Why customer testimonials are your most powerful sales tool

In today’s marketing world it are no longer the suppliers and manufacturers who control the buying cycle by deciding what customers see, when they see it, and where they see it. Nowadays customers are already a majority of the way through the buying cycle before they reach out to a company. So what should you do now you are no longer in control over the buying cycle? To be successful you should cater to the customer research cycle and provide your customers content and information that helps them to make the right decision. One of the most powerful tools to use are customer testimonials and this is why:

Customers are looking for proof/evidence of what you say

Anyone can claim he or she is the best, but without evidence of your claim it will be nothing more than empty words. Although it is important to emphasize your specialty and why your organization is the best match for the customer, to prove this is at least as important. And who can do this better than your customers? Your potential customers are looking for evidence and they prefer to obtain that from the party with whom they can identify the best with, i.e. your existing customers.

Customer testimonials are perceived as very trustworthy info

Because customer testimonials aren’t written in your voice, they are considered as unbiased accounts of how great your products and services are. Customer testimonials do not come across as a sales pitch which is something many customers will appreciate. Because the information is considered reliable, customer testimonials can contribute greatly to the choice of customers for your product or service.

Customer testimonials even convince the biggest skeptics

A good customer testimonial is able to convince even the biggest skeptics that your products and/or services have really made a difference to your customers. Especially when taking important decisions that represent a significant investment or have a major impact on business, the customer will adopt a skeptical attitude and will not take all claims for granted.

The conclusion is simple: make sure you use customer testimonials in communicating with your audience. It is one of the most effective, cheap and easy to use tools in your marketing and sales strategy.

Philip van Kemenade is marketer at Dysel and is in contact with software end users every day.