MARCH 2004
Greetings & Salutations:
This article was prompted by a question I received from a
Business Lyceum Attendee, when she asked ...
"Dan Kennedy always emphasizes testimonials.
What if you are new to the business and don't have any?"
Although Dan is an old friend of mine and one of the finest
Mailorder Marketers alive (second only to myself), like all of
us ol'pros, he is always right and always wrong!
If there were only one technique, method or application that
would work, every marketing program would be identical to all
the others. So, anything an ol'pro in marketing (even me)
espouses as a viable marketing method must be taken in the context
of your own product or service.
The only way to tell if any marketing technique, method or
application is right for your product or service is by Testing,
Re-testing and Testing Some More. -- Whatever works is right
... whatever doesn't work is wrong.
Anywho, the question I was asked is almost the same as a question
I received from another one of my readers over a year ago ...
for one of my paper and ink publications. -- He decided to challenge
the ol'Mailorder Master (me), by asking ...
"All the copy writing gurus and experts stress the
vital importance of testimonials in a winning direct mail sales
letter or ad. How are you going to get a true, uncontrived
testimonial when you're offering a product or service for the
first time? This is especially problematic when your offering
a new money-making program or home-study course that takes some
time (3-12 months) before a client would actually see significant
financial results from using your system."
Then, he gave me four possible alternatives for consideration:
"(1) A personal referral from people who think you,
as the author of the program, are a knowledgeable, talented and
honest guy.
"(2) Results of your own experience in using the system.
In this case, it's simply your own testimonial.
"(3) Engage in a joint venture with someone who is
in a related field and has a strong following similar to your
target market. In this case, your sales letter would be
mailed to that person's clients, along with his testimonial letter
as to the quality of your system. Of course, this is not
always feasible.
"(4) Ignore testimonials completely and pray that
your 'copywriting genius' will save the day."
Well, to begin with, not all "copy writing gurus and experts
stress the vital importance of testimonials." -- I know
I don't.
On page #11 in the mailorder bible (my book; "Own
Your Own Mailorder Business"), you will find my experienced
observations about the use of testimonials. -- Pay close attention
to the two schools of thought on the subject.
Note: "Own Your Own Mailorder Business"
... the 'bible' of the mailorder industry ... is available at:
When I wrote the book, I had discontinued using testimonials
in any of my sales pieces ... I even explained 'why' in
the book. -- Since then, I have added "true" testimonials
to my sales letter for my "WorldWide Business Exchange"
- but - I did it my way ... which is different from the way some
of my contemporaries use testimonials. -- I used them as a 'qualifier.'
In choosing the "testimonials" for my sales letter,
I used testimonials that would appeal to "real" business
people ... as opposed to "wannabes." As a matter
of fact, I used testimonials that would "turn-off"
the majority of 'hype' customers because the testimonials were
purposely chosen to make those kind of people feel inferior to
my readers.
Note: You can read those 'testimonial' in the
information about "WorldWide Business Exchange"
at the "Business Lyceum."
Now ... back to the question at hand:
What Do You Do When You Don't Have Any Testimonials?
Although all four of the alternatives my reader offered are
viable, #2 and #4 are the methods I have used consistently -
but - #1 and #3 touch upon some other methods I would use if
I absolutely wanted to use "testimonials" in my sales
material but didn't have any.
First. Instead of 'referrals' from people who know and
like "ME," or 'joint ventures' with other notables
in the industry, I would try a ...
Celebrity Endorsement Approach
Referrals from your friends may be ego-building, and may even
inspire your potential customers - but - your potential customers
may too easily see through them. After all, 'friends' have
a way of expressing their friendship with more sentiment than
rationality.
Joint Ventures, on the other hand, while being a viable 'marketing'
ploy, could be considered 'suspect' by your potential customers
because of the obvious profit motive.
So ... why not use a "celebrity" endorsement instead.
For many years, our ol'friend, Gary Halbert (another ol'pro
in the mailorder industry), espoused the use of underpaid, over-exposed,
minor TeeVee and Movie Actors as "paid" endorsers for
your products or services. In his material, Gary detailed
the methods to use to contact those minor celebrities; told how
to approach them; and recommended how much to offer them.
Even though these are "paid" endorsements, they
can carry a great deal of weight because your potential customers
recognize and, thereby, think they 'know' the person making the
endorsement. -- It's all the better if you can afford to 'hire'
Rush Limbaugh, Cher, Charlton Heston, Alex Trebek, or some other
super-well-known celebrity to do the endorsement.
Note: Since I've never used "paid" celebrity
endorsements ... like Gary Halbert ... I would be remiss in trying
to relate the methods to use in contacting and compensating those
celebrities - but - if'n you look around, you might be able to
find some of Gary's writings on mailorder marketing to help you.
- Unfortunately, I haven't heard from Gary in too many years
and the last letter I sent him came back undeliverable, so I
don't even know how to tell you where to get ahold of him or
his materials.
Of course, using "paid" celebrity endorsements costs
money ... even if it is just a few hundred dollars for a very
minor TeeVee or Movie Actor - but - there is a cheaper and more
effective way.
In many industries ... not all; or even most; but many ...
there are notables (industry celebrities) who are well-known
to the people who may want or need your products or services.
-- Instead of using 'testimonials' from people who know you,
try to get 'quotable comments' (indirect endorsements) from people
your customers know.
As an example: When I finished writing "Own
Your Own Mailorder Business," one of the first things
I did was to have a bunch of bound manuscript copies put together.
Then, I mailed those copies ... with a personal letter ... to
all of my old friends and acquaintances in the mailorder industry.
These were people who knew me but, they were also well-known
to my customers.
My purpose in sending the advance review copies to those people
was to get their input. I wanted to know if there were
things I should have included in the book but didn't ... or things
I had included in the book that I shouldn't have.
Even though my intention was not to gain 'quotable comments'
from those people, almost every one of them told me I could quote
them ... if I wanted to. -- But ...
Had I chosen to 'quote' any of those mailorder notables, I
would have first written up the 'quote' exactly as I would be
using it in my sales material. Then, I would have sent
a copy of the 'quote' I proposed using to the person who had
made the comment to get their approval and permission to use
the quote as written. -- I really wouldn't have had to do that
because almost all of the letters I had received told me I could
quote them but it is something I have always done. As a
matter of fact, that little practice once saved me from a lawsuit.
You can use a similar approach to create your own 'celebrity'
endorsements.
Just select a list of well-known people ... people your potential
customers will recognize and respect ... in your industry.
Then, send them a 'sample' of your product (or service) for their
use and comment. -- You can do that even if you don't know them
and they don't know you ... as long as your product is something
that they should, would or could comment on within the industry.
Hey ... don't be chintzy. -- Send them the most valuable sample
of the product you have. No matter how much it costs you, it
beats the cost of a "paid" endorsement. -- The most
favorable comments you get can be used ... after getting permission
... in your sales material.
Note: Some of the 'comments' you get back from the notables
in your industry may not be quotable ... even uncomplimentary
or derogatory. -- Use those comments to refine, revise and improve
your product. -- In other cases, the comments you get ... while
not necessarily usable as indirect endorsements ... may provide
key-phrases, buzz-words, motivational buttons, or other marketing
ideas you can use to enhance your sales material.
Beyond that, you might want to ...
Create a Board of Advisors
Invite well-known people ... people your potential customers
will recognize and respect ... in your industry to serve on your
Board of Advisors. -- If you have received some favorable 'comments'
from notables in your industry ... comments you might use as
'celebrity' endorsements ... when you ask their permission to
use their quotes, also ask them to serve on your Board of Advisors.
Then, print your Board of Advisors in a side-bar on your company
letterhead. -- Use that letterhead in all your correspondence
to lend credence to company.
This works well even if there aren't any well-known, recognizable
authorities in your industry.
How many times have you received a letter with a "Board
of Advisors" or "Advisory Board" (or some other
such nomenclature) listed on the company's letterhead? -- The
names on that board are such people as the company's Banker(s),
Accountant(s), Attorney(s), etc. ó Any 'professional'
who serves the company. -- Sometimes they even list the organizations
the principals belong to, degrees the principals hold, and awards
the company and/or principals have received.
Using a Board of Advisors (Advisory Board; whatever) on your
letterhead ... even if you don't have any 'testimonials' or 'endorsements'
... can lend the 'credibility' of your 'advisors' to your company
... enhancing the "image" of your company in your customers'
eyes.
By the way, it is easier than you might think to put together
a Board of Advisors.
Some years ago, I helped a young company put together an Advisory
Board made up of some of the most recognizable names in the Financial
Industry. -- All I did was write to each of those people explaining
the financial "service" the new company would be offering.
In the letter, I also asked if the company could call upon them;
personally, on occasion for advice in their field of expertise.
Once I had a response from those people ... most of them graciously
agreeing to provide advice ... I wrote back and advised them
that I was putting together an "Advisory Board" for
the company and would like to list their name on that board.
-- You wouldn't believe the big, Big, BIG names I finally ended-up
with on that board.
Remember, all people like to think of themselves as giving
and caring - and - they also like to have their egos massaged
... so, being on an "Advisory Board" massages their
ego and makes them feel caring and giving.
Then again, even if there aren't any well-known people your
potential customers will recognize and respect in your industry,
you might want to ...
Use Professional Endorsements
Some years ago, a small company that marketed a patented air
purification device was preparing their very first mailorder
sales campaign. -- They, too, had read all about using 'testimonials'
in their sales materials but they didn't have any.
At first, their sales materials focused on "cleaning
the air in your home or office." So, they had some
friends use the devices in their homes and report the results.
-- Those reports ... although not very convincing ... became
their very first 'testimonials.' But, they did make enough
sales of the device to start getting some 'real' testimonials
from buyers.
One of the 'testimonials' they received was from a Doctor
who had bought one of the devices for his asthmatic daughter
... to clean-up the air in her bedroom. -- That 'testimonial'
made the company refocus their sales message.
Having learned that their device was helpful in the treatment
of asthma, the company decided they could sell more units by
offering it to asthmatics. But, they only had the one 'testimonial'
from one Doctor about the device's effectiveness. So ...
The company sent a letter to a list of Doctors around the
country who treated asthma patients. -- In the letter, the company
offered to provide one FREE air purification device to an asthma
patient of the Doctor's choice IF the Doctor would agree to document
any beneficial results to the company. -- Of course, they limited
the offer to the first 100 Doctors and required the Doctor to
complete a survey form about the patient who would received the
device ... along with the Doctor's signed agreement to
provide feedback about the applied use and effectiveness of the
device. (They enclosed a copy of the "one" doctor's
testimonial as initial evidence of the effectiveness of the device
in the treatment of asthma patients.)
Within 3 months, the company had enough 'real' testimonials
(endorsements) from 'real' Doctors to fill a full-page. -- That
page of Doctor's testimonials became the foundation for their
mailings to lists of asthma patients across the country. -- A
year later, the owners of the company were 'real' millionaires.
If you are marketing a product (or service) that can be most
effectively tested by some profession, why not create a 'survey'
for members of that profession (doctors, lawyers, accountants,
indian chiefs) and have them 'test' the product or service on
their clients? The resulting 'testimonials' can give you
a ho'bunch of Professional Endorsements to use in your sales
material.
Then again, if you can't find any 'celebrities,' don't know
who to put on your Board of Advisors, or don't have a product
or service to get some 'professionals' to endorse, try ...
Using Article Reprints
Usually, when most business people think about getting a News
Release published, they do so with the intent of having the resulting
article generate inquiries for; or even sales of, their product.
But, there is an even better use of those published articles.
When I finished writing my book, beyond sending bound manuscript
copies to other giants in the mailorder industry, I also sent
out a ho'bunch of "Review Copies" to book reviewers.
-- Along with those review copies, I sent a very brief (two paragraph)
description of the book to give the potential book reviewer an
idea of what the book was about ... with a copy of my bio-sheet;
so the reviewer would have some idea of who I am. (You
can see a copy of the bio-sheet in the "About Us" section
of the "Business Lyceum.")
Of all the reviews that were written about my book, the very,
very best was written by the book reviewer at "Jackpot."
-- As a matter of fact, where the reviews in other publications
did pull some inquiries about the book, the review in "Jackpot"
eventually pulled a total of 17 "paid orders" for the
book. (At $50 per, that ain't bad fer a Freebie.)
To be quite honest with you, since I had sold over 1,000 copies
of my book without any testimonials or endorsements, I really
wasn't looking for anything to enhance my response - but - when
I saw the number of paid orders coming-in from that review, I
decided to reprint the article and make it part of my sales letter
offer. -- The results were phenomenal ... still are. -- That
reprint increased my response rate by from 50% to 200% ... meaning
lists that pulled a 1% response without the reprint pulled from
1.5% to 3% with the reprint.
Having said that, you now have an even bigger reason to get
some News Articles printed about yourself, your business, and
your products or services. -- It isn't just the inquiries the
articles can generate, it's the potential use of reprints of
some of those articles to build your business image.
Now, following up on what I just said, here's ...
How To Get A Good News Release Written
Most Journalists are on the low-end of the pay scale.
For that reason, they are always looking for "freelance"
writing assignments.
When you want to get a news article (Release) written about
yourself, your business or product, go to your local newspaper
office and talk to some of the reporters. Ask if any of
them would be interested in earning a few bucks on a "freelance"
writing assignment.
Once you have the reporters' interest ... which will happen
almost instantly ... tell them you want a dynamite news article
written about (whatever). -- Tell them they don't have to offer
the article to their newspaper for publication ... just write
it. -- Ask them to suggest or recommend ideas, publicity stunts,
gimmicks, tricks or anything else you can do to give them a 'story'
to write. -- Offer to pay the reporters from $100 to $500 for
each 'story' you accept. -- Buy the articles that have the most
punch to them. -- Use those articles as News Releases.
Hey ... it works! I've done it myself ... to the tune
of millions of dollars.
Copyright - 2004, J.F. (Jim) Straw. All rights reserved.