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Gathering Testimonials

Getting other people to SELL For You

If your customers don't send you letters of praise (and most won't) then you can ASK them to give you a testimonial.

How?

Simply send a letter to clients and customers who might be happy with your publication and ask for their comments. Here's a letter to copy or adapt:

    

Mr. Sam Smith
VP Marketing
ABC Corporation
Main St., USA

Dear Sam,

I have a favour to ask of you.

I'm in the process of putting together a booklet of testimonials -- a collection of comments about my services, from satisfied clients like yourself.

Would you please take a few minutes to give me your opinion of our publication? Especially any RESULTS you have had from advertising with us?

There's no need to dictate a letter --just jot your comments on the back of this letter, sign below, and return to me in the enclosed envelope. (The second copy is for your files).

I look forward to learning what you like about our service but I ALSO welcome any suggestions or criticisms, too.

Many thanks, Sam.

Regards, David Ross

YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO QUOTE FROM MY COMMENTS, AND USE THESE QUOTATIONS IN ADS, BROCHURES, MAIL, AND OTHER PROMOTIONS USED TO MARKET YOUR SERVICES.

Signed ________________ Date ______________

Note that you’re asking for an "opinion" instead of a testimonial, and that you urge your client to give you criticisms as well as positive comments.

If you feel that this letter is a bit too pushy, try sending a SHORT questionnaire (Ten questions or less).

Also, with either the letter or the questionnaire consider sending 100 or so labels of names taken from your readership files, for your client to use with a mail shot. If not names, perhaps a 5% discount coupon for money off their next advert.

Or some sort of small GIFT for filling out the questionnaire.

Remember to provide clients with postage paid envelopes to return their comments.

CLIENT SURVEYS

To get the BEST testimonials from surveys, DON’T use rating scale questions such as "poor-fair-good-very good" - use open ended specific questions such as:

  1. How would you characterize the RESULTS you got after advertising with us?
  2. What changes have happened in your business as a result of this advertising?
  3. What were the three most valuable things you learnt about this?
  4. How did you like your copy and positioning?
    5. 6. Based on your experience would you recommend our publication to other companies?
  5. What would you tell other XXXX who are considering using our publication?
  6. What do you like about the way we do things?
  7. What do you dislike about the way we do things?
  8. Is there anything else you can tell me to help me improve things for you?

Important. Don't worry about CHANGING testimonials written by your clients. Make them snappier and more specific -- and then ask for permission to use them.

Ask your client for approval of the revised version. Do it diplomatically:

"Dave, I'm really grateful for what you wrote about our publication. Thank you. Would it be okay if we cut the sentence about... and added this fact...?"

Remember, if YOU say it -- no-one believes it. You’re PAID to say great things about your publication.

If your client says the very same thing -- it’s TRUE.

Testimonials are the way for one of your clients to sell another, on your behalf. Create a Testimonial Book

I’ve closed hundreds of sales with the help of my testimonial book.

It works because one of the most powerful ways to influence someone is with a testimonial from a third party. This is why major advertisers pay millions of dollars to celebrities and athletes to endorse their products and services.

However, you don't have to pay anyone to endorse you. Simply go to your satisfied clients and ask them for a written endorsement. Once you have the letters, display them nicely in plastic pages in a binder. You can purchase the plastic pages at your local office supply store.

You can do even better and procure a large-format zippered leather binder in which you can mount photos of your family, copies of awards or honors that you've received, together with testimonial letters from happy clients. When you meet new clients you can tell them your personal story, flipping through the pages of your folder to illustrate.

Some hints on how to create a book able to boost your sales:

  1. Put a cover on the testimonial book and call it your Raving Fans Book.
  2. Put pictures in your book showing that you are successful.
  3. Purchase a quality binder. The nicer the binder the more impressed your prospect will be.
  4. Incorporate the book into your sales presentation
  5. Let clients look at the book while you are filling out paperwork.

To find out more about using testimonials within the who process of making an ad space sale, just click HERE