“Your company’s service is the best in the entire industry!”
That’s a powerful (albeit flattering) statement. Imagine if every new client or customer could view this statement about your company. How could this statement improve your sales? You are surely aware of the uses of a testimony, but let’s dismantle its elements.
First, A Brief History Lesson
Referrals and testimonies have been around for a long time. Cave men era: hunters would refer which animals were best to eat; gatherers the best berries.
Jump into the time-stream, to the 2000s and you will find that people are STILL asking others for opinions, recommendations, and referrals for many needs; restaurants, groceries, mechanics, hotels, you name it!
Online, the format has slightly changed. You can comment, share it, like it, rate it, or vouch for it. When you Google your service/product you need, Google will automatically show you the highest rating items. It’s just that easy. You can see comments from 2004 from Bob from Wichita to Sally’s comment last week.
Testimonials are now becoming archived online so people can see improvements on how well customers are enjoying the service. Unlike a book that changes its recommendation cover with every publication, online testimonies can be accessible for as long as you choose. In addition, the recommendations you receive, aren’t from people you hired to say something nice; they are genuine reactions to your product or service, and no celebrity in the world can compete with Jane Smith from Arkansas, whose life was literally improved by said product or service.
Why?
The Psychology of a Testimony
Trust. Validity. Credibility.
Jane doesn’t have anything to gain or lose by giving your company a review. However, a celebrity or someone in the company can be perceived as being forced to give a recommendation (a good one at least). This lessens the credibility of the company, because it isn’t a ‘real’ person giving a testimony. The one thing more powerful than you talking your company, is regular customers talking favorably about your company, have a legitimate service with a history.
Bottom line is: a purchase from a testimony is based on trust. Without that element, the testimony is useless, if the source isn’t trust-worthy.
Testimonials on your Facebook Page
With the increasing number of traffic on Facebook, the dominating social media website is also a golden marketplace for many consumers and businesses. Guess the biggest factor that enforces buying behavior on Facebook. Wait for it……….. referrals!
Here are some great benefits of using testimonials on your Facebook Page:
- Improves Credibility – it establishes trust in your company and your history, and allows for potential buyers to associate with past reviews.
- Free Advertising – everyone loves free advertising! The more buzz, the better!
- Archive of Testimonies – it is easy to view testimonies from the past, allowing news customers to see improvements, growth in reception, and see if they’d identify with a past (or current) review.
- Gauge Demographics – you will be able to see who is responding, from where, and you will be able to track how well your company is doing, and when. Usually the reviewer will let you know for what reason J
- Gauge Reception – remember: a testimony or review is a genuine reaction. They weren’t obligated or held for ransom to leave a comment. They usually have nothing to gain or lose from their statement. People take these for face value.
With the many different venues for online communication, be aware about how valuable a testimony can be. Keep a valuable record of your testimonies for future buyers. Invite current buyers to leave reviews. Give people a reason to talk about your company.
If you have any comments, feel free to leave them below or send me an email.
We do have an app to showcase your testimonials directly on your Business Facebook Page. You can access the Testimonial App here.
Stay Social.
