How To Minimize Perceived Risk With Testimonials | Value Selling Sales Training

Receiving solid referrals from delighted clients is the best way to build your business. Your closing ratio will be very high with a referral, particularly if your referral source is a trusted friend of the prospect. The next strongest marketing tool is to utilize testimonials from great clients.

A third-party endorsement is one of the most persuasive marketing techniques around. Use testimonials in your advertising, in direct mail, in proposals, and in handout marketing materials. Clients love to do it for you and prospects are impressed.

How to Collect Testimonials

There are a variety of good ways to obtain good testimonials. You could simply ask your best and happiest clients to write testimonials for you. A better way is to send clients examples of what others have said or offer to write a testimonial for them. While written testimonials are the norm, there are more creative ways to collect and deliver them.

One firm hired a radio personality to perform live inter- views of clients. The managing partner called about 10 clients and made appointments for the radio announcer. The announcer had a series of questions he asked each client. When he visited the clients, he took his time interviewing them. After each question, he asked the client, “Were you comfortable with your answer? Do you want to rerecord it?” Some clients recorded several answers to the same question so the firm would have a good selection. These testimonials provided excellent spontaneous material from which to build a commercial.

Using Testimonials

The managing partner identified the best comments from the interviews. They edited the tapes until they achieved a very tight 60 seconds of clients saying positive things about the firm, its partners, and services. During meetings with decision makers, they play the 60-second version of about 20 very positive comments. Such a creative way of delivering testimonials is powerful and memorable. Many decision makers ask for a copy of the tape to play for others in the business.

Another effective way to use testimonials is to ask your client to call the prospect before your meeting. Ask him to talk directly to the prospect or leave a detailed voice mail. The prospect will be much more receptive.

A third way you could use a strong client endorsement is to request your delighted client to be available during the time of your prospect interview. Then at an appropriate time during the interview, say, “Bill Jones, one of our clients, has agreed to stand by to talk to you. He is waiting for our call right now. Would you mind if we called Bill and let him tell you first hand his experiences in working with us?” When the prospect agrees to this approach, you may volunteer to leave the room after the phone call has been connected.

Conclusion

Finding creative ways to use testimonials is a powerful selling tool and a way to minimize the perceived risk of working with you.