Releasing a Product with NO testimonials, or Wait until you get them, then release it?

by entry
20 replies
I want to release a product, with a sales page (which is ready, with the product ready too)- release it on RAP possibly.

Everything is ready, but rather than posting it on RAP Bank, i would like to have testimonials throughout the sales page,

but waiting for them could take 1-3 months (of delays of asking people- which i can do)


So would you

a)
release the product Now, and add the testimonials 2-3 months later on the sales page?

b) Wait 2-3 months, get the testimonials, insert them in the sales page and THEN sell the product?


which method do you do, {those of you who have testimonials on your sales pages}

This is not a product launch, just a regular ebook sale.






#product #release #releasing #testimonials #wait
  • Profile picture of the author freemen14
    Originally Posted by entry View Post

    I want to release a product, with a sales page (which is ready, with the product ready too)- release it on RAP possibly.

    Everything is ready, but rather than posting it on RAP Bank, i would like to have testimonials throughout the sales page,

    What I would do is try to have testimonials during the launch. Could you not give out review copies for people to give honest feedback and start there?

    but waiting for them could take 1-3 months (of delays of asking people- which i can do)


    So would you

    a) release the product Now, and add the testimonials 2-3 months later on the sales page?

    b) Wait 2-3 months, get the testimonials, insert them in the sales page and THEN sell the product?


    which method do you do, {those of you who have testimonials on your sales pages}

    This is not a product launch, just a regular ebook sale.
    What I would do is try to have testimonials during the launch. Could you not give out review copies for people to give honest feedback and start there?

    Good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author InitialEffort
    I would recommend doing free or discounted review copies. Then gathering their testimonials. It will take a little bit of time to gain traction, but once you have a good reputation and you have a good product, that is all you need.

    For my WSO in signature I did a small launch a month before just to make sure that I had all of the kinks worked out. This gave me the opportunity to collect initial reviews and then also to gather reviews after people had used the product. That way there are some actual results and real testimonials.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayo
    Depends on your marketing strategy.

    If you will sending an email to your list then you most likely already have creditability
    therefore you may get testimonials right away.

    If you are going to market the site via SE's, advertising streams and other methods
    of such then the testimonials could help a lot.

    Have a Great Day!
    Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    I would approach anyone I know with a list and give them a copy for free. Offer instant affiliate payments (RAP does this) and give them a hefty percentage. Be sure to build a list of buyers so you can go back to them with other products you put out. Don't just think money up front... give your partners who mail for you 75%... maybe even 100%... but build that list.

    You'll get more takers the higher percentage you offer.

    The thing about this is that recommendations from marketers to their own list subscribers is HOT traffic! You don't need a bunch of social proof (testimonials) on your sales page for those people, because they're already predisposed to trust you because they were recommended by someone they already trust.

    John
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    • Profile picture of the author Sandor Verebi
      Hi entry,

      As John suggested, you can make a piggyback start with your product, if that has good quality.

      There is a JV subforum here, so you can find a JV partner in short time. Approaching politely several people and make the business.

      Many successes,

      Sandor
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    I think it is fine to release it without testimonials. Some will go for it, just because it is new.

    Of course, your sales will be less than their best without testimonials, but you got to get the ball rolling now.

    I am tweaking sales pages and adding testimonials for the first 2-3 weeks after product release.

    You should be inclined to do the same.

    Add the testimonials to the copy as you get them. And don't sweat the details.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kevin AKA Hubcap
      Release it. As you ask for and receive testimonials incorporate them into the sales page.

      b) Wait 2-3 months, get the testimonials, insert them in the sales page and THEN sell the product?
      The Horror.

      Your depriving yourself of 2-3 months worth of income from the product as well as the testimonials you'll receive and the marketing knowledge you'll get from what works and what doesn't.
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      • Profile picture of the author entry
        Originally Posted by Kevin AKA Hubcap View Post

        Release it. As you ask for and receive testimonials incorporate them into the sales page.



        The Horror.

        Your depriving yourself of 2-3 months worth of income from the product as well as the testimonials you'll receive and the marketing knowledge you'll get from what works and what doesn't.
        Would you choose the customers/people who purchased it as people to do testimonials?

        or get some other people to to them as reviews?

        or better yet, authority people in my niches?
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  • Profile picture of the author webalytics
    Banned
    Definitely release it now. Testimonials come from sales, but you can't get sales if you don't release your product. You can always go in and add testimonials later once you have them. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author ArticlePrince
    Release it now; testimonials HELP your conversion %, they don't MAKE it. You'll lose more money sitting and waiting than you will from the slightly smaller conversion, so enjoy the income that you can get now and add testimonials 'hot off the press' so to speak. Put a date on them, it helps conversions when people see recent reviews.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel F. Lavoie
    Originally Posted by entry View Post


    a)
    release the product Now, and add the testimonials 2-3 months later on the sales page?

    b) Wait 2-3 months, get the testimonials, insert them in the sales page and THEN sell the product?
    [/FONT]
    Don't wait to have testimonials ready to sell your damn thing!

    If you have a product that fill the needs of your target audience - you'll sell copy no matter if you have testimonials on the sales letter or not.

    Don't forget that testimonials are just a conversion booster.
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  • Profile picture of the author paul wolfe
    You could release it as is - and include testimonials from clients who've worked with you on other projects/purchased other ebooks.

    Those testimonials would have to be clear that they are about either you, or previous products. But this will work - and then as you start getting testimonials for the new project you can either replace the original testimonials, or move them down the page.

    HTH.


    Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce Wedding
    Geez, testimonials are not the only kind of proof you can add to a letter. Millions of dollars of products are sold in direct marketing without a testimonial, year after year.
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    • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
      I am a cynical soul and if I see testimonials on a sales page of something new I immediately think that they are fake and am put off buying. That is because of the practice of giving review copies away and most people will review something they got free favourably. Even if the reviews aren't favourable you would be unlikely to put them on a sales page.

      Personally all I want to see on a sales page is what the product is about, how I will benefit and be able to find the price easily. If I have to scroll through testimonials to get to the important details then I am more likely to click away without buying.

      Perhaps once the product has launched and you get unsolicited testimonials you could build a page on your site for them and link to that on the sales page. Then you won't have to update sales pages, just the testimonial page.
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  • Profile picture of the author DPWeb
    This is a great discussion, I've often wondered this myself. I think letting people with a list review your product is a great idea. Offering them affiliate percentages goes hand in hand. They could review it on their blog and send it to their list. Everyone had great responses.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rich Lowe
    Hi,

    Dont worry if you don't have testimonial to start with. As tpw said some people will go for it because its new. If you can get a testimonial from one of these then you are well on your way. Be honest and provide a solid product. The rest will take care of itself.

    Rich
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    • Profile picture of the author sal64
      I am about to release a product which was rpeviously only available thru the war room and as a wso.

      I'll be contacting everyone who gave me reviews fpr permission to convert it to a testimonial with their link.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    I'd release it now, and then add testimonials as they come in. You're leaving a lot of money on the table by waiting for sufficient testimonials before releasing the product. What is there to lose by releasing it right now without testimonials?
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  • Profile picture of the author Micallef
    I find testimonials to be poor evidence of quality. Of course, they could have been faked and there is no way of telling otherwise.

    You could build your credibility by having empty testimonial slots on your sales page which read "Your review here - if it's published, get half price off the product!" or something like that.

    This means that when people look at your sales page, they'll see you haven't just made up reviews, and when they start appearing, they will have more impact for being viewed as genuine.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sid Hale
      Don't mean to shout, but...

      WRONG!

      Originally Posted by Micallef View Post

      I find testimonials to be poor evidence of quality. Of course, they could have been faked and there is no way of telling otherwise.

      You could build your credibility by having empty testimonial slots on your sales page which read "Your review here - if it's published, get half price off the product!" or something like that.

      This means that when people look at your sales page, they'll see you haven't just made up reviews, and when they start appearing, they will have more impact for being viewed as genuine.
      What that really conveys to your visitor is that all of your testimonials are "bought and paid for".

      Getting good reviews is an easy process, if you have a quality product, and should NOT take a month (much less 2-3 months). Add them to your sales page as you receive them.

      As mentioned earlier, a WSO can be used as part of your pre-launch strategy, and can help you get those testimonials. It's a way to sell "review copies" rather than giving them away (just don't call them that). I'm sure you've seen WSO submitters add posts from their own WSO thread back into the WSO sales copy - before the WSO has even gotten off the first page!
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