James Kilgarriff’s Weblog

We need all the resources we can get to attract new customers and I propose that one way to get the edge is through the use of testimonials.

A number of years ago I worked in London for a large American Payroll Services company, ADP, who provided outsourced Payroll and Accounting Solutions.

One of their most powerful selling strategies was to ask satisfied clients for a short testimonial letter outlining the ADP´s service. The result was a much easier closure of sales which to me is attraction in action!

I recall I had a portfolio of testimonial letters from banks, advertising companies, car manufacturers, IT companies and so on. When I was selling to an advertising company, I would have at least 2 letters from advertising companies using the ADP payroll system. The challenge was getting in to see the company and presenting my solutions, the easier part was closing the client as the testimonials tended to provide the leverage towards a faster decision.

I was fortunate to be in a company where all the sales people cooperated to share and exchange testimonial letters which helped to build my portfolio of testimonials quickly. Here is an illustration of cooperation rather than competition within sales teams. Cooperation is now being talked about as part of the new paradigm in business.

If you are thinking about using this method to attract new customers then I would recommend the following steps:

1. Don´t be afraid to ask for a testimonial if the client is happy with your work

2. Help the client to draft a testimonial if he or she is not sure what to say. Ensure it reflects the service you have actually provided. Be honest as honesty has a good vibration which attracts more of the same.

3. Ideally ask for the testimonial to be written on the client´s company letterhead and signed by him or her. Otherwise an email will do with your customer´s name and position as part of the email signature.
4. Always ensure that the client´s name and area or region where he or she works or lives is on the testimonial. I have seen so many testimonial´s on web sites that show Mr K from New York. I tend not to believe that. If instead a web site shows Brian Kelly from New York then that carries more credibility.

5. If possible ask the testimonial client if they would be willing answer any questions posed by potential new clients who are thinking of buying your products. Perhaps place a limit of 3 calls to your testimonial customer. Don´t flood a happy client with calls coming from a ton of potential new buyers of your products.

6. If you are working in a sales group, offer to share this idea and if it feels right and good, initiate a testimonials bank for all sales people and see if you can foster a spirit of cooperation within your company. This can be a powerful tool in making you and your sales group more attractive in the way you do business with new customers.

If you want to see an example of what I have done with this idea, click here to see what I have done with this idea when I set up a real estate business in Spain where I now live.

Why bust a gut to convince a client to buy from you when you can confidently offer an array of testimonials. Testimonials are like sponsors and helpers for your business and support you in your sales campaign. In a time where every industry has so much competition, finding creative ways to attract new customers such as this with testimonials may just give you the edge.

If you currently do not have many clients to request a testimonial just start from where you are right now and aim for one, then two and in time your testimonial bank will build and support your business efforts.