Take a cup of hot, steaming coffee.
Add one spoon of sugar.
Add another spoon of sugar.
Then just for good measure, add three more spoons (yes, of sugar)
Now drink the coffee
Now, now, no ‘yuck’ from you. I know the coffee is sickeningly sweet. And that coffee is headed straight for the drain in a few seconds. Nothing that sweet should be allowed to exist.
Ahem…have you looked at your testimonials recently?
Let’s look at them testimonials, shall we, pardner?
Example 1:
“I loved your product. I bought it just yesterday, and your content has been the most enlightening I’ve ever read. Thanks so much for putting out this information. I don’t know how I managed without it.”
Example 2:
“Believe me, I’m so grateful to you for all your invaluable help. I absolutely want you to know that your consulting made a big difference to my life. You deserve all the good things that come your way.”
Ooh, suddenly you can see the five teaspoons of sugar, can’t you?
The testimonials on your website, brochure and the rest of your marketing material is starting to look like, eyewwww
yuck…aren’t they?
Except, you’re in a dilemma
You didn’t write the testimonials. You can’t control what customers say.
Or can you?
If you’re getting icky, sugary-sweet testimonials, it’s not the client’s fault. No sireeee, it’s not!
It’s your fault. You’ve been asking the wrong questions.
Questions? I’m supposed to ask questions?
If your question has been limited to: “Can you give me a testimonial?”, then go wash your mouth with soap. You’re literally setting yourself up for a testimonial that’s coming straight out from left field.
You see, the client is not in the business of giving testimonials
They haven’t a clue in the world what to say or write, when you ask for your testimonial. So to prevent you from looking bad, they write something sweet and sugary.
How to cut out the sweet and sugary stuff right away
Ask the client three questions:
1) What were your perceptions before you bought our product/service and were you reluctant in any way?
2) How did you feel as a result of using the product/service?
3) What specific results did you get as a result of using the product/service?
So let’s take apart the psychology behind each question
1) The ‘Perception’ Question: The first question usually brings out the bad stuff. Like “I thought you were too expensive.” or “I thought this product was just for the geeks” and other assorted perceptions.
2) The ‘What did you Find’ Question: The second question is pure emotion. Notice how it uses the word ‘feel?’ That trigger word ‘feel’ gets you a response that’s based on feeling. The client now feels ‘confident’, ‘reassured’, ‘ecstatic’, etc. The feeling is a response that other customers respond to as well, so emotion is a vital part of your testimonial.
3) The ‘Specific Results’ Question: This clearly demonstrates that we’re now past the touchy-feely stage. It’s alright to feel good, but hey, show me the buckeroos! A specific answer will have: ‘25% growth’, ‘$12,000’, etc.
There’s a side-effect to this questioning method
Suddenly, the testimonials you receive, won’t be one measly line. They’ll be several paragraphs long. Some will exceed a page. When customers are asked specific questions, they give long, detailed answers.
These answers not only enable you to post some real testimonials in your marketing material, but also enable you to see what your customer is thinking.
If you stop to read between the lines, you’ll quickly see how you can change your copy, graphics, etc., based on Question 1.
Because if the customer was reluctant for any reason, you can bet your pink booties that you’ve got other customers who feel the same reluctance. So, by asking the right questions, not only do you get an insight, but you also get a darned good testimonial as well!
Example, example:
Here’s just one example of a testimonial. Notice how long and detailed it is.
When I saw Sean’s offer for the Brain Audit Applications, I wasn’t so sure I needed to buy another resource to read. I’ve gotten a lot of resources in the past, many have been helpful, many still sit on a shelf, unused. In my “lifelong learning” and “continuous improvement” quest, it is easy to go overboard with more resources.
I have to say that the Brain Audit Applications makes the Brain Audit come alive! I understood the concepts, and only thought I knew how to apply them. Sean gives examples of a variety of marketing pieces and dissects each one, rating them as to their ability to get inside the customer’s brain and eliminate his/her restistance to buying!
I really got a lot out of the Brain Audit a few years ago. I understood the concepts and had begun to apply some of them to my work as a training consultant and business coach. It’s a really good resource for understanding how the buying brain works. The Brain Audit is the “what” of Sean’s work. The Brain Audit Applications is really the next step.
I believe everything happens for a reason, and often we haven’t a clue as to why. I had been postponing sending out a sales letter, and also revamping my website. I kept kicking myself for delaying. I think I was just waiting for Sean’s Brain Audit Applications to get me moving in the right direction!
Now my sales letters are going out the door, and I am confident that they are top notch! And I am gettting ready to revamp my website, because I have a new tool to help me apply what I learned in the Brain Audit. Brain Audit Applications showed me “How!”
Thanks, Sean!
– Alice Wojcio, 5000bc Member since 2004
So will every testimonial be darned good?
No, don’t be silly! A lot of the testimonials you get will be unsolicited. And they’ll be sugary. That’s cool. If you’ve got a whole lot of sugary testimonials don’t throw them out quite yet! (Yeah, I know you weren’t planning to).
However, be sure to sprinkle them with a good dose of testimonials that answer the three specific questions above. A good mix of sugary and realistic testimonials make your message more believable. And a whole lot less hype-ridden.
Yes, your customers want a nice, steaming cup of your ‘testimonial.’
Just hold the sugar, will ya?
Your headline is the core attractor. It sucks in your customers like a vacuum.
And in many cases, you may use a testimonial higher up in the copy, in order to keep your customer locked into your copy. But how do you choose (or construct) a testimonial that turns the vacuum up to full suction power?
Let’s look at an example, shall we?
Headline example: Do you hate selling? Do you wish you could shake off the used-car salesman feeling?
(Simple Step by Step Sales Strategies Guaranteed to bring you more clients fast–and without the rejection)
If a testimonial followed this headline, what would that testimonial look like?
Choose One out of three
1) I found your sales course to be outstanding. We were able to get more clients instantly. Our sales went up by 33% right away.
2) Our sales went up by 33% immediately after applying just two of the concepts mentioned in your course. Outstanding! I’m going to recommend you to our entire sales division.
3) I used to feel like a used-car salesman, and I’ve left many a deal on the table in the past. After doing your course, I no longer my mindset changed completely, increasing sales by 33% in a month.
Goodonya if you chose No.3
Yeah, goodonya, but pay close attention. The headline is the problem. You may have brought about the solution in the problem, but if you’re going to use a testimonial, make darned sure that you have at least one, if not more than one testimonial that tackles the ‘used car syndrome.
Why bother?
I’ll tell you why. The headline was your core attractor, right? The biggest reason the customer is listening to you/reading your material, is because they wanted to shake the ‘used car syndrome. They could have wanted to increase sales. They could have wanted to work with difficult customers; or wanted just about anything to do with sales.
But no, they chose to read your headline. The headline with the ‘used car’ syndrome.
Which means they’re interested in what? You got it: The ‘used car’ syndrome. And testimonial No.3 tackles that objection and demonstrates that your course is an exact fit for the person reading the page.
Of course it goes without saying
But I’ll say it anyway. The bullets in your copy need to have the ‘used car’ syndrome. The closing of your copy needs to have some variation of the ‘used car’ syndrome. The customer got involved with the ‘used car’ syndrome.’
Don’t deviate. And that vacuum suction will pull in the customer at full power!
Whoooosh!
What’s gravity got to do with testimonials? And why would gravity make a huge difference between good and outstanding testimonials?
Yes, you can have all the right questions to ask the customer (read Pg 65 of the Brain Audit). Yes, you can ask those questions. But what you have most of all, is the power to influence. And this influence is most powerful in person (at an event) or over the phone.
The gravity force comes from your enthusiasm
Sales is a transfer of enthusiasm from one person to another. If you really want to get the customer excited to give you a testiominial, you need to get excited. Your excitement creates a force of gravity. That customer gets caught into that force of gravity, and then responds accordingly.
In fact, don’t believe me…test it out for yourself.
Put on a sad face.
Or a dull tone of voice.
Or act bored.
And watch the testimonial you get as a result. The testimonial will be boring; staid; and at best the testimonial may be good enough.
To make the very same testimonial outstanding, you need to put far more energy
1) Put energy into your face: In a live situation, the one thing the customer is focused on most of all is your face. Your eyes must be bright; wide-eyed. Your smile must be big. And in addition to your face, your posture must be straight (not stooped). Your entire body language should be excited–even if it’s just for the duration of the testimonial.
2) Put energy into your voice: If you’re getting your testimonial over the phone (be sure to record the testimonial), then ramp up the excitement in your voice. Notice how TV presenters change their tone of voice just a little bit, signalling to you that somethings important, funny, or exciting. Radio presenters do the same. And there’s no reason why you shouldn’t ramp up your voice as well.
3) Put energy into your words: If you’re getting your testimonial by email, let’s see some energy in that email. Tell the client that you’re really excited to hear their reactions. And then, and only then, should you ask the question.
Your enthusiasm is the key to getting an enthusiastic response
You exert a tremendous force of gravity on the client’s response.
So be excited. And the excitement will reflect in the testimonial.
Faith is an island in the setting sun. Proof.
Proof is the bottom line for every one.
So sang Paul Simon in his song named ‘Proof’ (what else?).
The ramifications of what Paul Simon sings, really hits home when you get out there to speak to an audience or make a presentation.
Now don’t go mixing up proof with testimonials
Testimonials are proof. But they’re a different kind of proof. They demonstrate that the customer about to buy the product or service isn’t guinea pig#1. Testimonials work really well to reduce this immediate doubt that crops up in your potential customer’s mind. However, proof is more than just mere testimonial.
Touch it, feel it, experience it…
That’s what proof is all about. You’ve somehow got to make your live audience see the instant change. Pretty much like instant noodles. So if you’re selling instant noodles, you need to have your big ol’ clock go tick, tock and show the audience that tasty noodles don’t take seven hours and twenty minutes to prepare. That’s proof.
Of course, you’re not in the noodle business…
You’re a marketing consultant. Or you’re an acupunturist or you sell microphones.
I’ve outlined a scenario for each one of the above professions when you’re speaking.
1) For a marketing consultant: That’s me, so I’ll go first. I have a system called the Brain Audit. In exactly 20 minutes (and I’ve timed myself) I can get the entire audience to have just one question on their brain, based on what I say. I get the entire audience to write down what they’re thinking on a piece of paper. And they all write these words or a derivative of these words: “How do you do that?” Now imagine there are 20, 50 or 500 people in the audience. And everyone has the same question written on their sheet of paper. That’s proof.
2) For someone selling microphones: Imagine you had a cheap $20 microphone and you did a recording and played it back. Then you do a recording with the $200 microphone. Obviously there’s a difference in quality. Now if you just demonstrate the difference, you’ve done a great job. You can take it one level higher by getting two audience members to participate. One presses the record button while the other speaks into the microphone. And you stand back. Mmm…notice there’s been no tampering with the audio. And the audience gets to listen to the playback of the two recordings side by side. That’s proof.
3) Finally, the acupunturist: Can’t get rid of pain in one second, can we? But acupunture can demonstrate a scenario where if a needle is pierced in one place, the little finger comes up. If the needle is pierced in another place, the middle finger comes up (no, cross that thought!) This demonstrates that acupunture is very specific and can help to fix specific areas or ailments.
Note: In all cases, audience participation is vital. Proof requires audience participation. Testimonials are wonderful, but when I can feel and touch and experience something, I’m sold on it. Find the touchy, feely thing in your business. And you’ve got proof!
It was 2004.
We were promoting the Workshop in Los Angeles. As part of the marketing promotion, we put one little audio testimonial on the website. No, it doesn’t matter what the testimonial said.
What matters, is that over 1200 people clicked on that one link to listen to the testimonial.
Now why would they go clickety click? Hmmmm…wouldn’t you like to know why? 😉
It wasn’t the testimonial itself
So big deal. You have testimonials from your customers. And another business just like yours have testimonials from their customers.
What makes the other company’s testimonials work better than yours?
It’s called the forgotten art of the headline.
Headlines? In testimonials?
Yes indeedy! When a client gives a testimonial, they are saying something, something, something, kaboom, something, something.
Noticed the kaboom in the middle of that testimonial?
If you ask the right questions (either over email or the phone), at some point in the testimonial the client will say something that’s absolutely kaboom. A phrase, a sentence so powerful that you sit up and take notice.
Then of course, you hope all your prospects will do the same
Same what? Same as you, of course. Your hoping your prospects will read the testimonial, get to the kaboom, and take notice. Well, you know it and I know it. We will read through our own material with a microscope. At best, our prospects will just glance through the testimonials.
So darn it, put the kaboom where your prospect can see it!
Yes, take the headline out of Paragraph 3, Line 4 (or wherever the kaboom statement sits) and put it right at the top of your testimonial. And while you’re at it, can you increase the size, colour and boldness of the headline font, por favor?
But, but…I don’t have place to put a headline
Yes, I know. You can’t put a headline on every single testimonial. If you’re running your testimonial in your main text or off a side bar, there’s usually not enough space.
So allocate a space or page for testimonials
Create a special page where your prospect can go and read the testimonials. Put your headlines on that page. If you can, put the photos of your customers. And where the customers come from. And make sure there is a balance of sorts in the gender.
You’ll find the following factors in a testimonial:
1) Headline: Taken from the body copy itself.
2) Notice how the headline is bold, a different colour and a different font.
3) What do you do when you have a one line testimonial? The answer is on the page. Yes, scroll, scroll.
4) Notice the gender. One man, one woman, one man, one woman. Hmmm….Now why do you think that’s important?
5) See the photos? Why do they matter?
6) See where the clients live? Why does that matter?
We’ve digressed, haven’t we?
We set out to learn about headlines in testimonials. And we learned so much more. One more techie thing and we’re out of here.
I used to use graphics for my headlines. Not anymore. I now use CSS. If you don’t know how to use CSS, ask your friendly neighbourhood web designer, or look up CSS tutorials. CSS loads quickly and makes your headline looking smashing! Now, now, you know what to do next. Go and put some headlines on your testimonials. This article is called The Forgotten Art of Headlines, not because testimonial headline writing is a forgotten art, but if you don’t get down to putting in headlines for your testimonials, it will soon be…forgotten. 🙂
It was 2004.
We were promoting the Workshop in Los Angeles. As part of the marketing promotion, we put one little audio testimonial on the website. No, it doesn’t matter what the testimonial said.
What matters, is that over 1200 people clicked on that one link to listen to the testimonial.
Now why would they go clickety click? Hmmmm…wouldn’t you like to know why? 😉
It wasn’t the testimonial itself
I already told you so. It couldn’t be the testimonial, because how on earth can you listen to a testimonial without first clicking on it? You can’t, and we all know that. So why the heck did all those people click?
It’s called curiosity
If all you’re ever going to do is post an audio testimonial, and all you’re going to do, is slap a photo above the testimonial, you’ve got a 50/50 chance that a client is going to click on that link. But if you put a curious caption right under the testimonial, you’ve suddenly increased the chances of clickthrough, by a whole lot more.
Customers are curious
They want to know what’s behing the ‘green door.’ If you tantalise customers, and tease their brains just a little bit, you have a darned good chance of increasing your conversion rate, because hey, now they’re going to click through and listen to another customer give a testimonial.
Let me give you an example of a few good audio testimonial captions
Example No.1
You can’t listen to this testimonial. I know that. But you might still want to listen to it. There are several reasons.
1) The smile makes a difference. A testimonial with a smiling face gets more clicks over a non-smiler.
2) The caption is specific. It’s related to online growth, not just any growth. If you’re interested in growing ‘400%’ online, then and only then, would you click on this testimonial.
3) There is a level of curiosity. Can you make the caption better? Sure you can. Can you remove words like exploded? Sure you can. You need to go with your gut.
Example No.2
You can’t listen to this testimonial. I know that. But you might still want to listen to it. There are several reasons.
1) Again, big smile 🙂
2) Again, specific audience.
3) Again, can we improve the caption? Sure we can. For example: What happened to Jackie 30 minutes into the Masterclass? Why was she ready to leave?
You’d want to know, wouldn’t you?
So let’s summarise:
1) Photo: Smiley is better than grumpy
2) Title/Profession: It matters. I’m looking in the mirror when I see a testimonial. If the testimonial isn’t about ‘me’, I’m gone.
3) Results: It always helps to have results in your captions.
4) Rewrite: There’s no such thing as the best caption. I think both these captions need a rewrite. Note: I’m not rewriting the testimonial. I’m rewriting the caption.
5) Curiosity: Create high levels of curiosity. Ideally, put in at least one question in your caption. The brain wants to know the answer.
Hey, don’t stop at audio testimonials
Written testimonials or video testimonials too need some whack. Take the lessons you’ve learned in this article, and rewrite, re-design, rewire your testimonials. Do the audit.
Yeah, yeah! 🙂
