Social Proof
The reason testimonials are important is that they provide social proof. Social proof is a key concept in marketing. What it means is that if other people liked a product or website, your website visitor might like it as well. Other people bought the product and got great results, and this tells potential buyers that it’s worth trying.
Even more importantly, social proof removes doubt. When we’re searching for information or products on the internet, we have good reason to be skeptical. You have to remove all doubt from your visitors’ mind so that they feel there is no risk in trying the product. Social proof does this by showing others who have taken you up on your offer and ended up satisfied.
Why Testimonials Provide the Best Social Proof
There are many types of social proof. For example, showing your Facebook likes is a way to show that others like your offering. The reason testimonials work so well is that they’re longer form and they show real people. The testimonial writer can explain in more detail exactly how you helped them, and this gives a more powerful message to the potential buyer.
The other key point is that testimonials are real. It’s pretty widely understood that anything you see online could be fake. Some unethical marketers buy fake social proof on gig websites like Fiverr. When you present a testimonial with an image, a person’s real name, and a link to their website or mention of their business, it shows that your testimonials are real. Your website’s visitor can easily check up on them.
Best Practices on Getting Testimonials
- The key time to acquire a testimonial is when a customer follows up after using the product and gives you positive feedback. You can ask them if they would please submit the testimonial, or allow you to edit their email praising you.
- Acquiring testimonials should be ongoing. Old testimonials don’t work as well as new ones. Make it a regular part of your sales process.
- While you never want to buy testimonials, there are some ways you can ethically bribe people to leave them. You can offer a discount on further purchases or something else that doesn’t cost you anything. You can also mention to the person that they’ll get a backlink and exposure from their testimonial as well.