 BUSINESS 4NETWORKING [Do customer testimonials influence you?] |
| Author: |
Post: |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 11:03
|
   |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 11:35
Hi Steve,
When you start to understand peoples buying process or points of influence or meta profile you start to get and understanding of what is neccessary to help then make a decision or be confident in buying.
To deal just with the point you have made there are a number of points to consider, here are 2...
1. Looking at the 6 points of influence (for further info read "Influence" by Robert Cialdini) one of the points is "Social Proofing" which means that there is confidence in the product because others have bought the product
2. There are 2 points of reference people take when formulating an opinion which has an effect on an individuals buying process or assimilation of information. Reference Externally or reference Internal. Either people will use an internal sense or internal set of rules or they reference external (and this could include Testimonials)-could really go into detail here, however I think the point is made.
Testimonials as part of your communication to potential clients/customers will be positive, some will read with interest and need, some will not read as its not important to them, some will not read them but its important to them to know you have them.
Hope this helps
Business Coach
...able to help you with your sales, marketing, advertising, profit growth, business systems, time management and team building strategies to literally jump your revenues in a matter of months ...
"Do you run your business or does your business run you?"
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 11:56
I have changed my mind on this subject.
I used to think it was rubbish, but so many people say otherwise i thought what the hell
http://www.skillsprovision.co.uk/polish-jobs-testimonials.asp
I don't use contrived ones and i tend to forget to ask
Interesting thread
Chris Slay, Director | Specialist Provider of Polish Jobs | 07977 131 389 | enquiries@skillsprovision.co.uk
Skills Provision Ltd is registered under the Gangmaster Act 2004
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 12:18
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 12:37
We use freeindex as you can see from my sig below,
We also have a testimonial page on our website. I think it is very important and helpful to read testimonials. One bad report on the web or through word of mouth could save you a lot of time and money. Also if you have somebody to call and ask about their experience with a company that is very powerful.
I would always recommend getting them and using/displaying them.
Dom Rosato (Managing Director)
Flat fee recruitment that works, Guaranteed!
Telephone: 01793 441 459 Email: dom.rosato@employerfirst.co.uk
WWW.EMPLOYERFIRST.CO.UK
(Marlborough 4N Group Leader)
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 12:56
Why would anyone be happy to have prospect read negative feedback on their business!
This is about selling your product/service and helping prospects to buy. Testimonials are integral part of that process (see my post above)
I would expect a business to show testimonials on their site, or link to somewhere where testimonials are (to me its no different-direct or independant, your still showing me a testimonial)
As I said above this is about social proofing and referencing-and therefore its about reading or hearing positive experiences.
Negative feedback will create doubt, however it is also true to say that if there is doubt negative feedback will looked for.
Testimonials are just a part of the jigsaw and the whole sales/buying process needs to work to get the job done-more sales.
Business Coach
...able to help you with your sales, marketing, advertising, profit growth, business systems, time management and team building strategies to literally jump your revenues in a matter of months ...
"Do you run your business or does your business run you?"
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 14:22
Business guru Chris Cardell was extolling the virtue of testimonials the other days in one of his email updates. I think if they are authentic then they can be powerful. I hate the ones that just say "Acme widgets are fantastic".
Better to have one that tells a story...
- What was your business challenge
- How did Acme Widgets resolve it?
- How did they do it, what did they do? (Features)
- What was the result for your business (Benefits). Eg. Improved cash flow, shorter sales cycle, higher sales, more profit, etc.
Video testimonials embedded on a website can also work well if they follow the above format. I produce these for SMEs. Here's one I made earlier.
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 14:40
Quote:
Why would anyone be happy to have prospect read negative feedback on their business!
2 Words - Credibility & Confidence
In fairness, I have no choice. Hotels & restaurants are widely reviewed across the web and owners have very little ability to influence those reviews. It is the very existence of the occasional poor review that gives credibility to the good ones. At first, I used to dispute every negative review, but I have since found my customers to be much smarter at interpreting both good & bad reviews than I first thought.
An owner's website is within the control of that owner and testimonials can always be solicited from blue chip customers. I am always suspicious of these. Genuinely independent reviews come from the heart.
I don't pretend to be perfect, nor do I try to cater to everyone. My business is very good at what it does and I have total confidence in it. I have no need to hide the bad news (which provides my best source of improvement) and I prefer to trust the intellect of my (target) customers to sort the wheat from the chaff - a job which they seem to do extremely well!
A Hotel for Business or Pleasure (but better for BOTH!)
01404 831278
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 02nd Oct 2008 at 18:58
Breakfast reports are impressive.
Any large employers in your area? I fancy a visit
Chris Slay, Director | Specialist Provider of Polish Jobs | 07977 131 389 | enquiries@skillsprovision.co.uk
Skills Provision Ltd is registered under the Gangmaster Act 2004
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 08th Oct 2008 at 14:17
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 08th Oct 2008 at 14:47
This is certainly a subject we've been wrestling with. We have written and video testimonial on our site and have a few on this site now that we have 4N customers as well. I think they do have value but must be seen in the context of your products and your other marketing efforts. If you concentrate too much on testimonial, people might actually be distracted from what you do. I agree with Julian's comments above about telling a story, but you need time and the right medium to get that across succesfully and you do run the risk of boring your audience if you don't get it right or they are after different information (ie what you actually do).
Dave Harries
www.bizview.tv
01793 858215
07989 448670
Web Video that Works
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 08th Oct 2008 at 14:50
Especially if the are specific, and show you have solved an issue.
People also like to know that others who are LIKE THEM have bought or done someting (as addition to social proof). Good case studies with some video or audio have worked amazingly well when I have been buying, as long as I can relate to the person featured.
Claire
Check out the e-book at http://www.happynurses.co.uk/site.php/spgs/read/happiness_ebook
www.happynurses.co.uk
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 08th Oct 2008 at 15:03
Quote:
Why would anyone be happy to have prospect read negative feedback on their business!
This is about selling your product/service and helping prospects to buy. Testimonials are integral part of that process (see my post above)
I would expect a business to show testimonials on their site, or link to somewhere where testimonials are (to me its no different-direct or independant, your still showing me a testimonial)
As I said above this is about social proofing and referencing-and therefore its about reading or hearing positive experiences.
Negative feedback will create doubt, however it is also true to say that if there is doubt negative feedback will looked for.
Testimonials are just a part of the jigsaw and the whole sales/buying process needs to work to get the job done-more sales.
So you would just leave out any bad comments? It will find it's way onto the net anyway!
Luckily I haven't had any negative feedback. But if I did I would aim to put it right ASAP so that the client could leave a positive testimonial. I understand that you don't want to have totally damning comments or reviews on a testimonial page. But to be fair a page of testimonials which all seem like they've been written by the comapny and then signed off by the actual client rings alarm bells with me. Also when there are no names or just first names on the testimonials gets my goat....are the actually real? If something is too good to be true then it usually is and therefore Google will hold all the gruesome truth! How does your business stand up to a google search of your company name......this may be something which needs more attention than your testimonial page. You may be top, but the next 5 results might be links to people slating your service!
On my testimonial page I only use candidates first names to protect them a little, but I always use clients full names, and their business name so that if somebody wants to check up on it they can.
If you're wondering why we haven't got a full 5-star rating on freeindex, this is because one of the candidates we placed didn't think we were good value for money. The fact that candidates never pay a penny for our service makes her rating for this a bit strange, I can only imagine she might have been hacked off I didn't pay for her petrol to drive to the interview:) I'm just happy she left a good review over all.....bless her cotton socks;)
Dom Rosato (Managing Director)
Flat fee recruitment that works, Guaranteed!
Telephone: 01793 441 459 Email: dom.rosato@employerfirst.co.uk
WWW.EMPLOYERFIRST.CO.UK
(Marlborough 4N Group Leader)
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 10th Oct 2008 at 14:35
Mark Beaumont-Thomas
Group Leader 4Networking Solihull
|
| |
|
|
Posted on 10th Oct 2008 at 14:35
Sorry, pressed wrong button...
I agree with Julian's comments about telling a story. Constructing a clear narrative of problem>solution>outcome>situ 3 months later (or whatever) creates stories which become recognisable to others as issues. These become more concrete examples of your service than "we do this and provide excellent service blah blah" which everyone states.
Getting this info out of your customer directly can be a pain and a bit of an embarrassing conversation for both parties ("let's talk about how great I am"). One solution is getting someone else to have that conversation on your behalf. I do this for a number of my customers and write up 'case studies' for them to use. Seems to work well, as I keep getting asked to do more of them...
Mark Beaumont-Thomas
Group Leader 4Networking Solihull
|
| |