Category Archives: Trust

When Not To Apologize

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Angry man“I was trying to make sure that all the folks that wanted to keep getting my blog and newsletter and other publications about small business marketing would keep on getting them” I said.

“Nothing wrong with that,” said Chris, the Digital Director.

“Yes and no according to one recipient.” I responded.

Chris asked, “What was the problem?”

I replied, “I wouldn’t have known there was one if I didn’t regularly read this fellow’s blog. For him, the personalization went awry. I inferred from his subject and description in a blog the following week plus a follow up comment that I had offended him by getting him to click through from an e-mail sent to hundreds of people that had been personalized with their first names.”

Rob, the smooth talkin’ Johnny Reb branding guru said, “Sounds to me like he took it kinda personal.”

“I’d go along with that, said Kate. In sales terms you got too friendly, too quick.”

Rob, nodded and said, “That can really put a hitch in your git-a-long.”

“All of us preach personalizing our e-mails whether it is sales or marketing or just person to person, I said. But the problem is we don’t know when we make a mistake in an e-mail. This particular e-mail was a test of a new automated marketing system. It went out to 453 people. I found out with the first mailing that people were not sure it was me. They e-mailed me about the concern. One old friend left a lengthy voice mail. Most of them suggested personalizing it if I could.

The second time I sent it to the 327 people who had not responded. The e-mail was longer and personalized and invited anyone that was not sure it was me to call or e-mail for assurance. A few did it. It was the ‘from’ address that bothered them.

So now I’m sending it out a third time to 271 folks. The message will be longer, personalized, explain what I’m doing at greater length, again urge them to contact me if concerned and be totally up front that they are going to a landing page.

I will not apologize for asking them to sign up.

Why? Asked Kate.

“His blog made it painfully clear that he felt he had been tricked because he was taken to a sign up page. But he never indicated how that sign up could be done without some sort of landing page to capture his sign up, add him to the lists involved and otherwise put him into an automated marketing system. He never contacted me about his concern.

Over the two e-mails, 26 people that wanted to sign up but wanted to be sure it was me, made contact. Of those, 24 signed up. The two that didn’t are just too busy for more e-mail but wanted to be sure that they would remain in my personal contact list.

I won’t apologize because he could have made no comment and assured the same action. He is off the list and won’t be invited back.”

Chris said, “Harsh.”

Kate looked over her glasses at him and said, “I know Fletch wants to keep every customer forever but I also know he is pragmatic. It wasn’t inappropriate personalization in this case. It worked. The guy clicked through and then was unhappy. And if he feels all that up close and personal why didn’t he get in touch? Situations like this, you cut your losses and move on.”

Jerry Fletcher has had his share of successes and surprises in Automated Marketing. That is the source of his expertise. Clients have been known to say that “he starts where the software stops.” Sign up on the landing page in question: jerryfletcher.com/profit.html

Jerry speaks professionally on three continents. His speaking web site is www.NetworkingNinja.com

Why Speaking Is Potent Small Business Marketing

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Jerry Fletcher, Speaking in Colombia“I get paid 2 ways for speaking,” I said.

Rob, our Georgia peach branding guru, drawled, “Yassuh, too much and way too much.”

“Bubba,” said Kate, coming to my defense, “You are way out of line on that one. I saw him a couple weeks ago and by the time he packed up his computer and took some overtime questions the meeting planner had enough positive feedback to ask him to schedule them for next year. He can be difficult I know but he’s a real pro on the platform.”

“Thanks Kate,” I said. “The two ways I was about to mention were:

  • A chance to sell a concept, or approach, a solution or a scenario that can lead to a product or service sale
  • A check for becoming more of an expert.”

Chris, our young digital mastermind grumbled, “The problem is I’ve seen people at small conferences that were doing straight sales pitches instead of providing some information I could use.”

Kate responded, “That is a problem. But once you figure out how to make send the audience away glad they saw you, speaking is one potent sales and marketing tool.”

Bubba said, “Potent like how? Is it like one of those Long Island Ice Teas or more like some of those corn squeezin’s from the south forty?”

Mr. Direct Marketing, Rick couldn’t resist. He lifted his glass, looked through the liquor at Bubba and said huskily, “It’s potent like a brand that has been tenderly fermented, aged in oak and then poured from aloft splashing and frothing into the light.”

Gail, the resident writer began clapping and the others joined in. She said, as things quieted down, “Speaking gets you in front of a crowd of people that want to see you, want to hear what you have to say and now consider you an expert simply because you accepted an invitation to share your insights.”

“That, is one superb reason,” I said. “Even if a small business owner or entrepreneur is not being paid for being there, getting in front of a bunch of potential customers is wonderful.

Most of us fill up our days doing what must be done. But when a speech is imminent we shift gears and begin taking the ideas we’ve been working through for days or months or years and start refining them.

Learning kicks in at a higher rate as well. We discover that we now understand better because we have to be able to convey the information more effectively.

But there is another reason that maybe just as important.

Time.

Think of it. There are 50 or 100 of them in the room that you don’t have to chase down in a series of cold calls and appointments and visits. Getting to talk to that crowd is a real time saver and increases your potential sales geometrically.”

It’s like P.T. Barnum said, “Behind every crowd there’s a silver lining.”

 

Jerry meets on line and in person in the Americas to change the marketing of small companies. He prefers working with “Little Guys” with well under 500 employees. Learn more at: www.JerryFletcher.com

He has spoken professionally on three continents on his three specialties: Personal Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic www.NetworkingNinja.com is his speaking site.

 

How Do You Build An E-mail Marketing List?

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“That’s the question for all of us that want to sell products on line,” I told my brain trust.

E-mail List buildingThe two most familiar with digital marketing spoke first. Rick, our direct marketing guru said, “Buy one.”

At the same time Chris the digital Marketing Director said, “Build one.”

Rob, our Georgia-born branding expert sighed and said, “Y’all want to dance?”

“Sounds reasonable to me,” I said. “Why don’t you two have at it. I’ll referee and if the rest start piling on, I’ll encourage them. Just remember we want solutions for the little guys that don’t have a ton of money or time.”

Rick said, one of the most successful ways I know to build a list is to buy an e-mail list of people that have bought something in the same arena you’re selling into. You just have to be sure that you get good recency and frequency information.”

Rob asked, “What does that mean?”

“Bubba,” Rick said, “list brokers, particularly those that work with retailers keep data on how long it has been since someone made a purchase and how frequently they buy. Those are selects, ways you can have them parse their lists for you so you get people with a track record for buying the kind of thing you want to sell them.”

Chris chimed in, “And you can do the same thing if you want to build a list. What I’ve done is buy regular mail lists because it is usually cheaper and there may not be an e-mail list of the customers I’m looking for. Then we send out post cards to them to get them to respond on line usually for some information they want or to sign up for an educational webinar. We’ve been running 5 to 7% sign up each time we mail.”

Kate’s bracelets were clanking as she gestured no at both of them. “Look guys, Fletch said limited time and money. As a sales consultant I run into this all the time. You gotta find a way to put people in the pipeline now, without spending a bundle. What have you got for folks like me?

“I can speak to part of that,” I said. Start with what you have:

  • Contact your current clients/customers and ask what they are looking for (and then sell it to them and put them in your customer list)
  • Contact your current prospects to determine where they are in the process (Sell ‘em if it makes sense, toss them or put them in your list for futures)
  • Pull that pile of business cards out of the drawer in your desk and go smilin’ and dialin’ as Bubba would say. (Same triage: Sell ‘em, List ‘em or Toss ‘em)
  • Or, if you have the right integrated CRM in place put out an Opt in message that is connected to a benefits landing page that automatically puts something of value in their hands via download, puts them in your list automatically and can even begin a drip campaign based on their stated interests or concerns.”

Kate said, “Instead of trying to sell a product sell them on the idea of staying in contact with you. I can tell you the process works. I’ve been doing it for years only not as regimented as I should.”

Gail, our copywriter said, “Don’t forget a call to action. Always give people a way to contact you regardless of whether it is an article or an interview, a video or an association meeting. It’s just like Fletch’s story about fishbowl marketing where the customers put their business cards in a fish bowl by the checkout.

“Don’t forget, Gail” I said, “that’s the client that found she had to put a sign in register by the fish bowl for all the women that were her best customers that didn’t have business cards.”

The real question is what will work for you? Do you have hard data on your attempts?

 

Jerry Fletcher meets around kitchen and boardroom tables to change the marketing of companies in the Americas. He prefers working with “Little Guys” with 1 to under 500 employees. Jerry’s consulting web site is www.JerryFletcher.com

Jerry speaks professionally on three continents on how to craft Trust-based marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy…on and off line. His speaking site is www.NetworkingNinja.com

 

 

How To Do A Home Page Video That Builds Business

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Chris, the digital marketing director said, “The websites you build videos into keep people on the site longer, get better click through and higher signups. I want to know why.”

Video can hook people on your website“Yeah,” Kate said, “Tell him the formula, Fletch.”

“It’s simple, I replied. “It’s a combination of selling like Kate coaches people to do and a marketing trick I’ve learned over the last 25 years. All you have to do is make a video of your 30 Second Marketing conversation.”

Gail asked, “Is that the thing you came up with to replace elevator pitches?”

“Yes,” I said.

She continued, “The one that is intended to answer the question what do you do?”

“Yup. The answer is what I call a hook. The four elements of the formula are:

  • Hook ‘em
  • Hold ‘em
  • Pitch ‘em
  • Close ‘em

Rick said, “I’ve heard you speak on this. As I recall the hook is hard to come up with but once you’ve got it you’re more memorable and people want to talk to you if only to find out more about you… but that’s in person. A video on a web site is more like direct marketing and that is my bailiwick. How does this work there?

“Hooks can be found or developed in a lot of ways, I said. Here are just a few that have worked for me with clients over the years:

  1. Review customer testimonials for simple descriptions
  2. Try to put what you do in terms a first grader could use to explain what you do to his or her classmates.
  3. Think about what you do from the customer’s viewpoint. What problem do you solve for them?
  4. Put it in words that will force them to want to know more.

“But y’all got to be careful of your brand,” said Rob, our branding big brother. “You can’t say something that is gonna hurt you long term even if it gets their attention today. I reckon tha’s wheah the rest of the formula fits in, right?”

“You’re right Bubba,” I said. “the hook is what everyone remembers but what makes 30 Second Marketing TM work is the rest of it. In order to hold ‘em, you have to find the words that come after You know how… That means you have to know the problem that brings your ideal customer to you. When I train people to do this I try to get them to know the top three problems that their ideal customers are trying to solve. The pitch always starts with the words What we do is… and then explains how you solve the problem for your ideal customers. The close is a specific Call to action.”

“And, Y’all don’t want to be flappin’ your gums too much either, said Rob. Make it quick. If you go much more than a minute and a half they’ll be gone faster than a fox when a beagle bays.

 

Jerry and the marketing lunch bunch will be back next week. Their discussions are always about small businesses marketing tips that are low or no cost.

www.JerryFletcher.com is Jerry’s consulting web site He meets around kitchen and boardroom tables to change the marketing of companies in the Americas. He prefers working with “Little Guys” with 1 to 500 employees.

www.NetworkingNinja.com is his speaking site. He speaks professionally on three continents on how to craft Trust-based marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy…on and off line.

 

How To Conquer Marketing Overwhelm

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Rick said, “A new client told me he was hiring me because I helped him conquer his fear of being overwhelmed by the marketing possibilities.”

Happy Man“After you said thanks, what did you ask him?” asked Kate.

“He went on to say that it was a relief to know he didn’t have to learn it all and do it himself.”

Chris said, “Yeah, but what does that mean?”

“Let me guess,” I said. “The client is on every e-mail marketing list you can imagine. He or she watches a webinar a week which is always about the next sure thing in marketing on-line. But because each one of them says something different and the client hasn’t invested in any of them the level of overwhelm is like a tsunami.”

“Right,” said Rick. “I took a lesson from Kate. I asked him what I’d said or done that made him feel that way. Here’s what he said:

‘I’ve been trying to figure out how to take my business up a notch and I concluded that the marketing was the key. So I went on-line and searched marketing. I looked at the Business Journal list on-line and every company shown as a client was way bigger than me so I decided to look for on-line marketing help. Good luck with that! SEM, SEO and Certificate programs for pages. So I typed in how to market on line and I looked at some stuff. Before you know it I was getting e-mails from four or five folks about the same programs. So I’d watch a webinar and everything they told me was about how wonderful their new product was and they would be happy to take my credit card order for it…’

“But why did he hire you? I sincerely doubt it was because of your brand,” said Rob, our Branding Guru. What I’m seeing is that there is a glut of information out there. A simple search can make y’all believe you’re livin’ in an e-mail tornado alley. Everybody and his great aunt Hattie is tryin’ to get you to buy their shiny object and showing you checks with big numbers on ‘em.”

Gail said, “I know exactly what that feels like. Happened to me this summer. This group helped. All of you got me to stop buying into the silver bullet theory of internet marketing. You made me stop and look at the numbers and what was working for the various clients you serve. Here’s the way I wrote it down one Friday afternoon:

Information by the ton
Hundreds of products
No insight into what works and what doesn’t
———————————————————-
A single coach
An approach matched to my needs
Test, Measure, Analyze and Reset”

I said, “So the net result is that the client believed that the insights you offered would overcome the glut of information and that you would work to make the marketing plan a living thing based on results.”

Rick said, “That’s one way to put it, but I think it is bigger than that. The client trusts me. And I’m not going to breach that trust.”

 

The marketing lunch bunch will be back next week. If you’re finding yourself drinking from that information fire hose, stop it! Watch this space for advice on how to find that singular coach that can help you market your business.

www.JerryFletcher.com is Jerry’s consulting web site He is changing the marketing of companies that meet around kitchen and boardroom tables. He prefers working with “Little Guys” with 1 to 500 employees.

www.NetworkingNinja.com is his speaking site. He speaks professionally on three continents on how to craft Trust-based marketing that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy.

How To Sell What They Want To Buy

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“I heard you say that serendipity is not why sales close,” said Kate as she took her seat.

Expectations“That’s right, I replied. “Jim, one of my clients, was speaking at an event with a top mergers and acquisitions guy. Each made the same point. In their view the organizations and individuals buying companies were buying what they believed the purchased outfit could do in the future. Past achievements were just that…past. The M&A guy focused on the shifts in valuation away from basic accounting data to critical evaluations of people and processes. Jim pointed out that in privately held businesses, the founder/owner is so much a part of the business that purchasers are particularly interested in who is going to be running things when he or she leaves. Buyers are basing the purchase price on projected performance. ”

”That is exactly what some research on resumes uncovered,” Gail chimed in. “If you have two candidates that are equal in every other way the candidate perceived as the one that will deliver on higher expectations is the one that gets hired. Been there, done that and got the T-shirt is not enough. Getting the interview starts with the cover letter not the resume. If the letter is more than a transmittal and shows a little flair while voicing career expectations the candidate has a better chance of getting through the door.”

“Welcome to my world,” said Rob. “What you two are blithering about is Brand, plain and simple. One of the best definitions I’ve ever heard for it is that Brand is a promise. It is the sum of people’s expectations fulfilled. It is the mouthwatering first taste of the chocolate chip cookie you smelled baking in the mall. It is the relief you know those over the counter pills will give you for your arthritis. It’s what makes that two hour ride to Granny Elders for one of her Sunday dinners worth it…both directions.”

“Anticipation is what gets them,” said Chris, our digital specialist. “I keep going back to print to understand the direct marketing side of digital campaigns. The deeper I get into the swipe file the more I find that the successful campaigns get people to respond for reasons other than features and benefits. Sure, you have to have that information but the real hook is what the prospect thinks they will get for making the purchase. Sure you have to solve their problem but the solution needs to be as they see the solution, not as you do.”

Rick said, “Your mention of a swipe file reminded me of a letter I keep on the bulletin board by my desk. For years the Wall Street Journal used the same letter to generate subscriptions. It is on monarch sized paper which makes it look like it is from an executive on his personal stationery. It carries the Journal logo at the top and is about a four page letter. It begins with a paragraph that sets the scene on a beautiful spring day 25 years ago when two young men graduated from the same college. It fast forwards to today when the same two men are attending their college reunion. One is a manager in a company. The other is the company president. The rest of the letter deals with what made the difference.

The key thing however is that the recipient of the letter was constantly in front of the writer. He was focused on the desire of the reader to succeed. (If you’d like a copy ask in a comment.)

Kate nodded. “Now you know why I ask some of the questions I do,” she said. “A lot of sales people try to rush it. I find that the less I try to close the better off I am, particularly if the price is substantial. The questions I find most helpful are ones like:

What do you expect to happen if you go ahead with this?

What will happen next when we put this in place?

Afterwards, how do you think things will change?”

“If you’re going to sell what they want to buy you need to understand the emotional impact of the purchase on the prospect,” I said. “That is true whether you selling in print, on line, or face to face.”

 

Jerry and the crew will return next week.

Jerry Fletcher crafts Trust-based marketing guidance for the “Little Guy” adapting enterprise level approaches that work for little or no money and time. Learn more at: www.JerryFletcher.com

Jerry speaks professionally on three continents. Learn more at: www.NetworkingNInja.com

How To Get Inside A Closed Mind

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Mind change Graphic

Factual graphics can begin to change closed minds

The saying should be “A graphic with the appropriate caption is worth a thousand words,” I said.

“I thought it was a picture is worth a thousand words,” said Kate.

“The problem is that people keep trying to put information into smaller and smaller bites,” said Gail. I saw some research I passed on to Fletch the other day that showed how to get people to see things your way. The scientists tried three ways to get folks to accept the evidence in the case:

  1. A paragraph of copy that provided facts that were in opposition to the participant’s viewpoint.
  2. The evidence presented as a chart or graph.
  3. Building the self esteem of the test subjects so they are less threatened by the facts.”

Chris said, “I’d bet on the chart. As a Digital Marketing Director I know we can get real traction with graphics. I’ve used infographics to great success. It isn’t always easy and sometimes the facts are hard to pin down, but when you can find a good source it is powerful.”

“The key is what the mind perceives as ‘real’ and therefore more believable, “ I said. If you use the scientific rigor that was applied in this research you have to agree with the findings. Taken alone, the data confirms the old saying.”

Rob chimed in, “Don’t y’all just hate it when he says something like that? I mean you know he’s gonna land on that with both feet. But before he does I want to make a point ‘bout branding. A logo type is a kind of graphic and originated so that folks who couldn’t read would be able to find the tradesmen they needed. Today, logos play the same role but the other visuals that accompany any corporate communique have to be consistent with the perception of the company. As malleable as folks would like the public to be, they aren’t. So the thing for everybody to remember is you can trash your image in a heartbeat. Be careful y’all.”

“As I was saying,” I continued. “You have to understand where the person you’re talking to is on the spectrum of belief on the subject. On top of that you need to know when to say more and how to say it. An open mind is searching for data. A closed mind is not. A graphic is a great way to sneak up on a closed mind. It is like having a passkey. You’re in before the alarms can go off. And then you can get on with the persuasion.”

Gail said, “ That is, in essence what the research said. But I agree with Fletch. It is an opening to begin the persuasion. You can’t stop there. If you use a chart it must have a heading that is factual and does not draw conclusions. If it is embedded in an article the tenor of the piece should be one of sharing hard data. If conclusions are drawn it must be closer to the 1000 word level.”

“She’s kinda right.” I said. “All you “Little Guys” take note. Often we cannot get people to read the 1000 words. So write a caption for the graph. Have it open with facts and suggest that there is more information including charts and graphs available if they will just click through. Place graphics at multiple points in the copy. It will get your message read. It will be more persuasive. You’ll convince them to buy.

Let me say that again:

  1. Use a factual headline that engenders curiosity
  2. Make the graphic the major illustration
  3. Put a caption under it to get people reading
  4. Use long copy to persuade
  5. Sprinkle the copy with graphics (and caption)
  6. Stick to the facts
  7. Include a specific call to action ”

Agree or Disagree? Let us know with a comment below.

Jerry and his crew will be back next week talking about what you need to know to build your business.

 

Jerry Fletcher is a Marketing Consultant and Coach who works with just a few select small businesses, solopreneurs and start-ups at any time. www.JerryFletcher.com

Jerry Speaks and will be making a rare local appearance in Oregon, a presentation for Oregon Horse Country on September 20. www.NetworkingNinja.com

 

How To Find Your Golden Key To Automated Client Development

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You were saying, “Little guys need automated marketing, too, just like enterprises.”

Golden key to CRM“They do,” I replied, “but they don’t have the time or money to use a system built for an enterprise. They need to squeeze as much juice out of the systems they use as they can. The good thing is that entrepreneurs are always trying to find ways to provide a better deal.”

“So what are you recommending?” asked Chris.

“Mo’ importantly brer CRM, are you telling them the whole story? I mean it’s like the difference ‘tween a shovel and a backhoe. Which is better, ‘pends on the size hole you got to dig. So are you tellin’ folks to get the enterprise software and use just part of it or systems built for the little guy that don’t cause as much stress on the wetware?

“Yes,” I answered. “I’m just trying to give the ‘Little Guy’ an edge. But I have to tell you there is a CRM system that is integrated with an inbound marketing solution that I’ve telling people about lately. The neat thing is their support team goes above and beyond to help. I was trying to get the two synced during that hot weather spell where it was over 95 for 3 days. Between my computer being in that heat and what that did to internet connections I thought I would never be able to use Big Contacts and Active Campaigns. The guys at BC ran tests using my database, made a video of it and sent it to me to see what could be done with a decent connection. And they made sure the sync took so I could use AC. (That’s Active Campaign not Air Conditioning).

As I go forward setting up a store on my web site for Marketing Without Money TM and other digital products I’ll be investigating more services that are developed and optimized for small businesses.

What I like about this solution is the simplicity. You can load all your contacts into Big Contacts using a CSV file. You can track them via company and individually by name. You can tag them so it is easy to maintain multiple lists inside your complete list. Those of you that have seen me present CRM Magic know that the list of things I believe are ideal in an integrated system include:

  • Contact Manager
  • Calendar
  • Automated Actions
  • Regular E-mail
  • E-mail Marketing (including Mobile)
  • Auto Responders
  • Web Landing Pages
  • Forms Linked to Auto Actions
  • Easy integration with Social Media

I wrote that list over two years ago when no low-cost, easy to use system was available for the ‘Little Guy’. It’s almost like they were listening.

But don’t take my word for it. Go see for yourself. Here are the links again:”

Big Contacts           Active Campaign

Jerry and his mob (I know that’s a bunch of Kangaroos but we’re not down under at the moment) will be back next week. No one ever knows what marketing for small businesses topic will overwhelm their lunch.

Consulting:    www.JerryFletcher.com

Speaking:     www.NetworkingNinja.com

Marketing Is Not A Matter Of Opinion

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Not my first rodeo“So did you fire that client,” Rob asked?

“You know this isn’t my first rodeo,” I said. “I have fired clients before and I’m sure I’ll do it again. It always bothers me when someone believes they have more expertise than the person or organization they are hiring for that reason. I’ve been in the middle of that nasty space since I was an ad agency ‘fire fighter’ long ago and far away”.

Rob drawled, “but the question here is whethah you’re the bronc or the rider. Now, I could have said Bull or rider but theahs just too much bull being slung in this discussion.

I’ve been bucked off and I know that it hurts everywhere but most of all deep down in your pride. The thing you got to pay attention to is you got on that ride thinkin’ you might could bring it to rein. When that doesn’t happen you discover it about 6 seconds in and the next thing you know theahs a clown keepin’ you alive.

Reckon I’m your clown. My advice is get out. You’ll burn yourself out arguin’ and any work you do will be damaged by the lack of belief both parties have. Pull your tail out from under granny’s rocker and hie yourself down under the stoop and wait for a friendly face. Believe me, you don’t need the aggravation.”

Kate looked over her glasses at Rob and said, “Bubba, It scares me. I’m beginning to understand you. In this case I think you’re right. There are times when things just don’t work out. I know Fletch was the go to guy in a big ad agency when clients were getting out of hand and I’ve met some of the folks he got back on track. So if he says this time it is different than perhaps he’s right. Maybe it is time to fade into the sunset. But, I’m like him I don’t like to admit defeat.”

“But is it?” Asked Rick. “I don’t think it is admitting defeat. You saddle up in the chute and at that point there’s no doubt who is in charge. Then the gate opens and all hell breaks loose. That’s what happened here. That Bronc or Bull has no respect for you. What did you expect?”

I responded, “In all truth I think of the client as a friend, someone I’ve known for an easy 20 plus years. We have never agreed on politics or how to change government but have always listened to each other. That’s where he earned his spurs about 20 years ago. I would defer to him in that arena without question. But that is not fundraising from the general public for a charity in small amounts. And that is the problem.

He believes this requirement is in his bailiwick and I believe it is in mine. That is not going to change. I grant his expertise in political stuff but not this. And he is just as adamant.

“Two choices,” said Gail. “Walk away or do it his way.”

Chris chuckled and said, “Don’t look now but I think he’s headed back to the chute.”

What would you do? Tell us down below.

Fletch and his marketing buckaroos will return next week. See you then.

Learn more:

Networking, Marketing and Contact Relationship Magic for the “Little Guy”
www.JerryFletcher.com

Speaking on Trust based Marketing, Networking and Inbound Marketing
www.NetworkingNinja.com

Testimonials You Can Believe In

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“What’s the best way to get believable testimonials for a web site?” Chris askBelievable Testimonialed.

“Just ask,” said Rick.

There was a pregnant pause and then Kate said, “So you’re just gonna stop there and leave us all hanging…”

Rick took a sip of beer and went on, “Most people are afraid to ask customers or clients for a testimonial but I find that when I do they are usually flattered. They know you think highly of them if you do that and usually they give you glowing reviews.”

Rob jumped in saying, “I think you’re right but often they ask me what I want them to say or to write something for them.”

Gail said, “Yes, I know what you mean. That makes me feel really uncomfortable.”

“Like I said,” Rick continued, “They are flattered and are usually willing to go along with just about anything that is not overblown. In fact sometimes I think it’s better if I write it and ask them to put it in their words. Usually it comes back with just a few minor changes.”

“Hold it,” I said. The question was how to get a believable testimonial. When it comes to believability there are at least two techniques that will change one of those puffy kinds of wonderfulness statements into a quote that is authentic and light years more convincing:

1. Have the testifier say something about a concern they had before or during working with you and how it was resolved…in terms of a concrete thing that happened because of the work. Make sure it is short, to the point but follows the formula: Concern/Resolution/Benefit/Referral.

2. Do it on video. Make it easy for the testifier. Interview them and then edit the answers together. Seat them comfortably and then conduct the interview seated beside and slightly in back of the video camera. When they look at you it will give the impression that they are looking directly in the camera. They will quickly relax and the viewer will feel they are in a conversation.

Video also needs to incorporate the formula Concern/Resolution/Benefit/Referral although it can use multiple examples and transpose Resolution/Benefit if that is a more comfortable speech pattern for the testifier.

Many times the testifier will be hesitant to talk about the concern but once it is stated and the resolution is discovered you have a credible story to tell.”

What would you do to make a testimonial more believable?
Jerry and the crew will return next week. Stop in for lunch.

Jerry Fletcher builds trust-based marketing strategies for startups, professionals and small businesses. Learn more at www.JerryFletcher.com
Jerry speaks professionally in Europe and the Americas. He is willing to deal for an engagement in Australia or New Zealand. Learn more at www.NetworkingNinja.com