I found the following on Geoff Kirkwoods website:
The thing that makes many large companies so memorable is their message – it is simple! Two, three or four words at most! And when we hear that phrase we immediately know which company it belongs to.
Here is the catch for many people in business – they say too much.
When asked what we do we launch into an extensive monologue describing the intricate detail of ALL that we do. And in doing so we have missed the point of such a question.
In these situations less is more.
Most people ask that question so that they can determine whether we might be worth spending some time with to discover more. 5 or 6 minutes of detail will most definitely not encourage them.
So the key is to keep it simple and memorable.
Things like “just do it” and “things go better” are great examples of simplicity. We all remember which company they belong to.
Your answer to the question “what do you do?” should intrigue me, entice me and prompt me to say “tell me more?”
Although I heard it almost 10 years ago I still vividly remember the photographer who, when responding to the question “what do you do?” said, “I shoot your relatives!”
So take a look at your response when next asked at a networking function “what do you do?” Is it short, memorable and does it prompt a response?
3 comments
Good thought provoking post thanks Graham.
Paul
HI Graham,
Good post! very simple, but so true. I have had this happen to me before, and it put me off completely.
Thank you,
Jason Armishaw
Testimonial Marketing.
Social Proof—we are influenced by other people.
We are social creatures and behave in a way to fit in with the behaviour of other people. We rely on them to give us guidance on how to think, feel and act.
The principle of social proof states that we determine what is correct when we find out what other people think is correct. If a lot of people are doing a certain thing, then we will follow their example. The more people that are performing a certain behaviour, the more we are certain that it is correct.
If a lot of people signed a petition we are more likely to also sign it. Social proof has a powerful effect on our behaviour.
A good example of how charities have harnessed the concept of social proof is shown on telethons. At the bottom of the screen you will see a never ending list of families and people who have contributed money to the good cause. The idea is that this will stimulate you to pick up the telephone and pledge some money. It is very effective and again, as a powerful effect on our behaviour.
C. Roberts, a well-known sales consultant and trainer, captures the principle exactly when he tells sales trainees: “Since 95% of the people are imitators and only 5% initiators, people are persuaded more by the actions of others than by any proof we can offer.”
One study discovered that a school-based anti-smoking programme was immensely successful when it used the same age group as examples. Another study discovered that children who were shown a film emphasising a child’s positive visit to the dentist work best in lowering dental anxieties when the viewers were the same age as the child in film
For people in business, there is a way to use the powerful effects of Social Proof. Testimonials from satisfied customers work best when the satisfied customer and prospective customer share similar circumstances. So the secret is to find happy customers who will give you testimonials from a range of different businesses.
The more relevant the testimonial, the more effect it will have on the buying pattern of the individual. People can write things in testimonials that you cannot say yourself because it would be too much like bragging. A testimonial can not only say good things about yourself but also has much more influence on your prospective customers. It has been calculated that a testimonial has over 20 times the effect of your own words. This means that your prospective customer will always believe the testimonial written by a third party before they believe you. The more testimonials that you can acquire, the more credible you are in the eyes of your potential customer.
A good way to remember how to get testimonials is D.E.A.R.
Develop relationships.
Earn the Testimonial
Ask for the Testimonial.
Recognise and Reward your Customer.
Develop relationships.
The better your relationship with your customer, the easier it is to get a testimonial.
Earn the Testimonial.
Make sure that you have under promised and over delivered in terms of service, advice and help.
Ask for the Testimonial.
This is like asking for the order. A good way of doing this is as follows. When a customer thanks you for a superb job or outstanding service ask them to put it in writing. They will nearly always agree especially if you offer to draft it out for them.
Recognise and Reward your Customer.
A thank you note, a bottle of wine or a small gift will recognise and reward the customer for the testimonial. Take the gift to the person and then ask for a referral!
The implications for BNI.
Most BNI members would be aware that 2009 could be a tough year. I am suggesting that we tilt the balance in our favour. Every time we give an internal referral, and the job is completed to our satisfaction, we write a testimonial to the person giving the goods or service. It can only be made if it has been earned. This is the form of a written “rap.”
A bunch of referrals from BNI members will certainly help our marketing efforts. Short sentences from the testimonials can be used on quotations, brochures, invoices and any other promotional material. I also advise that on the same promotional material you add the fact that you get business through referrals. If you get this in early during the selling process, it will come as no shock to the satisfied customer when you ask for a referral at the end of the transaction.
It may pay for some people to help these satisfied customers with drafting out a testimonial because this is the only way that you will get one. Sit down for a moment and think deeply about the reasons why people don’t buy from you. It may be that they say they can’t afford it, it may be that they don’t have enough time, it may be that they think that they can do it. Whatever the reasons that they find for not buying, make a note. Then when you get to draft a testimonial, cover that objection. In other words if it’s the price, make sure that a sentence like the following is included,
“When I first looked at the proposition from Peter Mitchell, I thought that the price was very high. Now, after going through the program, I can wholeheartedly say it was excellent value for money and has made a considerable contribution to my bottom line. The financial benefits far outweighed the investment in the program”
When you have a range of testimonials, you can counter every objection raised by your prospect. So when a prospect says, “The price is too high.” You can say, “I can understand your impression. Some people say the same thing but those that participate in the training make comments like this when they experience the value of our program.” Then you show them the testimonial and remember to be quiet as they read it.
Extracts from testimonials can be used on:-
• Invoices.
• Estimates and quotations.
• Brochures.
• Business cards.
• Web sites
• Headers and footers of written correspondence
• Price lists.
• Advertisements.
• Advertorials
Another way of getting testimonials is to include it in your initial offer. For example, I ask my clients for a testimonial before they start a program with me. I write this on my proposal. “At the successful completion of this program, I will request a testimonial for marketing purposes. This will give your business free worldwide exposure if it is posted on my web site.”
As a special service to BNI members I will send them examples of testimonials if they request them by e-mail to peter@thelearning.co.nz. If you use this service please include your business name, chapter and location.
What could be better than a written testimonial?
When you doing a proposal or quotation your collection of written testimonials will carry considerable weight in the potential customer’s decision-making process. Remember that quantity is impressive because it creates a perception in the prospective customer’s mind that, “all these people can’t be wrong.” This situation will give you a large competitive edge in these tight economic conditions.
At BNI there is the opportunity to turbo-charge testimonials. It works like this. When you’re in the selling situation, either face-to-face, writing a tender, quotation or proposal what could be more powerful than a written testimonial?
The answer is simple. Develop advocates in your chapter. These are people at BNI who have used your services and written you a testimonial. Ask their permission to give their telephone numbers and suggest that prospective customers phone them up. What could be more powerful than one of your satisfied customers confirming what they have written on the testimonial to your prospective customer.
Imagine you are the prospective customer opening up five quotations for a particular job. One of the quotations has a number of testimonials attached from customers and suggests that you contact four or five of them to verify their testimonial and confirm that you are the best person for the job.
Again, as a prospective customer you would find it hard to go past the person with the testimonials and the offer to contact people who have used your services.
This tactic has a side benefit. The testimonials plus the offer to contact your advocates, takes away attention from the price. If you were certain that you are going to get the best value, would you mind paying a little bit more?
Within your chapter ask the people that have given you testimonials if they will be an advocate for your business. Once you get agreement you then ask them if you could you use their name and telephone number on your quotations for prospective customers to contact.
Please let me know how you get on using these testimonial tactics.
Send me an e-mail to peter@thelearning.co.nz
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