Copywriting How To’s - Turn That Testimonial Into A Selling Tool!
As a copywriter, you’ll find that many of the testimonials you have access to aren’t as good as they could be. They might be too vague, or just plain boring. If that’s the case, don’t think you have to use them. Testimonials can be a great selling selling tool for a copywriter — you need to take full advantage of them.
Don’t wait for great testimonials to come to you. Go out there and get them! When you do, you’ll be able to get testimonials that highlight certain key benefits. This lets you show your prospect that someone just like him has used this product and gotten great results!
Most customers give the same type of testimonial. I call it a Before and After testimonial. He tells you the problem he had, and how this product solved it. This type of testimonial is definitely better than just saying, “I loved your product!” but in today’s market you need to go one step further.
Why do I say that? Because nowadays everyone gives Before and After testimonials. They’ve become common and after awhile they start to all sound alike. They simply aren’t as powerful as they use to be.
For great copy, you want to get richer, more powerful testimonials. The good news is it’s not that hard to do! In fact, with just a little work, you can have a pile of testimonials — each focusing on a different selling point. All you have to do is go out and get them!
The first step is to get the names and contact information of key customers. Call them up and arrange a time to “interview” them for 20-25 minutes. This will be your chance to uncover interesting, real-life stories your prospect can relate to.
When you’re finished, you are ready for the next step. This is where you take the information you just gathered and transform it into the strongest testimonial possible.
When you’re finished interviewing the customer, ask him if he’d be willing to let you use what he said as a testimonial. If he says yes, offer to type one up for him based on the conversation you just had. When it’s written, you will send it to him for his approval. Surprisingly, most people will jump at this suggestion!
As long as you’ve done a good job interviewing the customer, you’ll have a ton of great material to work with. If the customer has agreed, all you have to do is take what you’ve got and create the best testimonial possible.
Go through your interview notes and ask yourself:
* Which angle should I take?
* What selling points do I want to reinforce in my copy?
* Which one does this story support the best?
* How can I position this testimonial for maximum effect?
* Is there some part I can include that will make my prospect stop and think, “Hey, that guy sounds just like me!”
Just imagine how much more powerful and effective these type of testimonials will be. All of the different angles you can take and the great real-life tidbits that you can weave through your sales copy.
The truth is, there’s no better way to get these type of powerful testimonials. When you know how to guide the interview, you can uncover the “good stuff” quickly — every single time. Then all you need to do is take what you have and position it, and you’ve got a testimonial that will make selling your product that much easier.
You’ll have a testimonial that’s written in your customer’s words, only better. It’s laser-focused. It addresses key selling points and reveals real needs and desires that your prospect will immediately connect with. It’s a testimonial that most copywriters only dream about!
