitely

positive, the testimonial does not provide enough detail to have

any real impact on your visitors.



Here's an example of the kind of effective, benefits-driven

testimonials that we include on our own web sites:



"I used the methods you told me to use

and for three days my phone's been ringing!

I sold over $3500 in goods and services in

three days! It's the first time in 5 months

that anyone had really purchased anything..."



Now that's a great testimonial! But what makes it so powerful?



Let's break down the elements of an effective testimonial in

more detail...



- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL IS FILLED WITH BENEFITS: A comment

like, "This product is great!" is nice for you to hear,

but it doesn't tell visitors what your product can

actually do for them.



You want the benefits of what you offer to be front and

center in every testimonial: "This product doubled our

profits in a month!" or "This product made the pain in my

back disappear completely -- and did it fast!" or "We've

never seen any product that could get the rust off our

car without damaging the paint -- until now."



- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL SUBSTANTIATES YOUR CLAIMS: If you say

your product can do something, your testimonials should

back up your promises -- complete with actual facts and

figures.



How much money did your customers save by using your

product? How much time did they save by using your service?

How did it solve their problems or improve their lives?



- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL IS FROM SOMEONE YOUR AUDIENCE CAN

RELATE TO: You want your visitors to see that your product

helped someone just like them, seeking the solution to

the same problem your visitors have.



Make sure your testimonials come from someone with whom

your target market can identify.



If you sell primarily to seniors, for example, ask your

customers if you can include their age along with the

testimonial. If you are selling to moms with children, ask

if you can mention how many kids they have -- or include a

photo of their family!



- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL IS CREDIBLE: Accompany each testimonial

with the first name, last name, and hometown of each

testimonial-giver to show that your endorsements come from

real people. Always try to include a photo as well.



And if you can, take it to the next level by including

audio or video testimonials for maximum effect! Do anything

you can to help your visitors connect with your testimonial-

givers on a personal level.



- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL ENDORSES THE KEY BENEFITS OF YOUR

PRODUCT: Your testimonials should emphasize the key

benefits of your product.



It's fun to hear that your super-duper floor cleaner

smells nice or that the bottle doesn't drip -- both

things that matter to people who would consider using

your product in their homes -- but have you established

that it cleans their floors well?



- A GOOD TESTIMONIAL IS COMPARATIVE: Did your customers

try another product that didn't work before they found

yours? You want your visitors to know what your product

can do that other products can't. Choose testimonials that

set your product apart from your competition!



Now that you know what you're looking for in a testimonial,

how do you actually gather the reviews you need from your

customers?



THE SECRETS TO GETTING GREAT TESTIMONIALS

-- EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T SOLD A THING YET!



If your customers have given you positive feedback on your

product already, then you may already have some great

testimonials to add to your site.



However, if your customer response is a little scarce -- or if

you're just starting out -- getting testimonials from your

buyers might take a little more effort.



So how do you collect the testimonials you need -- and keep

them coming as you grow your business?



One easy way to collect testimonials is to include a link on

your site with a form that allows your customers to give you

their vote of confidence: "Tell us how this product changed

your life!" or "Click here to let us know what you think!"



Put this link next to some testimonials that you've already

gathered to give customers an example of the kind of feedback

you're looking for.



A more effective method is to create an autoresponder that

contacts your buyers after they've purchased your product

-- even a month later -- to ask how they're enjoying

the product, as well as giving them a chance to offer

feedback on their experience with your business.



And, of course, any time you receive a great letter or e-mail

from a customer, ask them if you can use their comments on your

web site to recommend your product to others. If they were

happy enough to let you know, they're bound to want to spread

the word.



If you haven't yet begun selling your product and have no

feedback yet, offer your product or service for free to a

select group of customers in exchange for their thoughts on the

product or some details on their experience with your site.



The impact that testimonial will have on your bottom line will

be well worth the initial expense!



As soon as your online business is up and running, make a point

of giving every one of your customers a chance to share their

experiences with your product or service.



Ask for feedback -- good and bad -- in your autoresponders, your

newsletters, and other spots on your web site.



STRATEGIES FOR USING YOUR TESTIMONIALS AS EFFECTIVELY

AS POSSIBLE



Once you've got some testimonials to share with your visitors,

you need to make sure that you're putting them to the best

possible use on your site.



Always make sure that you...



- Include your best testimonials front and center on your

homepage, like in your sidebars, or even above your

headline.



- Place some testimonials right in the middle of your

homepage salescopy to keep your readers focused on your

credibility as you outline the features and benefits of

your product.



- Set up a whole page dedicated to your glowing testimonials,

as well as including snippets of their comments throughout

your site. Be sure to put a link to your testimonial page

next to each of those snippets!



- Include testimonials on each and every page of your web

site. No matter where your visitors click, you want them to

find a positive customer review of your product or service.



Now let's look at a few mistakes to avoid when using

testimonials on your web site...



- Don't edit your testimonials to exclude a comment or add

information you want to hear!



If you can't post a comment "as is" and feel comfortable

with it, it shouldn't go up. If your testimonials are in

your voice and all sound the same, no one is going to trust

that they are legitimate.



- Never use a customer testimonial without permission.



- Never, ever invent testimonials! This is fraud, plain and

simple, and lying never results in a positive impact on

your business.



If you're not using testimonials on your web site, you are

missing out on one of the most powerful, easy-to-use, and cheap

marketing tools available to you.



Most of us would rather act on a referral from a friend than

make a purchase based on a sales pitch alone.



We want to know that the product actually works before we take

the leap to buy, and we're bound to put more trust in someone

who has already used the product successfully than the person

trying to convince us to buy it!



And just like that recommendation from a friend, testimonials

offer unbiased, results-based evidence that your product does

exactly what you say it will do.



Time and time again, we've seen our clients experience a HUGE

boost in sales when they've put positive comments from their

customers front and center on their web sites. Few things can

put a skeptical visitor's mind at ease faster than a rave review

from a satisfied user!



No matter what stage you're at in building your business,

you want to focus on establishing credibility with your

potential clients. Once you've won their trust, you've won

a loyal customer for life!



Using glowing, fact-filled testimonials on your web site is

one of the most high-impact -- yet simple -- ways to let your

readers know that you are worthy of their trust.



For More Great Ideas, visit:



http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/862721