Here is how to do it.

Testimonials may be one of the most important and powerful tools available in closing a sale. What others experienced, how they feel about the experience and the positive recommendation provided, by someone who has satisfactorily concluded a working relationship with the seller of services or product. This is what people want to hear. How did it work for others?

People love to hear a story.

So help your new prospective clients make their decision by sharing the stories from your satisfied clients with them. Let your satisfied clients tell their story in a testimonial format. This is a glorified pumped up, expanded reference because a testimonial is the customers story not just a recommendation. That’s the first huge lesson. The one line “wonderful experience…, would recommend to anyone…, excellent service…, “ are all good but we can do better, much better, we can tell the story so the new prospective customer lives the experience and falls into the successful relationship, and envisions his own successful story. That’s your objective.

How to accomplish this.

1. Ask an existing satisfied and happy client if he would be willing to participate in a testimonial. Tell them it is not necessary for us to include his/her name so their privacy will be protected. Remember this is not a referral, but a testimonial, the customer does not have to be involved in ongoing discussion with new potential clients, we leave that task for others. This job is merely to tell a story with a happy ending. Assure the client it will be easy, tell him/her we will do all the work, even writing it for them, as most people are willing to tell the story but not write it down.

2. Include a picture. A picture of the client telling his story. If possible surrounded by the product or service you provide, not critical but if possible it adds a nice touch. Thus if you provide swimming pool services or build or install them, have the picture taken around the pool, it adds great credibility and sets the scene in the new customers mind …envisioning a successful completion. I can be sitting next to my pool just as this person is, the prospect will think, and we are already half way home to a sale, as the prospect begins to see the vision. This is easy today with digital cameras.

3. Here is the key to success, you have a staff employee, or the salesperson, maybe the boss, if there is an established relationship between the them, briefly interview the customer reminding the person of all the positive points of the experience and the relationship, all the points you want to expand upon that are deemed important by the market place such as quality, timeliness, friendliness, ease of doing business, great design, excellent price and value, whatever is important.

Then YOUR employee writes the testimonial right on the spot and asks the customer if this works, is this ok, and 99 out of 100 times with minor insignificant adjustment, the customer says yes its perfect and that’s the deal, you have the testimonial you want.

People are afraid to write, do not necessarily have the skills required and may not understand what you want, so make it real easy and do it for them. Never ask a client to write anything themselves.

5. Then have them sign it , using only their first name, so it has more authenticity.

6. Put this on your web site, in your presentation book and enjoy the benefits, a pictured, signed, story written by your employee with the support of your client, that’s a testimonial we can use.

This works, creating trust and confidence easily and effectively. This is how to create a positive sales conclusion…using testimonials.

Check my web site out, you will see how what this all looks like. www.Todrinandassociates.com. Call if you need help 413-549-2966