Do testimonials work? I know they do because I owe my business to one.
Picture a nervous 21-year-old software nerd, sweating like a pig in his worn-out Star Wars t-shirt, and desperately trying to pitch his skills to a Fortune 500 VP of marketing on the way to a formal marketing event.
The stammering wannabe entrepreneur, of course, is me. The odds were long, and in fact, it’s fair to say I didn’t know anything about sales, let alone how to sell my big idea.
Just walking up to the VP was a gut-wrenching flashback to the job interview from only a year before.
Somehow I did manage to deliver my pitch, but only through the magic of the testimonial.
Instead of the direct approach, I asked a good colleague to prepare the way with a lavish dose of my extremely unique skills. Luckily, this colleague ignored me and instead presented a more humble and accurate picture. This way more true-to-life testimonial surprisingly clinched the sale.
What does this tell us, other than the obvious reflection of my wantrepreneur pitching prowess?
Testimonials work!
- They work because they’re convincing.
- They convey trust.
- They can provide the much-needed social proof that tips a wavering prospect into a paying customer.
Here are my five tips for making the best use of testimonials in your ad copy:
- Research; go read tens of the most positive reviews on Trustpilot, Amazon, etc.
- Pick two or three vivid sentences that best describe the benefit the happy customer enjoyed (bonus if it also addresses an objection)
- Use specifics when available; rather than “I saw a big improvement,” pick one that states exactly what the improvement was, such as, “My hair grew 10 inches in one week” (uhh, well… that brings me to…)
- Don’t over-edit and never fake it. Testimonials work best when they are in “real” language. Those small grammar and language quirks help the reader connect and demonstrate they are real.
- Add it to your mix of descriptions in the ad copy and start testing.
– Nils
PS: One of the best ways to get GREAT testimonials is to simply ask. So, here’s my question:
I was wondering if you could share with me some stories of how my work has been helpful to you so far. Hearing about your wins inspires me to keep writing these resources because it feels fulfilling to know that they have a positive impact.
So, if I may ask: has my work been helpful to your GAds account, or career so far? If so, how?