How can you easily increase sales? Testimonials
Testimonials = Sales
For any sales professional interested in selling more to more people in less time, testimonials are an absolutely vital part of the formula for success. If you’re not using them in your business right now, you are missing out on one of the most useful and under-used sales tools ever!
I have some thoughts on why most people don’t use testimonials anywhere near to their full potential. First, let’s talk about why testimonials are so effective.
William Clement Stone [link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Clement_Stone] built what would one day become a multi-billion dollar empire by selling fire-insurance policies door-to-door during the Great Depression.
Though his knack for people skills is a big part of success he had a little something extra—a binder overflowing with testimonials from previous customers. Clement made It a point to never let his binder full of testimonials from his side when he was knocking on doors.
And for good reason; it was full of stories—and not just happy accounts from people who were satisfied, rather it reveled the range of emotions from painful stories about how people had lost houses, husbands and wives to misfortune and how relieved they were that they’d purchased William’s insurance and were covered. With such a range of honest and compelling stories it was nearly impossible for anyone to say no.
Testimonials reaffirm that your claims are credible and that your services or products are worth their time. They can validate the feelings that a prospect has for you in the most sincere manner.
Testimonials help you make a convincing case to prospects. When you have a strong set of testimonials you are able to lean on them for added credibility in a sort of; “don’t just take my word for it, have a look at what my customers say...” It deepening the confidence that people have in your message and reducing the barriers at the close of a sale.
So how do you get testimonials?
First, the best advice you can ever get in sales is to LISTEN
When you’re talking to customers on the phone, does anyone ever share with you a little story about how they were able to make good use of your product or service? People are more times than not usually very willing to off the hand tell you a sort of progress report about your product.
Check your email. Has anyone ever sent you a note just to say “thanks for the great work” on that last job you did for them? Or how about that glowing feedback from a client who responded to a survey that you sent out? Each of those is a testimonial, just waiting for you to act on it.
Second, never be afraid to ASK
Remember William Clement Stone? He once said: “If there is something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask!”
When a client says great things about you, about your work or the products you sell, give them the opportunity to turn that praise into a testimonial.
Just ask: “I’d really love it if I could include what you just said in my client testimonials. Is that okay?” People generally enjoy being helpful to other people, so give them that opportunity to give you that all-powerful testimonial.
Newer customers are passionate...
Get on the phone and call your newest customers. No matter which industry you serve, the most passionate praise you’ll find for your work and the service you sell tends to come from customers with whom you have only recently started doing business.
|
