In a previous blog post, I wrote about how to get great testimonials to grow your business.
In this blog, we’re going to cover:
Why You Need Testimonials
In 2019, Trustpilot wrote an interesting article called “The psychology behind trust signals: Why and how social proof influences consumers”.
They performed a study by surveying nearly 1,700 consumers consisting of baby boomers, Gen X, Gen Z and millennials in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and many European countries.
In the article, they discuss the influence social proof has on a buyer’s decision, and specifically visual representations of social proof, such as badges, ratings, reviews, and logos, which they call trust signals.
They classified trust signals as the following:
Positive star rating and reviews
Positive star rating
Positive customer testimonials
Approved or authorized seller badge
Safe checkout badge
Case study
Company’s logo
Media publisher quote
Influencer endorsement
Company’s social media metrics
Public figure endorsement
And they discovered that some trust signals mean more than others:
“Of all of the trust signals mentioned, reviews, star ratings, and testimonials are the most important to customers. Positive star ratings and reviews ranked as the most effective (82%) followed by positive star ratings alone (79%), and positive customer testimonials (78%).”
Testimonials, including reviews, are important to your buyer and influence their buying decisions because they help to:
Boost your credibility
Highlight the types of people buying your product and their location
Add a touch of personality and likeability
Borrow the authority of the testimonial provider
Reinforce reasons to believe in your product or service
Tone down objections
Add an emotional layer
Trigger “pack mentality” (i.e., “if everyone’s doing it, maybe I should, too”)
How to Strategically Use Testimonials
According to Trustpilot’s study:
“Positive star ratings and reviews on the homepage were the trust signals most likely to drive customers to make a purchase (86%). Positive star ratings and reviews on a product page were the second most likely, influencing 85% of customers.”
The study also revealed that, “…testimonials (60%) and star ratings and reviews (50%) were effective when customers compared different retailers.”
Here’s a snapshot from Trustpilot's article on the best places to use reviews and testimonials to increase the likelihood that a buyer will make a purchase:
Although not on the list above, there are other places to consider using testimonials:
Your About page. Find out more about how to use them strategically on your About page.
Your emails. People are more likely to see a testimonial in an email than on your website.
E-signature. Remember to change it up regularly.
Social media and sales presentations. Be intentional in weaving the testimonial into a client story so it’s about the client’s success, and not you.
Printed marketing material. Especially important if your buyers prefer hardcopies. Or if you have a physical product that you sell—go ahead and slap that testimony on the labelling.
But not any ol’ testimonial will do. It has to be GREAT. Check out the Anatomy of a Great Testimonial infographic here.
And because I like ya, here's a quick infographics to help you remember the best places to use your testimonials:
Avoid This Testimonial Blunder
Testimonials should be supporting a point you’re making.
You claim that your shampoo is the best one on the market for hair regrowth? Use testimonials that highlight hair regrowth results.
Think you’ve got the best customer service around? Use testimonials that talk about how quickly problems were resolved.
Your sales framework boosts closing rates? Use testimonials with specific stats to support this.
If you’re making a claim, ensure your testimonials support it. Otherwise, scrap ‘em.
Now get to work getting those testimonials! You've got this!
Psst... If you need help getting your website to convert web visitors into leads, let's find out how I can help you by booking time on my calendar.
About the Author
As a published children's author, StoryBrand Certified Guide, copywriter and marketing strategist, Sandra Beatty helps service-based, trade and non-trade businesses convert web visitors into leads by clarifying their message and implementing a website and marketing strategy.
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