Everyone knows that it’s easy to create an attractive website. Because of this, it’s not easy to create good impression. Managing your online reputation is therefore an important part of website design. One of the ways to do this is to provide testimonials. Remember that there are testimonials and testimonials. But effective testimonials are credible, believable and those which enhance your reputation. If your testimonials look fake, you are done for. Notice that I have said ‘look fake’. Sometimes genuine testimonials can also look fake. Make sure that what you put out there on your site seem genuine and true.
Who needs testimonials anyway?
There are businesses out there who need testimonials desperately. Law firms come to my mind immediately. In some countries you can’t advertise a legal practice. In such a situation, your website is the only succor. How do you convey your expertise in this scenario? Testimonials are the only way out. Satisfied clients can bring in more customers. It’s the same for an insurance business. In this bad bad world, all of us have lost faith in insurance. Sometimes you are duped into paying a hefty premium for a useless piece of paper. Here, testimonials play a crucial role in convincing your prospective customers.
Overkill in testimonials
I have often seen that many websites provide testimonials which are hard to believe and patently false and exaggerated. Instead of bolstering, these testimonials destroy your reputation. You must always refrain from providing such patently false testimonials. Some countries have a law to prosecute website owners who provide false testimonials. However, I see rampant misuse of this tool. Ultimately, no one gains from this overkill. I would even go to the extent of saying that even if you do have some over the board testimonials, you must moderate them enough to make them believable.
Testimonials claiming to make you millionaires overnight
This is a common practice in affiliate sites. Usually these sites have glitzy images of playboy-like men leaning on a million dollar car. Or a woman in a bikini relaxing on a beach front. These images have appropriately exaggerated text. Many of us do get duped by this but very soon these conmen are exposed. But what I want to point out is the irony of it all. Even though you know that these are fake claims, you are attracted towards them. Who doesn’t want to become a millionaire overnight? Most of us are suckers who fall for such patently false claims. We fall for it because of the powerful testimonials. If they can do it, so can I. This is the kind of logic which appeals to the human mind. Testimonials need not be in text format. In fact visual images can be extremely potent testimonials. I am sure every one of us has taken a liking for these businesses and lost money.
What happens to your reputation?
False testimonials can and do ruin your reputation. If you want to run a genuine business you ought to provide real, plausible and meaningful testimonials. If you are into a business like insurance, you better watch out. Once your reputation is spoilt, you cannot regain it. And the word spreads very fast online. Believe me.
Sarah lamb is an online marketing consultant. She writes on various aspects of managing online presence.She wants to share an interesting insurance site . To find out how tocompare health insurance plans , visit Choosi today.
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I personally think that testimonials are good to have but they are somewhat dated marketing gimmick. Having Facebook likes or Tweeter followers is much more important nowadays.
Your business reputation is recreated daily by the people whom you serve. Your reputation is the most important aspect of your business determining the success of your marketing efforts.
This is truly a remarkable idea and I wish to apply this in my life and also tell others to follow your method. Thank you and wish you a very happy new year!
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Testimonials had been so abused, that people really lost trust in any kind of testimonials. Any positive testimonial sounds fake. I very rarely had seen a site displaying neutral or negative testimonials, so to me testimonials are not trustable anymore.
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Absolutely!! Testimonials is like paying a celevrity to advertise your brand! People loves recommendations and testimonials are like the best recommendations ever. Thanks!
Testimonials are superb proofs that a product, or the services of a company or a person is reliable, and can be trusted and reasonably priced all the time. But you have to make sure that you don’t get into the loophole of testimonials because there are those that are not even legit. Good luck!
Having customers satisfied with our work would not only mean that we are good at we do but would also mean that we are worth the pay/compensation. Testimonials from satisfied customers would be the best form of advertisement ever, right?
Thanks a lot!
I somehow believe that testimonials are very helpful when it comes to verifying truths about things. But then again, you have to be very careful when choosing or soliciting testimonials. There are those who might just make them up and label them as legit testimonials when in fact they are not. A careful eye and gut feel is a must.
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