Why Are Testimonials Like Potato Chips? March 19, 2011 | Posted in Digital & Hard Goods, Monetization | Leave a Comment

Digital & Hard Goods

What’s the biggest single factor your visitor will look for if she decides your product is just what she wants?

Your credibility.

Overcome any fears and doubts convincingly by telling her what your present customers have experienced.

Testimonials are incredibly persuasive. If you can get your visitor to read a testimonial, you have jumped quite a bit ahead in your sales effort. And testimonials are like potato chips... once you eat one, you want another and another and another.

The keys to an effective testimonial are...

1) It makes a specific statement that is a benefit to your visitor, something your target market understands ("Hey, that's exactly what I want!"). The very best ones are real-life success stories from typical customers -- when others read these, they should think, "Wow! If I can get the same result, it's more than worth the price!"

For example, a sampling of SBI! owners share their success stories here...

http://case-studies.sitesell.com/

2) It has an air of believability, because the testimonial is real (never make up testimonials). Clean up horrible typos or misspellings, but don't turn a testimonial into a polished piece. They are much more believable when they are "real."

3) It is verifiable, with URL and e-mail address included. The key is credibility. Make it impossible for your potential customer to say, "They probably made it up."

4) It provides a URL, but not hyperlinked (unless the link opens a new window ). You don't want your visitors to leave your website.

Testimonials don't just mean reviews by happy customers. If you have a great review from an authority in your field, put it on your site. This type of huge credibility will drive sales.

Bottom line?  Don't hide your testimonials. Build them into your sales message so that they won't be missed by your visitors/pre-customers.