Customer testimonials are one of the best ways to convert traffic into paying clients. Most consumers nowadays actively seek out prior reviews and testimonials before paying for a product. This is particularly true for service sector businesses. Customer testimonials carry weight, but only if you do them right.
Consultants at Corporate Business Solutions often encourage small businesses to put an effort behind customer testimonials to make them actually persuasive. This goes beyond doing a routine spell check. Here are several ways to make customer testimonials compelling without resorting to exaggerations and hyperbole:
Write Long Testimonials – It may make sense to write short testimonials if you apply advertising logic to the material. After all, short text keeps potential customers interested, right? Not when it comes to testimonials. Audiences find longer testimonials more compelling than short ones. The problem with short testimonials is that they tend to sound like quick endorsements, not actual feedback from a former customer. People read testimonials to find out what it’s like to work with your company. So a long-form testimonial with details is the best way to go.
Provide the Specifics – Avoid writing generic testimonials. These are known to be ineffective. A persuasive testimonial includes specific details of services rendered. Ideally, the testimonials should include the nature of the services provided, the types of services provided, and the results. It’s highly recommended to use data, such as a conversion rate before and after. The small details do matter in making the testimonials sound authentic and compelling.
Do Use Pictures – Images are great for giving a human, or a real life, face to the testimonials you publish so they don’t sound like another advertisement. Also, images keep web users interested. Marketing experts know that visual aids can dramatically improve how promotional material is consumed. This is true for testimonials as it does for content and ads.
Consider Video Testimonials – Do not overlook the power of video testimonials. If your company’s target audience is typically averse to long-form text, then the video would be the best way to go. Video testimonials are full of visual assets, which are always good signs for conversion rates. A video is a great format for online testimonials as the majority of web users are known to consume hours of video.
Next time your small business is preparing to publish a testimony, think about the above advice from CBS Corporate Business Solutions consultants. You will notice a difference in conversion rates sooner rather than later with compelling testimonials.