Customer Letters Drive Business
Written Testimonials Establish Credibility for Small Businesses
Nothing can solidify a small business reputation like a stack of client testimonials. Savvy consumers rarely make decisions without seeing what their peers think first.
Client testimonials are the cherry on the top of the marketing plan for a small or home business. The words of a satisfied client describing his or her experience. Consumers in the 21st century garner feedback from each other with unprecedented speed through social bookmarking (quick rating of web pages by users), online forums and reviews. Customer testimonials can be collected and used both online and offline to encourage a prospective client on the edge to make a decision to buy.
Types of Written Testimonials
Although containing the same general information, testimonials can be written down on paper or on a computer. Both have advantages to a word of mouth marketing campaign.
- Paper testimonials are the oldest form of written testimonial. They can be hung on walls, kept in a "brag book" of work well done, or copied and handed out at lectures and presentations. There is a higher perceived value when a client takes the time to put their thoughts about a business on paper.
- Internet testimonials are easier to receive, and also easier to falsify. They can be emailed, collected on the business' own web site, or written on third-party web pages such as epinion.com. Internet testimonials will likely reach far more potential clients than paper testimonials.
Elements of a Client Testimonial
The most credible and compelling testimonials are very specific in their reasons for praising the business. Without specific reasons it is not likely that the customer would write a letter of praise in the first place, and ideally they include some of these elements:
- Full name of the customer
- City and state
- Date of the testimonial
- Client signature
- Problem the business overcame
- Example of excellent customer service
- "Before and after" pictures
- Amount of money customer was saved
The more elements a testimonial includes, the more believable and interesting it is to potential clients.
Obtaining and Using Written TestimonialsIt is never ethical to fake a testimonial, but there is nothing wrong with asking satisfied clients to write them. Unless asked, far more consumers will make a complaint about a business than will praise one in writing. A request can be general (i.e., adding the phrase, "If you are satisfied with your experience with us, please drop us a note and let us know" at the bottom of customer receipts or linking to the company's page on a popular review site) or specific ("John, would you be willing to write down how happy you are about your experience?"), but shouldn't offer incentives, as they would dilute the credibility of the testimonial.
Customer letters can be used extensively to market a business, especially online.
- David Airey suggests including a photograph of the client with the testimonial.
- Paper testimonials may be scanned in. These may be too large to gather together on a page, but the images can be linked to from the web version of the text.
- Testimonials on third party web pages can be distributed widely through the use of social bookmarking.
- Newsletters and ezines should include a section devoted to customer letters.
Client testimonials strengthen a business reputation and build word of mouth referrals. Consumers understand the value of written recommendations in establishing credibility. Only an ethical businessman skilled at customer service will be able to acquire many written testimonials.
