Who is your company’s best salesperson? No, it’s not you. I’m glad to see you believe in yourself. It’s your customer!
Think about how amazing it would be to take your best customers along with you on every conversation you have! Would that help you make more sales? Of course it would!
Do you currently have customer testimonials queued up and ready to rock? That’s ok. Neither does your competition and you are reading this article right now so you are already winning.
Why are testimonials so important?
1. If you are talking about yourself, you are bragging. If someone says it about you, it’s truth.
2. They put people at ease. People look for shortcuts on what to buy and a testimonial provides them that shortcut. People don’t want to be a sucker, and a testimonial reduces their risk.
3. They are genuine and honest. They easily transfer what you already know (how amazing your product or service is) to your customer.
4. They address emotions which many benefits and price do not address. Customers are afraid they will make a bad decision, or they will be taken for a sucker.
Why is now the best time to get started on this?
Testimonials will increase your confidence, and make changes in your conversions right away! When I was selling Cutco, testimonials were my most powerful tool. I have never been good at coming up with a clever response to a customer’s objections or concerns. I just can’t think that quickly. My secret to success was to address the concerns I knew most people would have in a proactive way. I used to get as many testimonials as I could on a piece of notebook paper from previous owners.One was from someone who owned Cutco for 40+ years, and I showed that during the company section to emphasize how long we had been in business. I had in my possession a 50 year old bread knife. When that old knife cut the rope in one swipe, I didn’t need to say much more about the quality of the knife. They were able to see it for their own eyes! Those 2 things increased my closing percentage to at least 80%.
How do I get them?
1. Earn them with a superior product or service. This is something I just can’t help you with and hopefully you have this already. It really helps to set proper expectations and exceed them.
2. Ask for them. Exchange for lunch or some other incentive when possible. We all have “those” customers at this point. They LOVE us. Give them a call. You could probably say, “Doris, (not sure why that name came to mind) you know that I wish I could take you on every appointment I go on.” Doris will then laugh. “Would it be too much trouble for you to jot down a few sentences for me on how happy you are with our company?” Doris will then say, “Sure sweetie, what would you like me to say?” Which leads me to my next point…
3. Coach your customer on what to say. You need to make it easy for her. While it may feel a little uncomfortable to give Doris an outline of what to say, it will make her life a lot easier. It is likely that you know Doris’ situation well, what she felt at first and what happened next. Retell her story back to her, and she will easily be able to give you something powerful.
What format should I use?
- Video is king. They are easier to consume, and the trust level increases when you see the person.
- If you can’t get video, get it in writing. There is no shame here. An email or a letter works.
- Third party story. When you have an amazing story, write it down and keep a log. When a customer has concerns or questions, you can tell that true story about how Joseph had a similar concern, he bought because of such and such reason, and when I followed up he said this and that.
When should I use them?
- When establishing the credibility of your company. I gave an example earlier, but if your company has been in business for a long time, show an example of someone who has been a customer for a long time.
- When you want to emphasize a claim. Let’s say you are selling a Build A Bear (it’s the first thing in my line of sight right now) and you are explaining that this bear is worth $40 because it is sturdier than most other bears on the market. Right then would be a great time to tell a story about your friend has had her monkey dressed in a hockey uniform (true story, I’m the friend) for 13 years. Let’s hope you aren’t selling Build A Bears, but I think you get my point.
- When it’s time to decide. If your customer is thinking and might hesitate, and you know why, whip out a testimonial. Do not tell them they are wrong, just show them that in addition to what they are thinking, here is what Wonder Woman said about the same issue.
Bonus tip: When you have a customer that give you a lot of referrals, get a testimonial right away before speaking to the referrals. When you can take the testimonial with you, (even if it’s a printed email or a piece of notebook paper) it will make your potential customer a lot more comfortable and they are likely to buy
Reference
Gitomer, J. (2004). Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness. : Bard Press.