Good old Jeffrey Gitomer (a fellow member of the folically challenged club) said, “If you become a testimonial-based seller (which I believe to be the most powerful form of sales in the world), then you can get testimonials for every element, or every step of your sales cycle.”  and he is right on the money.

Why? It’s very simple…. because customers like to feel reassured that the purchase they are about to make will do everything that the sales person has told them it will do. Why? Because there is a principle based around social proof that effectively confirms, “If other customers like this, it must be good”.

The power of using testimonials during different stages of the sales process increases sales when ‘real’ customers are seen or heard testifying as to how beneficial a product/service has been for them. They increase your credibility because they are third-party endorsements rather than words out of your own mouth. The goal of a customer is to predict the future about a product/service, and by offering real stories from other real customers can turn a picture of your proposition into a tangible experience.

There are a number of powerful ways that you can use testimonials that are guaranteed to help you increase your sales results.

Study the statements below and for each one consider if it is true or false – I’ll give you the correct answers tomorrow.

• The more specific a testimonial, the more meaning it holds for a prospect.

• You can use testimonials throughout each step of the sales process.

• Ask for testimonials as soon as you’ve built rapport with your prospect.

• Photographs and customer information adds credibility and impact.

• The best way to use testimonials is to send them out after your first meeting.

• Writing a testimonial on behalf on your customer means that they will read better.

• Selecting relevant testimonials based on your prospect’s situation helps to bring your proposition to life.

• Video based testimonials are the ultimate way of presenting the viewpoints of other customers.

• Testimonials can help combat price objections.

• Asking customers for their opinion (in writing) gets a better response compared to asking them for a testimonial.

• Effective testimonials should be no longer than 6 -8 words.

• The process of generating testimonials should be ongoing.

• If a customer refuses to give you a testimonial, it usually signals a lack of rapport and/or that their perception of you, your company, product or service didn’t meet their expectations.

• Testimonials reduce their buying risk and maximises the Social Proof Principle.

Today’s News:

As the economic tide begins to turn, those of you that are lucky enough to have survived, now have a wonderful opportunity to storm down that last furlong, and really finish the year strongly.

That will do at least two things: Firstly, it will greatly enhance your 2009 performance – of course, but it also will put you in the perfect frame of mind to stride into 2010, full of confidence, and ready to take up the new challenges that will inevitably arrive.

This is your invitation to join five of the leading sales experts in the world:

Wendy Weiss, Paul McCord, Leanne Hoagland–Smith, Kendra Lee and me, who will between us provide you with a route map, to ensure you surge through that finish line.

Tuesday December 1st 2009 1:00 PM EASTERN(6pm GMT)

Join us, with my compliments – register HERE

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