People don't like to buy products and services sight unseen, and they're more likely to believe endorsements from fellow consumers than from ad copywriters, to paraphrase David Ogilvy, retired chairman of WPP Group PLC, the world's largest advertising company. Sure, companies have been caught making up testimonials, and they never print the complaints they receive. Still, testimonials carry a powerful marketing punch with buyers. They are particularly effective in brochures and provide what I call a 'comfort zone' to the prospective customer. The testimonials benefit existing customers, too, Pines said.
People like to be asked for their input.
They like to be involved. However, testimonials shouldn't be collected or used in a vacuum, said Rick Lamprecht, partner in Experteam, an Irvine, Calif., management-consulting firm. If you want testimonials, ask for them. It sounds almost too simple, but most business owners find it the best way to get customer recommendations. A follow-up questionnaire is very helpful to me and the client.