Testimonials can make or break your business. A study identified that 72% of consumers trust businesses that have positive testimonials. Good testimonials can help you increase sales and get more customers. But a bad testimonial is at times worse than having no testimonials at all. Here are 6 mistakes Entrepreneurs make when highlighting testimonials.
1) Use generic testimonials that are run-of-the-mill
Customer testimonials can be made up. Or, entrepreneurs may be tempted to write testimonials themselves and put their customers’ names on them. Such testimonials are usually generic and convey no value to someone who reads them. A testimonial that leaves an impact on readers has two critical elements: hurdles that the client faced and how the business helped overcome those hurdles. If you are looking to grow your business, short and specific customer reviews are the way to go.
2) Use testimonials that are excessively wordy
The average online user has a limited attention span. A visitor to your website may give a page a quick scan, and are unlikely to read all the words of each customer review. As a result, excessively wordy testimonials are unlikely to be read. The best way to get around this issue is to cut out any text-heavy customer reviews while publishing your testimonials.
3) Use vague testimonials that do not describe what you did for your customer
Vague testimonials that do not describe your services or how you helped the customer are not worth the online real estate they take up. An individual reading the testimonial has no clue whether it is relevant to their specific situation and whether your business can actually help them. A statement saying “thanks for the great work” may be positive, but it doesn’t give any information on what you can offer potential customers.
4) Use testimonials that seem untrustworthy
Consumers have become savvier over the years. They are aware that a lot of customer reviews on portals such as Amazon are fake. As a result, customers are becoming skeptical regarding customer reviews that are published online. As an entrepreneur, it is vital for you to present customer testimonials in a transparent and clear manner. Use real names and photos whenever you publish a testimonial. As a result, your testimonials will appear trustworthy.
5) Displaying too many similar testimonials
When operating your business, you may find that a lot of your clients are similar. While that may be great from a business perspective, such a scenario may result in you getting dozens of testimonials that read the same. You should encourage your customers to submit testimonials that highlight different areas of your business. It could be the exceptional customer support you provide, or how effective your products are, or even what sort of business growth they got after using your services.
6) Not considering the use of video testimonials
Even though the web is increasingly turning to videos, a lot of entrepreneurs overlook the use of video for their testimonials. Videos are engaging, attention-grabbing, and easily shareable. They boost your credibility and increase trust. Potential customers are more likely to believe a video testimonial in comparison to a text testimonial. A video displays subtle facial expressions and adds authenticity to a customer testimonial. VideoPeel is a leading online solution for video social proof. However, there are many alternatives to VideoPeel that you can consider if you are going the route of video testimonials.
In summary
In today’s online age, a customer can be converted that much easier if you are able to highlight testimonials effectively. Our article points out the 6 mistakes that entrepreneurs make when highlighting testimonials. If you can avoid such error, you’ll be able to grow your business faster.
