Consider your next purchase. Whether it is a vehicle or a hair brush, you want to know if it works…and works well. Do you trust the “Take our word for it!” sales pitch? Or do you scour the internet for tried-and-true customer reviews? Roughly 95% of us will do the latter, and for good reason.
This post-pandemic marketplace is filled with services, products and too-good-to-be-true promotional tactics. Testimonials can distinguish authentic, honest businesses from the rest of the pack.
Modern marketing teams can (and should!) produce thoughtful social proof; here are three reasons why testimonials fit the bill.
They boost brand reputation.
Be real! Let consumers know how you do business. How? Cultivate a collection of honest testimonials from people just like them. In other words, seek out testimonials that align with your personas. Focus on quality over quantity; in fact, 73% of modern consumers read just six reviews or less, on average.
Keep in mind that testimonials are not random reviews of a product; they are mindfully-curated pieces of social proof. Testimonials are honest pieces of evidence that showcase a customer’s successful interaction with a specific service or product. How did a product make their life easier? How did your team solve an issue? Put these unbiased opinions on display; through transparency comes trust. Let potential customers feel seen, and give them something to think about as they meander towards the bottom of the funnel.
They increase conversions.
Speaking of the bottom of the funnel, let’s talk conversions. Once consumers have decided there is value in a product or service (and that the business providing
that product or service is credible) they are more likely to become a customer. Testimonials (we’re talking powerful, authentic testimonials) have the potential to boost customer conversion by 58%.
Since testimonials play such a crucial role at the point of conversion, consider how they are packaged. Seek out customers willing to let you record their experiences. Put a face to their words. This gives future customers the opportunity to attach sentiment to the experience which, in turn, humanizes your business. At the end of the day, consumers want to do business with people who think, feel, and purchase just like them.
They establish brand loyalty.
Humanizing your business through testimonials goes further than boosting conversion rates, it creates lifelong customers. Seeking testimonials puts valued customers in the spotlight, letting them (and those lingering at the middle of the funnel) know that your business appreciates their input and experiences. Businesses who successfully collect and market their testimonials can harness the all-powerful “I’ll have what they’re having” mindset. Valued, respected consumers will spread the word, thus creating new customers while remaining loyal customers themselves.
As marketing evolves with its consumers, stay locked in to the power of testimonials. Proven, trusted customer experience consistently boosts brand distinction and, ultimately, the bottom line.
…And that’s the tea! We’d love to help you strategize and leverage testimonials to drive consumer engagement. Drop us a line; let’s talk about why Content Matterz!