"I used the methods you told me to use, and for
three days my phone's been ringing! I sold over $
3,500 in goods and services in three days! It's
the first time in five months that anyone had
really purchased anything."
What makes this testimonial so powerful? Let's
break down the elements of an effective
testimonial in more detail:

? Good testimonials should filled with benefits.
A comment like, "This product is great!" is nice
to hear, but it doesn't tell visitors what your
product can actually do for them.

? You want the benefits of what you offer to be
front and center in every testimonial: "This
product doubled our profits in a month!" or "This
product made the pain in my back disappear
completely--and did it fast!" or "We've never
seen any product that could get the rust off our
car without damaging the paint--until now."

? Good testimonials should substantiate your
claims. If you say your product can do something,
your testimonials should back up your promises,
complete with actual facts and figures. How much
money did your customers save by using your
product? How much time did they save by using
your service? How did it solve their problems or
improve their lives?

? Good testimonials should be from someone your
targeted market can relate to. You want your
visitors to see that your product helped someone
just like them. Make sure your testimonials come
from someone with whom your target market can
identify.

? If you sell primarily to seniors, for example,
ask your customers if you can include their age
along with the testimonial. If you're selling to
moms with children, ask if you can mention how
many kids they have or include a photo of their
family.

? Good testimonials should be credible. Accompany
each testimonial with the first name, last name
and hometown of each testimonial-giver to show
that your endorsements come from real people.
Always try to include a photo as well.
? And if you can, take it to the next level by
including audio or video testimonials for maximum
effect. Do anything you can to help your visitors
connect with your testimonial-givers on a
personal level.

? Good testimonials should endorses the key
benefits of your product. It's fun to hear that
your super-duper floor cleaner smells nice or
that the bottle doesn't drip--both things that
matter to people who would consider using your
product. But have you established that it cleans
their floors well?

? Good testimonials should be comparative. Did
your customers try another product that didn't
work before they found yours? You want your
visitors to know what your product can do that
other products can't. Choose testimonials that
set your product apart from your competition.

Start collecting more testimonials and use them
to your advantage.