If you’re trying to convince someone to buy from you, you can talk about the benefits of your offering until you’re blue in the face. Often enough, it works. But if you don’t have all day to spoon-feed your targets, you need a shortcut.
That’s where testimonials come in.
Testimonials use simple logic to persuade a target to buy from you. “Person X is just like you, and Person X liked my offering. Therefore, you will too!” It’s hard to argue with that, and most people won’t. The power of testimonials has been demonstrated many times. In fact, one website saw a 34% increase in conversions just by including a few bland testimonials on a particular page.
So, how do you get testimonials and use them effectively as a mobile app reseller? Here are some tips:
1. Don’t hide them
Don’t imprison your testimonials on a special “Testimonials” tab on your site. Celebrate them, and sprinkle them liberally around your site and marketing collateral. You don’t want people to have to find them, you want them to be on the fence about contacting you, and then to notice a testimonial that comforts them and seals the deal.
Testimonials should find prospects, not the other way around.
2. Ask for testimonials (timing is key)
Don’t wait for people to gather outside your door and start singing hymns of praise. Instead, incorporate testimonial or feedback requests into your regular business practices. When you complete an app, and the customer is at a peak of happiness with it, that’s the time to ask for a quick note about their experience.
This also ties into keeping in touch with your customers. You should contact them regularly to check in or deliver info. Don’t harass or irritate them, but don’t drop off the face of the Earth either.
3. Get as much personal information as you can
Let’s look at two example testimonials:
“This app developer is the greatest there is!”
–Jeff Worthington, Owner of Jeff’s Pastries (jeffspastries.com).
“This app developer is the greatest there is!”
–Some guy named Jeff
Which one looks more credible to you? The first one, of course!
The more personal information you obtain for your reviews, the better. First and last name are key, a photo is great, and a link to their business is also nice. If you can attach a link to a related case study or showcase their app in some way, that’s also good.
The more credible your testimonials are, the more amplified their power becomes.
4. Deliver great service
That’s where glowing testimonials come from – great service experiences. If you’re just adequate, the testimonial will be, too. Ensure that your clients are enthusiastically satisfied, and their testimonials will make you look like a hero.
5. Use them when selling
Reference your testimonials and past cases when selling to prospects. If someone sends an email with a question, talk about experiences with past clients in your response. You don’t have to cite them directly, but if a prospect asks about whether the app will work well with their customers for example, you can say that most clients are surprised at how fast the apps show a return on investment, and add, “One client I worked with was concerned about the same thing, but he ultimately said the investment was worth every penny,’ so you don’t have to be worried there.
Again, testimonials are a an extremely effective way to help with common obstacles when selling.
You do good work, so don’t be shy about sharing the kind words that your clients have said about your services. Testimonials are one of the most powerful tools you have – we recommend that you don’t leave them lying in the toolbox.
