§
Make it easy for your customers to leave feedback online both in front of their online network
of friends and contacts, and on review sites.
§
Have an Internet-connected laptop or iPad on hand in your business lobby or waiting room and
post a sign nearby that reads, “Free Internet access. All we ask in return is that you tell your
friends about your experience with us today on Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail us your story at
MyStory@YourBusinessEmail.com
Post a sign in your business targeted at customers with smartphones, requesting that they leave
§
a review on your blog, website, a popular review site, Facebook or Twitter while they wait. This
little prompt could start a viral wave of activity.
Encourage your customers to use their cell phones to take and send you pictures of their good
§
experiences with your business, employees and products. Encourage them to post them online
in their social networks and on review sites (be specific as to which sites).
§ Hold contest that encourage your customers to create a simple YouTube.com video talking
about you and your business. Reward the most creative entries with a prize. This can create a
viral wave of new activity and publicity on YouTube.
Create a high quality T-shirt or other branded items that reflect the marketing message of your
§
business and give them away to top customers and sell them to others.
Request that customers send you a picture and post a picture of themselves wearing or using
§
your branded items somewhere online.
§
If you give request and instructions on exactly how to help you, it will be very well received by
your most loyal customers.
Encourage your customers to post their comments themselves on popular review sites for your
§
industry, and on their social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
A few things to keep in mind when gathering and encouraging testimonials:
Don’t give customers prizes for testimonials, they must be sincere or you’ll risk damaging your
§
credibility.
§ Let customers know the specific review websites and services where you’d appreciate their
feedback appearing.
§ Register with all possible sites associated with your industry. Here’s a partial list to get
you started: Yelp.com, Google Places, Bing local, CitySearch.com, Yahoo! Local, Local.com,
MerchantCircle.com, and AngiesList.com
§
Social proof: Adding testimonials to your own website is some of the best content you can
possibly have.
Be aware of FTC rules for posting testimonials. Always be cautious when making specific claims
§
of results—those are murky waters with the FTC.
Whenever possible post a picture, name, and a city with any testimonials you put online or in
§
your marketing materials. This increases the credibility factor significantly.
§
Never give yourself reviews, let your customers do it.
§
Watch for positive posts on your blog and get permission to post the comments in other places
Any positive e-mails you get can be used the same way.
§
§
Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media site can be a source of new comments and stories
that should be shared with larger audiences as a testimonial.
§
Use Google Alerts as mentioned earlier in the book to keep an eye out for good news being
shared about you and your business.
§
Make it easy for your customers to leave feedback online both in front of their online network
of friends and contacts, and on review sites.
§
Have an Internet-connected laptop or iPad on hand in your business lobby or waiting room and
post a sign nearby that reads, “Free Internet access. All we ask in return is that you tell your
friends about your experience with us today on Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail us your story at
MyStory@YourBusinessEmail.com
Post a sign in your business targeted at customers with smartphones, requesting that they leave
§
a review on your blog, website, a popular review site, Facebook or Twitter while they wait. This
little prompt could start a viral wave of activity.
Encourage your customers to use their cell phones to take and send you pictures of their good
§
experiences with your business, employees and products. Encourage them to post them online
in their social networks and on review sites (be specific as to which sites).
§ Hold contest that encourage your customers to create a simple YouTube.com video talking
about you and your business. Reward the most creative entries with a prize. This can create a
viral wave of new activity and publicity on YouTube.
Create a high quality T-shirt or other branded items that reflect the marketing message of your
§
business and give them away to top customers and sell them to others.
Request that customers send you a picture and post a picture of themselves wearing or using
§
your branded items somewhere online.
§
If you give request and instructions on exactly how to help you, it will be very well received by
your most loyal customers.
Encourage your customers to post their comments themselves on popular review sites for your
§
industry, and on their social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
A few things to keep in mind when gathering and encouraging testimonials:
Don’t give customers prizes for testimonials, they must be sincere or you’ll risk damaging your
§
credibility.
§ Let customers know the specific review websites and services where you’d appreciate their
feedback appearing.
§ Register with all possible sites associated with your industry. Here’s a partial list to get
you started: Yelp.com, Google Places, Bing local, CitySearch.com, Yahoo! Local, Local.com,
MerchantCircle.com, and AngiesList.com
§
Social proof: Adding testimonials to your own website is some of the best content you can
possibly have.
Be aware of FTC rules for posting testimonials. Always be cautious when making specific claims
§
of results—those are murky waters with the FTC.
Whenever possible post a picture, name, and a city with any testimonials you put online or in
§
your marketing materials. This increases the credibility factor significantly.
§
Never give yourself reviews, let your customers do it.
§
Watch for positive posts on your blog and get permission to post the comments in other places
Any positive e-mails you get can be used the same way.
§
§
Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media site can be a source of new comments and stories
that should be shared with larger audiences as a testimonial.
§
Use Google Alerts as mentioned earlier in the book to keep an eye out for good news being
shared about you and your business.
