Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

The benefit of testimonials is that it adds credibility to your company and products. Having a quote from someone who has used the product before makes potential customers more likely to believe what you say.

There definitely are people who you would not want to use for testimonials - you want to use people who add to your credibility. I can't provide specific examples for you, as I don't know what business you are in, but if the person doesn't increase your credibility, then you would not want to use them.

There are some good articles on this site about testimonials. If you enter "testimonials" into the search box in the blue bar above, you will find them.

Darinkey,

in general product testimonials can cause the following to happen...

A) Help expand your business into the arenas where the person giving the testimony is operating.

For Example...
If you are an author and you get book testimonials from successful well known authors you could quite possibly experience a surge of purchases from those who already follow the person giving you the testimony.

B) Increase your status level and notiriety because your product is included among the who's who of your industry.

For Example...
Again you are an author and you get book testimonials from successful authors. What could happen is people may now start equating you with the level of success that is reflected by the person or persons giving you the testimony.

C) Increase the purchase of your product.

For Example...
Again you are an author and you get book testimonials from successful authors. What could happen is people may now start buying your product because a well known person has endorsed it.

Some of the examples I offer above may have multiple benefits for each example.

Yes there are people you should not use...for instance those who might affect the image of your product in a negative way, those who may not offer any additional leverage for you among your purchasing audience and finally anyone who may be seen as too controversial. Is there anything else I can do for you Darinkey?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

The real benefit of using testimonials is that it suggests that someone who should know endorses your product. Of course, it's critical that the endorser only say what you can support, and that the endorser be recognized (or introduced fully) as an expert.

There's lots of information on use of endorsement/testimonial advertising. You'll need to identify your target audience pretty carefully and hone the message so your endorsements are on target for your key benefit. Don't try to cram too much information into the testimonial. Singleminded is the goal.

Good luck.