Harness The Amazing Power Of Testimonials

For any sales professional interested in selling more to a greater number of people in less time, testimonials are a vital part of the formula for success.

If you're not using them in your business right now, you're missing out on one of the most useful sales tools ever!

Consider the story of legendary businessman W. Clement Stone. He built what would one day become a multi-billion dollar empire by selling fire-insurance policies door-to-door during the Great Depression.

There's no denying Clem's knack for people skills was a big part of his success. But, he also had a little something extra - a binder overflowing with testimonials from his customers. Legend has it, that binder never left his side when he was knocking on all those doors. It was chock full of stories - and not just happy accounts from people who were satisfied. It also told painful stories about how people had lost houses, husbands and wives to misfortune ... and how relieved they were that, thanks to Clem, they had signed on the dotted-line long ago, and now were covered. Frankly, after reading stories out of that binder, it's hard to imagine how anyone could ever say no to him!

That's the amazing power of testimonials. They work because they reaffirm for others what you already know is true. Let's look at how you can harness the power of testimonials to help you sell more:

1. Show 'em the steak - When you meet with prospects, it's likely you talk about all the great things you do for your clients. You might also talk about how often you go the extra mile, because service matters to you. But let's face it: in sales, no one ever becomes successful and stays that way for long if all they ever do is talk about the sizzle, without ever showing the steak.
   
   That's where testimonials come in. They back up what you say with what noted psychologist Robert B. Cialdini calls social proof. If we drill down a little deeper into human psychology, we also learn that testimonials have amazing persuasive powers. That's because they touch on both the fact-based and emotion-based motivators that drive people to buy things. They reaffirm that your claims are credible and your services are the real deal. They validate the feelings that a prospect has for you. And they do so with a message that is unmistakably authentic and sincere.
   
   When you combine all those motivators together, it helps you make a very convincing case to prospects. You can say "Don't just take my word for it, have a look at what my customers say". It deepens the confidence people will have in your message and it can dramatically reduce the barriers you face in closing the sale.
   
   
2. Keep your ears open wide - When you're talking to your customers, does anyone ever share with you a little story about how they were able to make great use of your product or service? Check your email. Has anyone ever sent you a note just to say, "Thanks for the great work", on the last job you did for them? Or have you ever received glowing feedback from a client who responded to a survey you sent out? Each of those is a testimonial, just waiting for you to act on it.
   
   
3. Ask and you shall receive - When a client says great things about you, about your work or the products you sell, give them the opportunity to turn that praise into a testimonial. Simply ask: "I'd really love it if I could include what you just said in my client testimonials. Would that be okay?". People generally like to be helpful, but they'll never get the opportunity to give you that all-powerful testimonial if you don't ask.
   
   
4. Newer customers are passionate - Get on the phone and call your newest customers. No matter what industry you serve, the most passionate praise you'll find for your work and the service you sell tends to come from customers with whom you have only recently started doing business. They are the ones who are most excited about having found you. Your repeat customers, on the other hand, are already accustomed to the great service you provide.
   
   
5. Repeat customers are wise and insightful - Your repeat customers provide people (and that includes you!) with important insight about what makes your product or service worth coming back to - again and again. So make a point of calling up those you have been doing business with for a long time and ask them why it is they call on you. The answers you get will often include a great sentence or two you can add to your testimonial collection. Again, all you have to do is ask.
   
   
6. Make it easy for people - One of the most common comments you'll hear from clients when asking for testimonials is "Well I'm really not much of a writer, so it's hard for me to put it in words". The real power of testimonials comes from the fact they're not polished ... they're authentic and from the heart.
   
   
7. Make testimonials part of your strategy for cold calls - Turn a testimonial into an opening statement you can use when making your cold calls. It's a great way to get the conversation started on the right note, because it's one (or more) of your customers talking about all the great things you can do for that prospect at the other end of the phone. This strategy can be really compelling when the testimonial is one the person you are calling can relate to specifically in their line of work.
   
8. Do unto others - Write testimonials for others with whom you do business and whose services have impressed you. It's a good thing to do. It also helps to deepen those all-important reciprocal relationships. Plus testimonials you write about others send an important message to everyone about the high standards you have, not only as a supplier but as a buyer, too.
   
   
9. Make testimonials noticeable - As you build your collection of testimonials, you'll need to find a place where people can read them. Lucky for you, you have a lot more choices than W. Clement Stone did back in the Depression-era. Not only can you put them all in a binder to show prospects, you can also include testimonials in other products ... and most won't cost you much more than a few minutes of your time.
   
   

Here are some examples:

• Create a special web page devoted to testimonials
  
  
• Consider ways that you can include sample quotes from that collection and feature them in steady rotation on the main page of your site
  
  
• Include a new testimonial on the signature line of every outbound email
  
  

The possibilities are endless - and the potential benefits to your sales record can be quite amazing, even lucrative.

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