Copywriting How To's - Turn That Testimonial Into A Selling Tool!

Every great copywriter knows that a testimonial can be one of your best selling tools. Unfortunately, you won't always be handed a pile of powerfully worded testimonials. The good news is that you don't have to settle for weak ones -- even if that's all you have to start out with.

By doing a little extra work, you can go out and get great ones. Testimonials that talk about specific benefits, and connect with your prospect because they are talking more than just "before and after" -- they're telling stories about real people. With testimonials like this, your copy becomes even more powerful.

A typical testimonial is what I call a Before and After testimonial. The customer tells you about the problem he use to have, and how it went away after he started using the product. The Before and After testimonial is a lot better than what we use to see, which was "I love your widget!" But for today's prospect, you need to do even better.

Here's what I mean. Everyone is using Before and After testimonials now. They've become standard. This has made them less effective than they use to be. Your prospect sees them all the time, and before long they all start sounding the same.

For great copy, you want to get richer, more powerful testimonials. The good news is it's not that hard to do! In fact, with just a little work, you can have a pile of testimonials -- each focusing on a different selling point. All you have to do is go out and get them!

Grab your list of satisfied customers and start interviewing them. Spend 20 minutes talking to each one. Think of this as a "search and find" mission. Your job as a copywriter is to uncover the rich, emotional stories behind all of those Before and After stories. That's the first step.

The next step is simple, and it's the key behind getting the best, most powerful testimonial possible.

As you finish your interview, take a moment and ask the customer you can use what he said as a testimonial for the product. Most likely, he will say yes. When he does, tell him that you'd be happy to type one up based on the comments he's made. Let him know that he will have final approval on it before it's used. Most customers love this idea.

As long as you've done a good job interviewing the customer, you'll have a ton of great material to work with. If the customer has agreed, all you have to do is take what you've got and create the best testimonial possible.

Start by reviewing your interview notes and asking yourself a few questions:

* Which angle should I take?

* Which key selling points do I need to reinforce?

* Which one does this story support the best?

* What is the best way to position this particular testimonial?

* What parts can I use to make my prospect say, "That guy is exactly like me!"

Just imagine how much more powerful and effective these type of testimonials will be. All of the different angles you can take and the great real-life tidbits that you can weave through your sales copy.

Interviewing is a great way to get powerful testimonials for your copy. The key is understanding how to guide the conversation so you can get to the "good stuff" in a short period of time. Then it's just a matter of positioning it properly.

You'll have a testimonial that's written in your customer's words, only better. It's laser-focused. It addresses key selling points and reveals real needs and desires that your prospect will immediately connect with. It's a testimonial that most copywriters only dream about!

About the Author

Discover how you can take your copywriting career to the next level. Before you write another piece of copy, find out about the copywriting secrets that will dramatically improve your response rates.