Let your clients be heard

Good news travels fast, but you can make it travel faster. Testimonials from happy customers are one of the most powerful ways to market your business, so here are some guidelines on how to maximize their effectiveness.

1. Be Genuine. For a more personal and credible testimonial, ask your client to write his/her own, rather than assigning someone on your team to create one on his/her behalf.
2. Be Specific. Vague comments like "great job" or "I was very pleased" aren't convincing and don't differentiate your company. Ask your client to specify what about the project, company, etc. pleased them.
3. Spread the News. Take full advantage of great customer feedback by including quotes in your website, brochure and other marketing materials. You may even want to create a "Satisfied Customers" sell sheet or leave-behind for meetings with prospects.

There are numerous ways to elicit feedback from your clients - a letter asking for comments, an informal phone interview or an online survey. And remember, always thank customers for their feedback.

One of North Star's clients, Mansfield Bank, makes great use of testimonials on its World Smallest Newsletter™ . Every quarter, the company includes a case study, quote and photo to emphasize the service being advertised. Ron Carlstrom, the company's Director of Marketing, understands the value of client feedback. "Including a testimonial adds credibility because a third party is endorsing our capabilities. When our clients see a the person behind the words, they know they can believe the source."