Your First Answers

Posted on January 12, 2010 - Filed Under Surveys, Trends Impacting Entrepreneurs

“Should I just remove all my testimonials? I’m seeing more sales pages without them.”

Since I’ve started asking people to respond to my FTC survey question (regarding your questions about how to remain in compliance with the FTC’s new guidelines), I’ve heard this question frequently. Just seeing new rules applied to the use of testimonials is a little scary – so WOULD it be better to just remove testimonials all together?

My answer: Although the most conservative approach is to pull down all testimonials immediately, in the long run, that would be a shame because, as marketers, we know that testimonials are a powerful way to convey the results our clients and customers receive. Rather than stop marketing with testimonials altogether, I recommend you do the following:

  • Review all the current testimonials you’re using. Do they imply a result? (For example, if your testimonial says “I made $10,000 after one coaching session with John” – you are implying a result and this testimonial would be out of compliance if you didn’t ALSO show generally expected performance results.)
  • Conservatively, in the short-term, you would cease using these kinds of results-based testimonials – but only temporarily – until you collect the information you need to make sure these testimonials are compliant with the new FTC guidelines. In order for the above testimonial to be compliant, you must do a few things:

o Make sure the person who made the testimonial actually was a user of your products or services at the time they made the comment

o Make sure the person would still make the comment today

o Make sure the person is still buying or benefitting from your product/service today

o Show your generally expected results on your website, in addition to any testimonials like these. (The only way to obtain your generally expected performance results is through conducting research.)

Once you’ve verified your testimonials and you can demonstrate how your average/typical client benefits – you can use these wonderful results-based testimonials again.

Here’s another question:

“I really don’t know where to start researching – and when I do find information I am not always sure how to use it.”

My answer:
If you have an existing business, my recommendation is to always begin your research with your existing customers. For example, my venture capital clients always do research with existing customers of a business at the time they decide to invest in growing that business. Why? There are multiple reasons:

1. Existing customers know what attracted them to you in the first place (you may be surprised!)

2. Existing customers know what differentiates you from the other companies who offer similar products and services – what’s special about you, your company, and your brand

3. Existing customers, when profiled, help you understand your ideal target market

4. It costs less to keep an existing customer than to find a new one, so identifying challenges that existing customers have with you saves you from repeating costly mistakes

5. Existing customers know you well enough to know what they want you to offer next, giving you insight into new products you should develop.

6. Existing customers can tell you the benefits they’ve received from your products and services (and therefore help you with your marketing – including staying compliant with the new FTC guidelines.)

So, let’s assume you’re going to begin by researching your existing customer base. There are two keys to getting the most out of your project – getting crystal clear on your business objectives in doing the research (which tells you WHICH QUESTIONS TO ASK) and asking questions in the right way (so you avoid confusion and get the “real” answer).

The great news is, there is a simple, step-by-step process to conducting research with your existing customers. Once you know the process, you can build research into your business to make sure you know where you stand and have a roadmap for the future.

To hear more about these topics, plus more about getting the most out of your marketing while remaining in compliance with the FTC’s new guidelines, join me on Wednesday for my FREE event, “Demonstrate My Results Preview Call,” at Noon Pacific, 3 p.m. Eastern.

The questions I received in response to my survey will determine what we’ll talk about on this call, so you know it’s totally pertinent to what you need to know, as a business owner, about getting the most out of your marketing while remaining in compliance with the FTC.

Click here to register for this FREE call: www.demonstratemyresults.com/preview

And if you can’t make the call on Wednesday at Noon Pacific, 3 p.m. Eastern, register anyway and we’ll send you a recording – I don’t want you to miss this crucial information!

Thanks again for your survey responses and I look forward to talking with you Wednesday!

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