Get ‘em, Use ‘em
Over the next few issues, IBI will highlight the seven elements of creating killer messages that produce results. All seven elements will be on IBI’s new website, which is launching in January 2022, for reference.
It’s a fact of marketing life: people tend to believe what others have to say about your products and services far more than what you have to say about your business. If you want your marketing efforts to produce to the max, you should strive to include testimonials in your messaging.
72% of consumers say positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a business
Even though most centers have many happy customers, very few operators employ testimonials on a regular basis. The omission of testimonials is often an error brought on simply by a lack of obtaining them. Securing testimonials should be a regular effort which includes your entire team, especially front-line staff who regularly interact with customers.
Consider creating a “happy file” that has a collection of testimonials covering each sector of your business that you anticipate spending outbound marketing dollars on. When you’re ready to promote a particular segment of business, you’ll already have ammunition in your marketing toolbox.
A few thoughts to consider:
Videos are hot – people love them!
79% of consumers have watched a video testimonial to learn more about a company, product, or service.
In general, videos are engaging, grab people’s attention, and are ideal for social media and digital sends. Video testimonials can be a very strong element for your marketing as well.
The approach to getting them most often occurs “on the spot” and can provide candid, powerful testimonials. With selfies being the norm for younger generations, you may even get some selfie-videos from your happy customers that you can use in your social media. Written permission is always needed, so keep those forms readily on hand. However, not all customers are comfortable having a video of themselves used in someone’s marketing, so compiling old-style written testimonials are still important.
Build a “happy file” to make your marketing efforts easier
Jump starting this initiative can be effort-heavy in the beginning, but the payoff is significant. Once you and your staff regularly ask for feedback and testimonials, your happy file will grow, and your customers will feel like a valuable part of your business.
70% of people trust reviews and recommendations from strangers.
When you or a staff member asks a departing customer how they enjoyed their visit and the response is positive, make some quick mental notes of their specific comments. Make a short note on your phone or jot it down even if it’s on a cocktail napkin. Usually people will respond with a, “Sure, I’d be happy to,” but most often never follow through with that commitment.
This is why I suggest you take things into your own hands.
Armed with the notes taken from customer’s comments you gathered at the time of their visit, contact the customer within a day or two, thank them again for their visit and ask them if they would be ok with providing you with a testimonial that you might use in your future marketing.
Once they agree, quickly let them know that you understand they are busy and since you remember some of what they told you about their visit, you would be happy to put it together for them and send it for their approval.
Most people will happily agree to have you write their testimonial for approval, and you get to write your own positive comments. It’s a win-win for everyone! Once you construct the testimonial and send it to the customer for his or her written approval, ask them to send you a headshot photo that you might use to accompany their testimonial. Including a photo and the person’s full name with a written testimonial makes the marketing effectiveness go way up.
Include all parts of your business
Birthday party parents (and kids), company outing organizers, through-league, tournament, and open play guests, you should be filling each category with happy videos and messages. Once you have various testimonials for each category of your business, you will find it easy to grab one quickly and attach it to the marketing message you’re sending out. Testimonials should be considered for all communications, from flyers, posters, emails, social media posts, and even commercials.
Testimonials are powerful marketing tools
Get them, save them, and use them as often as possible. Most big companies find testimonials very effective and employ them often, but the truth is, pound-for-pound, they are even more important for the marketing messages of smaller operations where they deliver more credibility.