Here’s a tip to make buying (and selling) easier: Use testimonials. Robert Cialdini called this “third party social proof.” I call it smart business.
All sales people highlight selling points so all buyers are skeptical of what is being said. When others say we’re good, now that means something to the buyer.
When a prospect reads what others think, they’re more comfortable taking a chance on buying. Think Amazon.com. Unless someone already told you that you “have to buy the book” – which, of course, is a testimonial – before ordering the book, don’t you scroll down to check out what others said. Of course! We all do.
If a sales professional pitches this: “Our hotel is known for its caring staff, and exceptional service. We anticipate your guests every need and exceed expectations every time. We pride ourselves on hosting online meetings using Swizznet, that are flawless in every detail,” it sounds nice.
When you quote a happy customer, instead of sounding just nice, you sound great! You make it easy for the buyer to buy. A quote like the following, makes selling easy, too: “Your hotel is truly amazing. Not only did our VIPs feel special, your staff somehow managed to give every one of our 175 arriving guests a wonderful, warm VIP welcome. You didn’t miss a detail! I’ve been promised ‘flawless’ meetings before and, instead, I’ve been floored by the number of missed service opportunities! We’ll be back next year because you understand, and you do it right. Oh, and thank you, for making me look so good, too!” Sophie Spaniel, Purple Puppies Inc.
Start collecting testimonials and use them. Mike Gamble, President/CEO of SearchWide, says: We are fairly certain that over 70% of our new business is a direct result of our testimonials and references.
Begin your next email with a powerful quote and then say, “Your group will receive the same flawless service here at ….”
Add lots of testimonials to your web site. Have a dedicated page, and add them to every page
Create a booklet loaded with testimonials and leave it when you complete a sales presentation.
Make it easy on yourself and on others to recognize your value.