Storytelling is the new hotness in marketing.
And compelling real-life stories from satisfied customers showcasing results you’ve helped them to achieve are convincing.
More than any other kind of marketing.
Detailed stories from your customers provide imagery and emotion that no amount of paid advertising could ever accomplish.
Glowing third party endorsements will entice even the most sceptical prospects to come on board.
Because they are authentic accounts of transformations brought about as a direct consequence of having worked with you.
How do you get testimonials that sell?
In my experience devoted customers are only too happy to provide you with testimonials.
But when it comes to putting them together they often find themselves at a loss for words.
Use this as an opportunity to help them structure their testimonials so they tell powerful transformation stories.
Stories that are very easy to follow.
Anecdotes that are well tempered and not overly biased.
Accounts of events that put pay to the key objections you often come up against in your service industry.
The best way to obtain transformation stories from your customers is to ask them a very specific set of questions.
Questions that provide you with responses that fall into a neat and pleasant storyline.
A story that is both straightforward and interesting to read.
Your questions should include:
- the problem your customer needed to solve when they first came to you
- any reservations they may have had about doing business with someone in your specific industry
- how you managed to allay their fears
- what is was that convinced them to come on board with you
- the outcome you helped them to achieve and how it made them feel having gained that result
- their overall opinion of you and the service you provide
- whether they would recommend you to their family, friends and associates, and why
You want their stories to unfold in the most effective way.
Each story needs to be unique, personal, touching, and specifically linked to a particular objection.
At the beginning of a testimonial, it is a good idea to address any fears or scepticism your customer may have had concerning your service offering.
And how you managed to help them overcome their doubts.
This tends to give the testimonial power and depth.
Bring your testimonials to life by including an appropriate photo of your customer.
Together with their name and their location.
With their permission of course.
If they’re in business themselves, add a link to their website and promote their business.
If there is a physical or material “before and after” view you helped your customers achieve, you want to display those images.
So your prospective clients can witness that transformation with their very own eyes.
Compliments from your customers can be very flattering.
But you want to make sure their words are not too sugary.
Your prospective customers may find this off-putting.
Testimonial formats
Written testimonials accompanied by photographs in printed and electronic format are great.
But don’t overlook the fact that videos are an incredibly powerful way to deliver a testimonial.
Nothing quite measures up to a testimonial presented by someone who looks directly into the eyes of your customer.
And speaks from their heart.