Good testimonials ...

Why testimonials do (and don't) work:

• are focused – talk about specific benefits or personal situations
• overcome objections – target conversion barriers
• are contextual – position where customer might ask questions and need reassurance
• are plentiful – build a wall of testimonials
• are credible – lead with skeptics and problems

Why Testimonials Do (and Don't) Work

There are times when testimonials are incredibly powerful, and times when they might actually hurt you. Testimonials hurt you when people don't think they're real. Anything that sounds vague or cliché can smack of insincerity. Strong testimonials:

1 They're Specific.
Vague testimonials don't really tell the customer anything.
A vague testimonial reads like: “I was very satisfied with the service." “I got great results." “Quality tech support." “I really enjoy your product."
Specific testimonials say things like: “I was impressed by the 24-hour concierge service, especially when they found an all-night printer at 3 am. " “I increased the number of sales leads from 2 per month to 10 per week." “The section in your course about negotiating with stubborn sellers was invaluable." “Tech support spoke to me in plain English and isolated the problem in 90 seconds." Specific testimonials work for two reasons: First, they sound more credible. Second, they promote a specific benefit or address a question that may help persuade potential buyers.

2 They Overcome Objections.
That's right. Use testimonials that talk about objections. Some companies are afraid of these kinds of testimonials, yet they can be the most powerful tool you have. Testimonials from skeptics stand out because they sound credible. And by addressing and voicing what many perspective customers may be feeling, these testimonials are powerful persuaders.
Testimonial that address objections sound like: “I've been in property investing for 7 years. I didn't think there was anything in this course I didn't already know. But, ultimately, I was surprised to learn valuable techniques I'd never considered before." “Taking an online course felt really impersonal to me. I was afraid I'd miss the in-person interaction. What I found, though, was that the format was incredibly interactive. I've even made some friends in my study group. We phone and IM, which helps since we're facing similar challenges. It's great!"

3 They're Well-Placed.
Make sure the testimonial subject matter is relevant to the information around it. If you have a landing page, or a homepage where many of your visitors are early in the buying process. So, be sure to have testimonials for people who may not be ready to bite. What questions are those perspective customers asking? How are you different from the competition? How can you fill my needs?
An early-buying-process testimonial sounds like this: “I've tried other other gyms, but your facility was the first where I didn't feel intimidated because I am (or, rather, I ‘was'!) overweight. I was surrounded by other women like me; not just thin women in hundred-dollar aerobics outfits."

Product pages, or other pages where your customers come later in the buying process, so provide testimonials relevant to their ready-to-buy questions. What happens if I don't like it? Is it worth the money? What plan is right for me?
A late-stage, I'm-ready-to-buy testimonial sounds like this: “When I tried on the shoes, they were too narrow. So I simply filled out the return form, used the pre-printed shipping label, and sent them back. The new shoes arrived 3 days later. What a quick turnaround, and it didn't cost me a cent!"

Summary:

• Be specific. Use testimonials that talk about specific benefits or personal situations. Avoid vague testimonials.
• Overcome objections. Use testimonials that bring up objections, where customers admit being skeptical. These are the most powerful testimonials out there.
• Context is everything. Make sure your testimonials address the questions your customers are asking at various stages of the buying process.