You must do what you say you are going to do all the time. No exceptions, no excuses, no apologies.
Imagining the Benefits of Testimonials
If you’ve ever watched QVC, Home Shopping Network, or seen an infomercial, you know about the power of testimony. It’s our experience that your sales will increase when customers are seen or heard testifying to the benefits of your product or service.
It helps potential customers to imagine themselves as proud owners & users of the product or service you offer. They want to experience the same benefits of testimonials as the person who made a testimony to it. The best strategies to increase sales is to introduce them to other satisfied customers. Since you won’t be taking customers around on sales calls, testimonials will take their place.
Capturing Customer Experiences
To do this, first, you will need to ask your best customers whether you can interview them about the positive experience they’ve had with your product or service and record it either with a digital camera or a written review. Be sure to inform them how you’re going to use the information so they can be at ease knowing that you’re going to be using their words and images in front of prospective customers. Once you have this, in a digital format, incorporate it into a PowerPoint presentation and playback to prospective customers.
Overcoming Price Objections with Testimonials
For example, maybe you know a situation where the cost of your product or service was initially an issue for a customer and they instead decided to buy from a low-price competitor. After discovering that the selected vendor wouldn’t be able to deliver, the customer came back to do business with you. They realized that the low price paid in the short run would actually cost more in the long and the value of providing quality and service is worth the extra money.
Utilizing Testimonials in Sales Strategies
The best kind of customer is one who can give you a testimonial. Then, should you encounter another prospect that voices similar concerns, you can simply say I understand how you feel and other customers too felt that way. In fact, here are some comments from a customer who had the same concerns you have now ì. Once you play the PowerPoint presentation, they can see exactly what you mean.
Tailoring Testimonials to Sales Scenarios
Ask your best customers to talk about the benefits they receive from using your product or service. If you have a number of different testimonials, you can always use the one that best fits the sale scenario. One sales rep we know shows pictures of customers using his product. A picture of a happy, satisfied customer is worth a thousand brochures (and a lot less expensive).
Nothing sells better than truth and you can get closer to the truth and when it comes from someone who’s had a real-life experience with you, your product, your services, and your company.
Good luck in implementing these strategies to increase sales!
