Online networks have made a telling contribution to business marketing in so many ways over recent years. One way they have done this is to raise the importance of, and ease of gathering, business testimonials.
On sites like LinkedIn and Ecademy, people can leave a testimonial for you at any time. LinkedIn has the added advantage of allowing you to decide whether or not to display that testimonial and even ask for edits.
So, what makes a testimonial valuable? While it might be nice for people to share what a great person you are, how good it has been to connect with you or how helpful you have been, do these testimonials really add much value if read by prospective clients?
The best testimonials are those which clearly demonstrate the effect you have had on a client. What problem did you solve and what benefit did they have as a result of using your services?
I occasionally get asked on LinkedIn to provide a testimonial for someone whose services I have had no commercial experience of. What value can I add in such a testimonial? I can repeat hearsay at best. When asking people to provide endorsements, approach those who can add value.
The acid test, when a prospective client or Champion reads the testimonial, should be the impact it will have on their decision to connect with you.
http://help.tweetmeme.com/2009/04/06/tweetmeme-button/
Monday, August 03, 2009
Endorsements that Count
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That's good advice. Also it can be good if you can get someone to do a video for you that you can post onto your website or blog.
ReplyDeleteWe also ask customers to talk directly to other customers about their experience using our services.