Want to give your website a boost? Think about testimonials.

You’ve heard all the marketing talk about people relying on friends’ and family’s referrals for where they take their business. You know that “friends and family” has expanded to include those people who have never been met face-to-face, but are Internet connections.

Hearing that a “regular guy” just like you had a great experience or got great service from a business goes a long way to generating that click to “contact us” you want to hear on your website.

Of course, the testimonials have to be true … that goes without saying. However, there are a few things you can focus on to make them most effective:

  • Be specific. Exactly what service or product was used? Who exactly was the person that provided great service or help when it was needed most? What exactly was the outcome that was of benefit to the customer?
  • Be timely. Are there certain products or services that you provide on a cyclical or seasonal basis? Make sure the testimonials coordinate with those on your website. When it’s time to service snow blowers, you don’t want a testimonial about the great service you provide on lawn mowers.
  • Be local. If you are a business that focuses on the local market, note that the testimonials are local, too. Susie, in Avon says … can mean more than Susie says … From the local angle, potential customers know that the testimonial is based on local services and products AND that they are just like those he needs. Think about gardening zones. A gardener in Zone 5 (like in Central Indiana) is not going to want to hear much about what the gardener in Zone 10 (southern Florida) says. Don’t make the customer wonder.

As a business owner, you want to provide the best you can to your customers – and you want your customers to appreciate it and spread the word – and they will. Help them do that by creating a SHORT survey with specific questions and asking them to complete it. Be sure you note that you want to use the information on your website and make sure they agree to that.

Capture all the great things your customers say – and share them with all the potential customers who find you on the Internet.