Take a minute and think about your buying behavior.
What's the first thing you check after the product title and image on a product page?
If you're like most people- it's the testimonials and reviews.
Testimonials are the voice of the customer. And people see a reflection of themselves in your existing buyers.
For example, as a mom when I look at the marketing copy of this daily gummy vitamins:
I am not sure whether these will be right multi-vitamins for my kid even though the product page and the bottle sticker say so! Here are some of my off the cuff doubts:
Are these really safe?
Are these even useful?
What if my kid gets some allergy from these?
But when I read these testimonials:
I am convinced that I will be making the right decision by investing in them. And that they will be safe.
I can see other buyers like me talking about:
Why they chose this product
How it's living up to its claim and if it is
What are the problems it's helping them solve
How satisfied they are with the outcome
The conclusion of this conversation is that no matter how spiffy your marketing copy is, if the testimonials don't back up the claim, it's a waste.
This increases the importance of having a collection of honest and well-documented testimonials.
Our good friend, Chris has done an interesting video on testimonials and how to collect them on autopilot.
Watch now:
We've summed up what Chris discusses in this blog post.
First up, let's look at the two types of testimonials.
Contents
When someone buys something from you and shares a word about how product has helped them. This could be just a quick two line testimonial sharing how happy they are. Or a much longer storytelling format.
2. Character testimonials
Ideal for those who've just started out their business and do not have buyers.
If there's someone who can vouch for your character, that's great too.
Get them to say something about you. Let them tell the world that you're a good person with good intentions and you're not scamming people.
One of the ways I used to get character testimonial was to do a really detailed, well-researched guest blog post for someone known in my niche.
And got a flattering character testimonials in return. So reach out and build a relationship.
Influencer testimonials for eCommerce store owners (even if you're just starting out)
If you're selling physical products, of course testimonials vouching for your character will not add value. So a great way to show proof without actually having real customer reviews is to give your products to influencers.
Find out some good influencers in your niche and get them to do an unboxing video or just a quick review while testing your product.
Let these videos be real, raw and authentic. Take a look at an example:
These testimonials tell the user that the product works as claimed and it's the real deal. That's all they need to know to take the plunge.
There's actually a third type of testimonial too...
Shout out on social media - This is a great way to show proof that your product works or that you provide an amazing service.
When someone's happy, they may write a quick note on a social media. You can grab a snapshot and put them on your sales page.
Here's a simple step by step process to generate testimonials on autopilot.
Step #1: Create a simple automation in your email autoresponder software
You may be using MailChimp/Active Campaign/Drip, whichever it is - you can set up a real quick automation asking them for the testimonial.
Step #2: Set the trigger to 'purchased product X'
Set the starting trigger to a new purchase. And let WooCommerce communicate with your email service provider so that this new contact get the purchase tag.
Step #3: After a set number of days send them a short & friendly email
Copy this email template:
Subject Line: Can I ask you a quick question? / How's it going
Body: Hey there,
You bought from us about a month ago. I am just curious to know how you experience has been?
Hit reply and let me know.
Thanks
This email is just to get them to raise their hand. You can then follow up with them to do a video testimonial or a case study - whatever you like.
Step #4: If needed, set a gentle reminder
You'll have testimonials pouring in.
Once you have got some good testimonials, please go ahead and put them at the right places.
Checkout page is a great place to show proof because that's where people are grappling with maximum doubts. And they are closest to parting with their money.
If you're starting out, do not forget the character testimonial method. But if you're doing a few sales, then do create a small automation to collect testimonials on autopilot.
It's a small automation but the advantage is huge. And don't forget people do want to give reviews- we all have an innate desire to share our experiences, whether good or bad.
Your on-time emails will act as a great push to get them to take action. So take the formulas and run with them. More power to you!
