How to get great testimonials

October 14, 2008 by Janet Beckers
Filed under: Copywriting, Internet Basics

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On our Gold Members Q & A call today we discussed how to get great testimonials for your new book/ebook/product. First of all, let’s look at what makes a good testimonial.

What makes a good testimonial?

Compare these 2 testimonials.

” I loved this book. Jam packed full of really useful information and easy to read”

with

“I loved this book. After implementing just one tip from chapter 2 I gained an extra hour each day. I now have more time to spend with my young children after school each day instead of rushing to finish my work commitments. Thank you”

Can you see the difference?

The first one is glowing, but it could be for any good book.

The second one is great because it:

tells of a measurable result from reading the book
gives a before and after (rushed work vs time with kids)
tells a bit about the person that another person may relate to (working mum)

How to get a good testimonial

Well first, you have to have something worth raving about but I’m going to assume you have a great book or product!

When you ask people for a testimonial, they want to help you but don’t really know what is the best thing to do. That’s why you end up with nice, but bland, testimonials. You need to give them some help.

When you ask for a testimonial, give them some guidance in the form of questions. For example:

What was your biggest “ah ha” from the book?
Have you implemented any of the ideas from the book?
If you have, what did you do and what changes have happened in your life because of that action?
If you were to refer this book to a friend, which section do you recommend they must look at? Why?

This is just to give you a few ideas. You can put these questions in an email, letter or say them on the phone. Just say, “I’d love to get your feedback on my book. Here are some questions to get you thinking.”

Who do you ask for a testimonial?

It’s great if you can get some well-known people to give you a testimonial. Send them a copy of the book, ask nicely and see if there is anyone who can introduce you so you are not going in cold. Tell them why you think they are a legend.

Apart from the well known person, you need to find as many TYPES of people as you can. By this I mean, young, old, single, has young children, has teenagers, divorced, newly married, black, white, and all shades of the rainbow. The reason for this is social proof.

People look for testimonials from people who are just like them. A 20 year old man will relate to a testimonial given by another young man, but maybe not the single mother of pre-schoolers.

For this reason, always ask for a photo to go with the testimonial so people can scan through your sales letter or testimonial page. Their eyes will be drawn to the photo of the person they most relate to.

Final Words

A good testimonial can seal the deal for you. In fact, on my business card I don’t have a description of what services I provide – I simply have my photo, my contact details, and one good testimonial that covers my main selling point. After all who are you more likely to take notice of?

The seller of a product, or someone who purchased and used the product?

I’d love to hear your tips and experiences with testimonials. Why not share them here as a comment?

Cheers

Janet

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