Preachers might have been the first to understand the power of testimony. They knew that personal testimonials could help incite the congregation to a fever pitch. And of course, the higher the fever, the greater the collection. A preacher could expound for hours on the wages of sin to little or no, but one person testifying about his or her reformed behavior could mesmerize the congregation. Testimonials were always powerful!
Most of the super producers in the insurance industry use testimonials almost subliminally when talking with their clients. Their presentations are filled with references to sensational situations that were encountered and resolved by other clients. Yet, how many times have we tried to create or revise an advertising campaign without harnessing the power of the testimonial?
Just recently I was reacquainted with the power of a testimonial. I was working with a southeastern agency to develop a marketing audiotape market. We wanted to emphasize the major benefits available to the agency's clients.
First, we discussed the pros and cons of a professionally narrated 'breast beater.' You know the pitch: 'We're good and here's why!' After overruling that concept (because nobody really enjoys being talked 'at'), we decided that the best approach would be an interview with the agency principal. That would create a more personal, human touch. Then, like a bolt of basics, it struck us that some of the agency's clients might be willing to tell their special stories.
I interviewed two agency clients and was amazed by the stories they related. One family-owned company owner said that this agency outperformed all the other agencies it had worked with in the past 40 years. This same person also told how the company had tried to get quotes on a particular coverage for nearly three years, but none of its prospective brokers could obtain a single quote-- while our agency persevered on the company's behalf and gathered six legitimate quotes, one of which met every value/cost criterion on its wish list.
The director of human resources for a thousand-employee company commented that he has never received a single complaint since our agency took over his employee benefits program. How's that for an endorsement of customer service?
Every agency has key clients who would be happy to provide testimonials. In fact, many of these clients make informal endorsements through referrals. Why not make their praise formal?
There are benefits for both parties. Your advertising campaign gives your client a higher profile and recognition of its importance to your agency. Your agency gains credibility that can never be purchased by straight, breast-beating advertising. Testimonials tell your prospects that your actions are as good as your words. You also cement a long-term relationship with the clients you have honored in your advertisements. People don't normally abandon vendors and suppliers after testifying on their behalf.
Testimonials work in just about every form of marketing imaginable. Short quotations work great in print brochures. Use longer quotations in your newsletters. Feature client comments in newspaper ads. Use the taped testimonials in radio advertising and feature them in your television advertising. (You might even approach some satisfied clients for shared-cost advertising, which provides mutual benefits and cuts your costs in half.)
People identify with each other. McDonald's doesn't just rave about its hamburgers-it paints a picture of people eating happily. Using clients in your advertising capitalizes on the same principle, because business identifies with business.