Turn To Testimonials To Elevate Your Marketing
by Tom Ruwitch
A friend recommended that I check out a business that tests dogs’ DNA.
She suggested I might be interested in the service for my dog, Moose.
I visited the site and wasn’t very fired up…
...until I got to the bottom of the front page and saw this quote from a happy customer:
“Dakota is such a sweet dog and it’s so good to know her background and health issues that we are able to address before she starts showing signs and too late to treat! Thank you!”
And this:
“I recently rescued my dog from a Chicago shelter and wanted to know which breeds she is. I also wanted to know if she had any health conditions.”
And this:
“In the reports, details are explained for better understanding, which leads to some answer why your dog(s) look and act the way they do.”
The top of the site hinted at this stuff: “Smarter Dog Care Powered By DNA.”
But it didn’t capture my attention…
...because it didn’t tell me a story I could relate to.
I could relate to those quotes. They reflected my worries and wishes for Moose -- and all the other dogs I’ve owned over the years.
And that’s the moral of this story:
You will capture prospects’ attention if they can relate to the picture you paint, the story you tell.
If the DNA testing company hired me to power up their story, I’d put this at the top of their site:
- Improve odds that your dog lives a long healthy life by discovering health risks BEFORE they become issues.
- Loveable mut? Learn all the breeds that make up your unique dog.
- Understand why your dog looks and acts the way it does.
I pulled all of these selling points from the testimonials…
...which leads to another moral of this story:
If you want to power up your business story so prospects and customers tune in, listen to what they’re saying.
When I work with clients to power-up their business stories, I often start by reading the testimonials.
What pain do you relieve for customers? What desire do you fulfill?
Testimonials often answer those questions -- as they do on the DNA testing site.
And those answers use the language of your marketplace. They come from the horse’s mouth.
So check out your website and ask yourself: “Does the most prominent copy paint a picture my prospects can relate to?”
If not, read your testimonials and case studies. What stories are your happy customers telling?
And if you don’t have testimonials or case studies, drop everything and go get some. They’re marketing gold.
Tom Ruwitch is Founder and CEO of Story Power Marketing. Coaches, consultants, and other thought leaders choose Story Power to attract more leads, keep them engaged and interested, and inspire them to act. More at StoryPowerMarketing.com.