Testimonial Strategies-The Temptation of “Testiphonials”

Mike Capuzzi — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:46:04 +0000

Smart marketers know having real testimonials is a powerful marketing strategy.

What others say about you and your products and services is much more compelling and powerful than any marketing copy you could write for yourself.

The important lesson here is the word “real.”

Lately, I have seen an increase in a practice I personally detest and one I believe has no place in a business built on integrity, authenticity, quality and service.

It’s the use of canned, pre-written testimonials or what is more appropriately called a “testiphonial.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I know fake testimonials have been around as long as there has been authors and copywriters writing ads and sales letters. What I am talking about is different and it’s done with the guise of being an acceptable way to market in this age of “too much to do and too little time.”

It goes something like this. A marketer has a new product or book that has yet to be released. In an effort to build up their testimonials they will send out a slew of requests often with an incomplete product or the first few chapters of the book.

Due to the nature of product marketing, this is often a necessary practice, but here’s where it gets slimy.

Also sent is a list of pre-written testimonials about the product with a wink and nod that “these are being sent to give you ideas for your testimonial.” All you need to do is pick which testimonial sounds like what you would write and put your name on it and send it back.

Ask the marketer why they do this and they’ll tell you nobody really has time to read the book or check out the product, so why not just write it for them.

BOLONEY!!!

This kind of marketing is an example of the epidemic of low quality, no-relationship, do-whatever-it-takes-to-make-a-sale mentality that is rampant out there.

Personally, I would not use a pre-written testiphonial. In fact, I know others detest this practice and refuse to endorse products or services they cannot experience first-hand themselves.

The really interesting fact is, in my experience, whenever a customer writes a "real testimonial" it sounds SO MUCH BETTER than anything I could have written for them. There’s a sense of authenticity and realism that cannot be duplicated by even the world’s greatest copywriters.

Folks, today when skepticism and cynicism are at an all-time high and when, via the Internet, ill-will can spread like wildfire, it’s more important than ever to market with integrity and true value.

So with this in mind, I want to offer you a few strategies I've used with much success over the years for getting real testimonials. Many of these were developed back when I did consulting for software companies, where it was common practice for me to implement testimonial programs for every single client.

Interestingly, we had little problem getting top-level executives to give us their feedback and endorsement in writing or often times on video (this was back before the Flip camera so we had to go through the major effort of sending a multi-person crew to capture their words).

Strategy #1: Believe you can get the testimonial. Many times getting a real testimonial is as simple as asking. Of course this is based on the notion you have a relationship and proven track record with the person, so why wouldn’t they give it to you?

Strategy #2: Let them know why you are asking for the testimonial, who you are ultimately marketing to and how you intend to use the testimonial. This is a critical step and gives your testimonial target a chance to say no if they feel it’s not a good fit. (If you are targeting V.I.P. “celebrity” testimonials, this is very important).

Strategy #3: Ask them to write you a testimonial. If they are a current satisfied customer again this should pose no problem. However, if you are requesting a testimonial for something that has yet to be pre-released, give them as much background information as possible. If you are writing a book, send them a pre-release version that is at least 75% complete (when I published my first book, “Dream, Inc.” I waited until the book contents were written before sending out requests).

Strategy #4: There will be times when you send a request the person will push back and tell you to “write it for them” and they will edit and send back. At this point explain why getting a testimonial from them – in their own words – is so important to you and if they could take the time, it would really help you (remember, more times than not, people like to help one another).

If they continue to push back, you have two choices. Forget trying to get this testimonial or try strategy #5. Either way, I would resist the temptation of creating a testiphonial for them.

Strategy #5: Conduct a five minute phone interview. I’ve used this with much success over the years and you will be surprised how easy this strategy is. What I will do is request a five minute phone call (I state this exact time right up front). I will get the person on the phone and let them know I am recording the call so that we can transcribe the call later and create their testimonial from the actual conversation.

When you’re on the call, make sure you get all their contact information as they want it and then ask them some probing questions about your product or service. You’ll be amazed just how much people appreciate this type of interaction and how much they will open up. The sound bites you get on these calls are invaluable.

Strategy #6: In the event the product is not complete yet, try to get a testimonial based on the overall idea or theme of the product or service. Or one based on their personal experience with you and your abilities.

Yes this will sound different than if it was specific to your actual product or service, but it can still be extremely valuable in your marketing efforts. When I created CopyDoodles®, I sent a number of marketers a small collection of CopyDoodles that would eventually be only a small portion of the final product, but it gave them enough to test.

I hope this article gives you a few practical ideas to help you collect real testimonials as you continue to grow your real business.

I would love to hear your thoughts about all this and if you have any of your own proven strategies for collecting testimonials!

Mike CapuzziWritten Testimonials | Mike Capuzzi

Testimonial Strategies-The Temptation of “Testiphonials”