Why Most Customer Testimonials Don't Work and What You Can Do About It

Sept. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- Publicity Expert, Barbara Grace, from SmallBusinessBigPublicity.com shares insider knowledge on how to create sensational customer testimonials with 4 easy steps.

"Testimonials are super important for business owners to use on all their advertising and marketing materials and on their websites," says Barbara Grace, who uses e-publicity to generate interest both online and offline for small businesses.

"Testimonials build trust and confidence in your ability to deliver the goods or services you offer as most advertising makes people sceptical of anything that looks, feels or smells like selling."

"The more you can help your customers provide ‘expert testimonials’, the more credible you’ll become and the more you’ll reinforce existing clients of the great service you provided."

Unfortunately, 82% of testimonials lack clarity and detail. Barbara says that statements like ‘great service’ reveal little about what organisations really do for clients.

Barbara suggests following four simple steps to get expert testimonials you can use to generate big publicity for your business. Begin by creating a template for clients to follow; or, write the testimonial yourself using the following criteria then ask your client to endorse it.

"This makes it easier for your client, makes you look more professional in your approach and saves both of you time," says Barbara.

In return, always offer to support your client’s business by providing a testimonial using this formula for them Barbara suggests.

Step 1
•   Identify your client’s major problem that you solved. Be specific and itemise the issues that you helped them overcome. Write as if you are the client, so take a moment and walk in their shoes. Think of what their business was like before you came along. Describe their problems carefully (but respectfully), then list them using ‘client-centred’ language.
For example:
“Before working with Small Business Big Publicity Barbara Grace I didn’t have enough clients to keep my business going.”

Step 2
•   Explain, as if you were the client, how the problem was affecting their business. This is a critical step, because if a problem isn’t bad enough to be fixed, it won’t be causing any pain, so make sure you explain the problem in ways that were causing pain with time lost, poor cash flow, low customer retention, lack of motivation, unprofessional business image etc. It's really important to have the problem not only expressed in business terms but emotional ones as well.
For example:
“I spent money on expensive ads in journals and online that I wasn’t even sure anyone noticed. I didn’t know if the ads brought in any business. It was costing a fortune with money I didn't have - I was frustrated and disappointed, but I didn’t know how to attract customers more cost effectively before Barbara Grace from Small Business Big Publicity came along.”

Step 3
•   Describe how your solution relieved the problem in specific terms.
For example:
“Barbara saved me and my business time and money. She set me up with a publicity system that works like clockwork. I don’t even have to think about it. With all Barbara’s e-publicity tactics, I reach ten times the people I did before, have more inquiries than ever and sales are double what they were this time last year.”

Step 4
•   The most important step is including a recommendation for others to use your services.
Ask to use a photo, name and business logo if suitable.
For example:
“I’d recommend Barbara Grace’s Small Business Big Publicity System to get your business moving. It’s simple, do-able and is more valuable than any paid advertising I’ve ever done.”
Finally, put the referral on your website, include it in marketing materials and send a warm thank you letter to your client for supporting your business.

Who is Barbara Grace?

Barbara Grace is a professional communicator helping small businesses and not-for-profits use publicity to attract clients. Barbara uses e-publicity to generate publicity that gets noticed.

As a published writer and small business owner herself, Barbara understands the challenges faced by small business owners struggling to attract attention, but with her publicity generating system that’s a thing of the past she says.

On her website, www.smallbusinessbigpublicity.com Barbara offers visitors free training videos and an extensive blog that covers all aspects of getting publicity using both online and offline tactics.

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Barbara Grace at Small Business Big Publicity helps small business owners attract customers using publicity that gets noticed online or offline.