Acquiring testimonials - Because you really do need them

Testimonials build your credibility like nothing else can. Online this is especially true if you include a photograph, name and contact information like a phone number or web address. Most customers probably won’t follow-up and contact your source. However, the fact that you’ve given them that option makes them feel much more secure.

Make sure that they don’t get lost in the rest of your copy. Mike Capuzzi, a well-known copywriter, recommended in a webinar I recently attended to insert testimonials in a screen box and using a handwritten font to dramatically increase response.

In previous blogs I’ve talked about the best way to get a good testimonial – while they’re hot. If you provide excellent service you’ll get positive feedback and that’s the IDEAL time to get a testimonial from them.

If you haven’t been regularly obtaining testimonials you can always backtrack and contact customers you know are happy with their results. In this case call or email them and ask if they would like to participate.

Give Them a Formula

If they agree send them the following formula to help them get started. (Take a few minutes and personalize this formula for the best results.)

1. Please share any sincere and enthusiastic expressions of the benefits and results you’ve enjoyed from my service/product. What stands out in your mind? How is my service/product different?

2. Before (hiring me or buying my product) what were the biggest challenges or problems you faced?

3. Please share the three or more significant improvements (if you can be specific please include the number of clients/ revenue growth/increased productivity etc.) thanks to (my product or service).

4. (This is completely optional; let me know if you want to include the following line.) If anyone has specific question or wants to know more about the value of your (service or product), please have them call/e-mail me. I’ll be happy to talk to them about it. (List name, company name, e-mail, website and phone.)

People have the best of intentions but are often busy. Tell them that they can jot down their ideas in an informal format and you will edit their testimonial and send it to them for their final approval.

Have you had success getting testimonials? Please post a comment, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Tags: testimonials
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Ten simple and inexpensive marketing solutions

Regardless of what’s happening in Wall Street today—who can keep track—the entrepreneurs I know and love are carrying on with business. One trap you never want to fall into is to stop or slow down your marketing. Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive and it’s always important to keep business streaming in.

What’s great is that there are a lot of simple and inexpensive marketing solutions.

1. Article Marketing - Write informative articles and post them on article directories. According to Charlie Page, the owner of the Directory of Ezines, there are over 300,000 ezines out there and an estimated 90% of them use free articles in their ezines.

2. Press Releases - Get some free publicity—what small business owner doesn’t want that? As an extra bonus using an internet distribution service will give your website a traffic boost since these sites rank high on search engines.

3. Amazon - Amazon provides terrific opportunities to promote yourself and your website.

4. Signature Line - Another easy tip is to include a call to action following your signature line in every email you send out - visit my blog, sign-up for my newsletter, take a look at my new e-book.

5. Testimonials - We all love getting testimonials but it’s also a great idea to give testimonials. It’s a simple way to market yourself as an expert in your field and include a link back to your website.

6. Flyers - If you have clients that come to your place of business make sure you have marketing materials visible. For example, you can post a flyer announcing a special promotion or have current newsletters available for them to pick up. If your only interaction is a monthly invoice, take advantage of the opportunity to slip in some marketing material like a newsletter or flyer.

7. Ezines - One of the best and most inexpensive ways to communicate with clients is email. There are inexpensive programs that will allow you to automate the process and send your clients regular email newsletters.

8. Blog - Regular blogging will increase the frequency with which search engine “spiders” visit your site. A blog also helps you position yourself as an expert in your field.

9. Squidoo - There’s no charge to set-up your own page on Squidoo. I know SEO experts who rely heavily on Squidoo to generate website traffic.

10. Social Networking - Facebook and LinkedIn are two of the most popular sites out there. Social networking is not just for teenagers anymore. The biggest marketing experts are on there and you should be too!

It’s easy to put marketing on the back burner, especially if that’s not your “thing”. Instead of getting overwhelmed try picking out a couple of the solutions—that will work best for you and your business—and then schedule some time to put them into action. Get some momentum going and you’ll generate results.

Tags: Add new tag, article marketing, blogs, Internet Marketing, press releases
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Are you promoting yourself on Amazon?

If you’re a coach, therapist, or any kind of “expert” in your field, Amazon provides terrific opportunities to promote yourself and your website. The first step is to set-up a profile where people can learn more about you. Be as thorough as possible—post your picture, a bio, and of course your website. 

Find a descriptive name for yourself too—for example I might call myself Jen Odear, The Internet Writing Pro. That makes it clear my area of expertise because Jen Odear by itself doesn’t mean a whole lot, at least to most people…

There are three ways you can generate some buzz within Amazon and encourage visitors to click on your profile:

1. Book Reviews - Write a book review. I’m not talking about just any book you’ve read, I’m talking about books related to your expertise. Books that your target audience is interested in reading.  When they find that book they find you, because your book review will show-up on the page. Give an informed opinion on what you like—or don’t like—about the book.  People who are interested in what you have to say will scroll over your name and a window will pop-up with your information—very cool!
2. Create Listmania Lists - Listmania allows you to create lists of Amazon books or products that you recommend. It’s an effective way to show that you’re a “well read” expert in your field.  Give your list a catchy name but make sure it’s obvious what category you’re covering. This is a great way to get yourself listed throughout Amazon.
3. So You’d Like to . . . Guides – This is another great area to post any “how to” articles you have relating to your field.  Make them informative and interesting, this isn’t free advertising but it will help your target audience find you.

There’s also a new feature that allows authors who sell products on Amazon to send their blog posts to readers who have bought their books on Amazon or have signed up to receive their posts. Something authors should definitely check-out.

If you have any tips on using Amazon as a marketing tool please share them with me! Also contact me if you’d like more information on how to implement these strategies - www.internetwritingpro.com/contact.

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Should you write your own blog?

How do you find the time to blog? It can be a real dilemma. To keep your blog fresh and interesting to readers and use it as part of your SEO strategy it needs to be updated regularly.

I’m talking about bloggers that are consultants, coaches, therapists, or other solo-professionals. Bigger companies can distribute the load. With solo-entrepreneurs it’s a bit more challenging. So do you delegate blogging to someone else? Should you hire a copywriter to write the blog for you?

Well, remember that you want the blog to be in your voice. It’s a fantastic way to establish a real connection with your audience. So here are a few suggestions:

• You may want to hire someone to do the actual posting. Would you blog more regularly if you could just shoot an email with the content of your blog to your assistant?
• Another suggestion would be to hire someone to revamp your old content. Perhaps they could look at old newsletters and articles to come up with a new blog entry that’s still sounds like you.
• The third alternative is to find a copywriter that you really connect with and work closely with them. Establishing this kind of relationship will take time but it’s worth the effort. When you collaborate closely, your copywriter will write using your voice.

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Marketing with every single email

Every time you interact with vendors, colleagues and especially customers you’re marketing. It’s the little things – like email - that can make the biggest impressions. You’re probably generating a lot of email. A quick email to a customer or colleague may seem like a little thing but it’s all too easy to make the wrong impression. When it comes to representing your business, keep it professional. My recommendation would be to avoid text talk (LOL) and of course always spell check! 

If you send your email without a signature line you’re missing a golden marketing opportunity. You might think, “But they already have my contact info. Why do I need to send it again?” Because they might forward your email or refer back to it later - by including your contact information you are making it that much easier for people to locate you. Another tip is to include a call to action following your signature line - visit my blog, sign-up for my newsletter, take a look at my new e-book.

Need some more inexpensive marketing ideas? Contact me today at http://www.internetwritingpro.com/contact.html to schedule your complimentary consultation.

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