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Testimonials as a marketing startegy?

by imfusa
12 replies
Do you still believe in the testimonials that are found in 99.99% of each product?
I mean, we are in 2012, does it still worth it to stress yourself, as a seller, to "create those testimonials"? Share your thoughts.
#marketing #startegy #testimonials
  • Profile picture of the author 4sitenow
    Yes. Referrals are the best selling tool in most cases. People want to purchase what other people recommend. Social confirmation is huge!
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      You dont create testimonials.
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      • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
        Banned
        I concur Andrei's response.

        Testimonials or reviews contribute to the marketability of your products and services. However, it's obvious that there are lots of websites still fake their reviews without telling the people who do they accumulate such reviews.

        IMHO, it's important that you are transparent in telling people how you gathered such reviews, especially when you post them on your website. Anyone can edit reviews but once you write on your website your process of accepting and approving unedited reviews on your website, they'll trust you. That works for us because that's what we have been doing.


        Originally Posted by Andrei Rotariu View Post

        You dont create testimonials.
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  • Profile picture of the author Trevor
    Even though it's possible to bribe people to create fake testimonials for you (just look at Fiverr and other marketplaces like that - For $5, you can have a "testimonial" created in no time), I only believe testimonials in sales thread if I know the product creator and know he's reputable and credible.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sanket Patel
    Including Testimonials in your website has always been a very powerful tool. As they not only describes the experience of the customers but also increase the conversion rates and the confidence of future customers. It gives the reason to your clients to follow your products and services.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Testimonials are only as powerful as your audience perceives them.

    Take a look at the Warrior Forum for instance. In the WSO section people are able to post their real feedback and reviews directly in the sales thread. This removes a lot of the doubt usually associated with testimonials on regular sales pages and adds to their authenticity. You really can't find much better social proof than that provided on a forum like this.

    Now if I were to take those same testimonials and insert them into my salespage off of the Warrior Forum, those same testimonials wouldn't have anywhere near the same impact they do here. Exactly the same testimonials but they wouldn't be as powerful as they are on this forum. So it's not just about the testimonials themselves... it's how authentic your audience perceives those testimonials to be.
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    • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
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      You have a point, Will.

      If I may add, one may also include the link of the original source of the review from the person's sales thread in Warrior Forum. I have seen clients who post their reviews from their LinkedIn account to their website, but they provide a link to the original review.


      Originally Posted by WillR View Post

      Testimonials are only as powerful as your audience perceives them.

      Take a look at the Warrior Forum for instance. In the WSO section people are able to post their real feedback and reviews directly in the sales thread. This removes a lot of the doubt usually associated with testimonials on regular sales pages and adds to their authenticity. You really can't find much better social proof than that provided on a forum like this.

      Now if I were to take those same testimonials and insert them into my salespage off of the Warrior Forum, those same testimonials wouldn't have anywhere near the same impact they do here. Exactly the same testimonials but they wouldn't be as powerful as they are on this forum. So it's not just about the testimonials themselves... it's how authentic your audience perceives those testimonials to be.
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      • Profile picture of the author WillR
        Originally Posted by contentwriting360 View Post

        You have a point, Will.

        If I may add, one may also include the link of the original source of the review from the person's sales thread in Warrior Forum. I have seen clients who post their reviews from their LinkedIn account to their website, but they provide a link to the original review.
        You can do that but most good copywriters will probably agree that the last thing you want to do is link away from your salespage. You shouldn't be giving your customers any reasons to click away from your salespage. Once they do that they are likely to never return. People have such short attention spans these days so don't give them any reason to get sidetracked.
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  • Profile picture of the author WF90te
    I will not believe most testimonials because they can be faked. But I will trust what is
    written by famous people like millionaire coaches , best-selling authors and very successful
    marketers whose names and achievements can be easily found on the net
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Schuman
      I have found testimonials to be a good way to help brand yourself as an expert on what you are selling. Adding a face (picture) to the testimonial seems to help make it more believable. Create a separate testimonial page and keep it updated as well if you are using them outside of your sales page.
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  • Profile picture of the author evilsaigon
    Collecting and showcasing genuine testimonials is definitely still a great strategy, but creating fake ones is technically against the laws... so it's a no-no. If your product is very new, and have no history of customers yet, I'd suggest giving away or selling review copies of your product instead.
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    • Profile picture of the author imfusa
      Originally Posted by evilsaigon View Post

      Collecting and showcasing genuine testimonials is definitely still a great strategy, but creating fake ones is technically against the laws... so it's a no-no. If your product is very new, and have no history of customers yet, I'd suggest giving away or selling review copies of your product instead.
      TRUE! it is illegal, but there is nothing you can do, cause the "creator" of the testimonial can defend himself easy, but of course you can take a serious action and ask his payment processor about the persons who have bought the product, and after contact them and see if the testimonials are valid or not. But this requires a lawyer, lawyer = money, so better search for another product in cause you don't trust the seller.
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