How successful companies and entrepreneurs use their existing customers and fans to sell to new ones – Online reviews and Testimonials

Testimonials can increase conversion on your sales pages by 34%, but there are many different types of testimonials, and they all improve trust and conversions in their own way.

To make sure you take full advantage of them, I’ve scoured the internet to find every testimonial option available for you to use to increase conversions and improve your marketing. Some testimonials fit in several types. The testimonials can each be used differently for promotion and vary by type. We’ll go over most of that next week. 

In this article I’ll go over the 10 different types of testimonials you can use in your business and on your website. Then at the end, I’ll give you some tips on getting started and go over why it’s important to test and combine them whenever possible.

Ready? Here are the 10 types of reviews and testimonials:

1. Quote Testimonials
2. Peer Testimonials
3. Social Testimonials
4. Influencer Testimonials
5. Video Testimonials
6. Success Story Testimonials
7. Interview Testimonials
8. Longform Testimonials
9. Mashup Testimonials
10. Platitude Testimonial

1. Quote Testimonials

This is the one most people are familiar with. Since the first newspaper came out, these have been the staple for using testimonials to give proof of trust from customers. It’s really all about a happy customer and many times tells a story of why they are happy they did business with them.

Use quote testimonials with a picture or create a video with a voice over. VERY EFFECTIVE.  

2. Peer Testimonials

Peer testimonials is all about getting peers of you perfect prospect to give a testimonial. If your perfect customer is a woman between 18-25, these testimonials would be from that same group. These are very targeted and if you have multiple target audiences, be sure to identify which they belong to and use accordingly.

3. Social Testimonials

These are when a customer is saying great things about you on a social media platform. This can also be an internet review. They are stronger as someone mentioning your company outside of the review areas. Use Google to find and alert you to someone mentioning your company name. 

Watch for Tweets, videos, photos on Instagram, posts or mentions that you are on site on Facebook and others. 

4. Influencer Testimonials

Influencers are those that people follow and take their listen to their advice on something. Influencers can be found on TV, radio, bloggers,  people with high followers on Instagram, Facebook or other social media sites, local celebrities (mayor, council person, chamber leader or other high profile person).  

Having one of them to endorse or recommend you is great. Many social media personalities will endorse you if you send them your product and ask. Some charge and a fee for mentioning you. You must find out before you send them something to try out, what their terms are. 

When we had a mayor mention one of our customers (a photographer), he got many people that said they were there because of that endorsement.  

5. Video Testimonials

For our internet age, this is so important to use. If you can get people to speak a great testimonial for your phone, you have gold. Some people are afraid or shy and so they say no. You can still promote the testimonial by asking if they will be okay with having someone record it as a voice over with photos from their business in the background. I’ve never had anyone say no but it is best to get their permission (unless they sent it in by email or mail – it is implied permission). 

With everyone carrying a phone with a camera on it, it has become easy to capture the moment they say something that is testimonial worthy. 

I’ll talk more about how to promote these next week.

6. Success Story Testimonials

There are quotes that tell a story but this is showing success in something because of your product or service. Coaches, speakers and trainers use this more than most but it can also be a company saying great things about a product that they carry. Before and after pictures or stories really do well. It needs to be a “Success Story” to qualify. You’ll see why next week when I tell you how to market them.  

7. Interview Testimonials

I have had this several times. I’m being interviewed and the person interviewing will say something great about me or my company. Be sure to keep a copy of the interview (print, TV, radio or internet are all great). One time it was the lead in to the interview. Another time it was the promotion of the interview a few days before the interview. Ask for these if you don’t get one. 

8. Longform Testimonials

Have you ever heard of longform sales letters? They do really work.

Longtail testimonials are long testimonials that tell a great story. When you get a long rambling letter/email from a customer, don’t discount it. These long story testimonials can really help. People believe that if your customers have more to say, there must be lots more value in the producto ro service. “The more you tell, the more you sell” is true and it goes for testimonials as well. They are very persuasive and ring of truth and trust! Don’t make it long a boring but strong and persuasive gives trust.

9. Mashup Testimonials

Mashup testimonials is when you have many types of testimonials or many of the same type of testimonials all strung together. The one testimonial after another of the same type can hammer home the point of trust and value. One that brings multiple types together can be very effective to show variety and still give quality service.

More of how to use these next week.

10. Platitude Testimonials

The worst of all testimonials and sometimes they are all some get. See the first blog about testimonials for examples and the “platitude test.” NEVER use these to market yourself. The best thing to do is ask why the feel you “Really take care of me?” Ask why they say that and tell you more about it. 

Missed one of the blogs? Click here for the first one
and for the second one Click here