Testimonials are important but hard to get – especially if you want a good one.  The last thing you want to do is harass or annoy your best customers into giving you one.  So what’s the solution?

I recently experimented with a new technique with two of my clients who were having the same problem – getting their customers to provide their testimonials in writing. We got great results and we did it without alienating anyone.

Here are the steps I took:

·         I asked my client for a list of email addresses of the customers I should contact – the ones who would have positive feedback.

·         I sent an email to everyone on this list asking them when I could schedule a 10-minute phone interview with them.

·         When they responded to the email I confirmed a time for our interview and sent them a thorough list of questions to look over BEFORE we talked. This gave them time to mull over their responses.

·         During the interview I kept it brief, asked my questions and wrote down their responses.( I also asked them if there was anything I didn’t think of asking that they wanted to include.)

·         Immediately following the interview, I wrote a well-crafted testimonial using the answers they provided. Whenever possible I used their words and their individual style of expression so that the testimonials sounded authentic, not canned.

·         Then I emailed a draft of the testimonial to the person I interviewed and asked them to make any edits, corrections or additions they wanted. (Very few made changes to what I had written.)

·         Once I had their approval I sent the testimonial to my client to post on their website.

Why did this strategy work so well?

For one thing my clients rock so they have customers who are eager to help them with a good testimonial. This is an element I have no control over. However, both clients had tried to get these favorite customers to write up their own testimonials with little or no response.  Frustrating, isn’t it?

My approach worked like a charm. Almost EVERYONE responded to my request for a 10 minute interview. Most people would rather talk than write. I guess that’s why I have a job as a copywriter!

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you. If you’re not comfortable interviewing your clients you might want to ask your assistant to conduct the interviews or consider hiring a copywriter to help. It takes some work to get red hot testimonials but it’s worth the effort!

Internet marketing requires that you constantly create new content – ezines, blogs, articles, press releases. And, don’t forget social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook!  If you’re not utilizing your content in these various avenues, you’re limiting your marketing exposure.  It sounds overwhelming, doesn’t it? It doesn’t have to be…when you use repurposing as a shortcut.

Look at what you already have stored in your content “reservoir”.  By creatively expanding what you’ve already developed, you can leverage your time and energy with multiple results. For example, if you’ve been interviewed you can use the information found in your outline or transcript to create blog posts, newsletters or downloadable reports. Let’s say you’ve written an article, use that article in a public presentation or teleseminar by tweaking it to meet the needs of your audience. Just make sure to take the time to organize your content and make the appropriate adjustments depending on your format.

If you’re working with a professional ghostwriter or copywriter, make sure you give them access to your “reservoir” too! I’ve helped many clients repurpose their content from blogs to info products to presentations. The additional benefit of having access to this reservoir is that it helps me to mimic the style of writing. So when clients ask me, “Do you really want to me to send you this old article?” I usually reply, “Yes, send me everything!”  Even if I don’t use all the content it gives me valuable background information.

Repurposing is a huge timesaver. In fact, I used it in writing this blog post! It was based on an interview I gave last year - Leveraging Your Knowledge for Profit – How to Confidently & Quickly Create Compelling Content. So before you jump into your latest project, think about what you can repurpose because with a little tweaking you can save a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Be sure to share any repurposing tips with me!

I have telesummits on my mind. I’ve been helping three different clients work on their telesummits this month. (FYI- A telesummit is an online interview series on a specific topic that can be accessed via the internet or telephone.)

I’ll be honest it’s a ton of work and I just work on the content end of things – sales pages, blogs, press releases, tweets etc. But in addition to all that a telesummit requires lining up speakers, setting up sign-up pages, autoresponders and much more.

So what’s the payoff? What are the benefits of hosting your own telesummit? I’ve identified five benefits that I’ve observed:

·         List-building – This works if it’s a free event – you capture email addresses of everyone who signs-up so you can market to them later.

·         Establish your expertise – If you’re trying to position yourself as an expert, providing high-quality content through a telesummit is a great way to do it!

·         Ongoing income – After the telesummit you can easily transform the content into an info-product (MP3s, transcripts, worksheets etc.) that generates ongoing income.

·         Publicity – This is a great opportunity to get some media coverage for your event, especially if you have well-known speakers participating.

·         Establishing relationships with other experts related to your field – Experts are usually happy to participate because they benefit from the list-building and publicity as well. This can be the beginning of great joint-venture partnerships.

If you want to see for yourself how a telesummit works check out the following telesummits (they’re all free):

Going on now:

Career Changer Super Telesummit – Need to change your career? Not only is the event free but anyone who signs up will get a bonus 7 day e-course on career change.

Coming up soon:

Brand Reinvention Summit will be held on October 1^st and 2^nd. If you’re an entrepreneur, startup CEO and small business owner you’ll want to learn how to reinvent, revitalize or repackage your brand.

Scheduled for this fall:

Metromom Prosperity Summit  - Designed for mom entrepreneurs who want to tackle issues surrounding money, mindset and motherhood.

I know there are additional benefits of hosting a telesummit so please feel free to post them in your comments.

Are you stumped when it comes to picking a topic for your next blog? When I’m trying to figure out what I want my next blog or newsletter to be about, I think back on the conversations I’ve had that week – especially with my clients.

For example, I’ll have a week where it seems like everybody is asking me, “How do I get a good testimonial? What’s the formula for that?” Then I’ll have a week where everybody wants a press release. “How do I format my press release?” When I stop and think about these conversations I’ve had I end up with great ideas for my next blog or newsletter.

If you start thinking about the conversations you’re having on a regular basis, you’ll realize how much information you have to share that you may not even be aware of. Sometimes we’re just not conscious of how much information we’ve stored up over the years. By observing your conversation patterns, you’ll also get great insight on topics that others find interesting. What do you know that others want to know? That’s exactly what you want to be sharing in your blog.

In addition to being aware of what you already know, be a good observer. We make observations every day, but a lot of times we’re not actively observing. When you watch a commercial or read an article in the newspaper you probably have an opinion about it. I like to have a notebook with me at all times so I can jot down different observations that I make throughout the day. When it’s time to write a blog I can often relate those observations back to my own industry.

Another suggestion is to imitate those you admire. This doesn’t mean you should plagiarize. Never copy and paste someone else’s material. Not only is it unethical, it’s not authentic and ultimately defeats the purpose of blogging.

However, you can and should read other people’s blogs and newsletters. Get on your competitor’s websites. Start getting a feel for what you like. Are your favorite articles funny or inspirational? When you get a sales email, what gets you to buy, and what gets you to hit delete? You’ll start to see what appeals to you and what doesn’t. Many times reading other people’s information is what’s going to get you excited about sharing your own information.

Please share any tips that have helped you stay inspired as a blogger. Now if only I could find the time to blog – still working on the solution to that problem!

FYI - I talked more about the benefits of blogging and how to maximize their exposure in a recent interview with Kim DeYoung of Metromom.com, Leveraging Your Knowledge for Profit – How to Confidently & Quickly Create Compelling Content. Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page and choose the “Essentials Program” to learn how you can download individual interviews (like mine) and get a transcript of the entire call.

Twitter was big but now it’s HUGE. CNN and even the CDC are on twitter – apparently this has proved to be an effective way to keep everyone updated on swine flu! Some entrepreneurs have been quick to jump on this new form of communication while others are dragging their feet.

I understand, I’ve dabbled in Twitter but it’s hard to find the time… That is until the last two weeks, I’ve been stuck at home with sick kids so I’ve invested some time in Twitter. (I also reorganized the closets which was long overdue.)

The results have been interesting. I’m getting followers on a daily basis, I’m getting web traffic and I’m making new business connections. I was even contacted by a marketing firm that’s looking for copywriters – interesting thing is that even though they’re a local firm, they heard about me for the first time on Twitter.

I want to share tips for fellow entrepreneurs who would like to dive in to Twitter but are short on time. Here are three tools that will make it much easier to leverage your time effectively:

·         TweetDeck – This tool will help you stay organized. It’s your personal browser for connecting with your contacts on Twitter and Facebook.

·         TweetLater – This tool allows you to schedule your tweets out. This made a huge difference in my ability to tweet regularly. I can sit down for a few minutes once a week and set-up my tweets for the whole week.

·         Twollo – If you’re just getting started and need to build a base of followers quickly this automates the process.

If you need more tips read Nine Twitter Tips for Business, a great article posted at PCWorld.com.  I appreciated the balance between automating your tweets and keeping it personal. Please post tips you’ve found helpful or your own success stories using Twitter.

One more thing! You can follow me at www.twitter.com/jenodear.