Testimonials are a written or spoken statement emphasizing the virtues of a product or service. Like a good song, a glass of fine wine, or an unexpected good deed: a testimonial is a simple item with the power to change someone's perspective.

In real life, we use them all the time.

1. We use them in introductions. Tim this is Hannah. Hannah loves traveling and just returned from Tuscany. Hannah, you'd like to know that Tim is an accomplished Italian cook.

2. We use them to qualify our actions. Helen is an aspiring triathlete. She is taking yoga classes because Sue, who just finished her third Ironman, swears that yoga is the secret of her success.

3. We use them to pass judgment. Isn't that the guy who's known as the fix-anything, home repair, power tool guru?

If testimonials are such a natural part of our lives, why do businesses confine them to a testimonial page buried in their Web site? In this artificial, isolated space testimonials lose their power.

Testimonials punctuate and illustrate your skills and accomplishments. They provide social proof and give credibility to your claims. So mimic everyday life. Make your testimonials visible at those touch points when your prospect is learning about you, judging your usefulness and credibility, or trying to decide if hiring you is the action they want to take. 

For increased impact place testimonials on:

1. Web pages. Insert them in your copy to emphasize a particular point. List them on your sidebar. Place a different testimonial on each of your site's pages.

2. Case studies. A typical case study follows a problem, solution, results format. Spark up your content with pull quotes. When you introduce your business solution use a testimonial for the quote.

3. Business cards. You know that space on the back of every business card? Fill it with a testimonial.

Before pasting your testimonial gems everywhere there are some tricks of the trade.

1. Select the testimonial that best matches the point you are trying to convey. If a particular sentence stands out, make it bold (please exercise good judgment when using bold fonts).

2. Insert them in the body of your copy tastefully. Select short, concise testimonials that clearly emphasize a specific point.

3. Embed links in your testimonials. If one testimonial refers to a particular project or skill set, why not let those words be an internal link to those respective pages on your site?

Try this 3x3x3 approach to your testimonials and watch their effectiveness multiply. It's only natural.


Want to use this article in your e-zine, newsletter or Web site? You can as long as you include the by-line and this complete blurb with it: Karen Marley is an independent business writer who helps businesses communicate their value to their prospects and customers.

If you are 100 percent satisfied in your current professional position then hit cruise control and enjoy the same scenery for the next 10, 15, or 20 years. But chances are you're a highly motivated and driven individual for whom complacency isn't an option.

That's why I'm thrilled to announce an additional contributor to Really Useful Content. Luis Martinez, author of Getting There: Driving High Performance Strategies & Tactics for Career Decisions gives you solid strategies for identifying and building  your personal brand then using it to achieve professional and personal accomplishment (don't take my word for it, check out the long list of 5-star reviews on Amazon.com).

Where I focus on strategies to attract and retain clients for a business, Luis dispenses generous advice on helping individuals attract and retain the professional goals they seek. I'm a firm believer the two go hand-in-hand.

In a time when market and job instability have been clearly established, Luis' advice on Getting There will position you for taking control of your own potential for opportunity and success. He has many years experience coaching and advising employees, peers, and executives and has held senior level assignments at Fortune 500 Companies.

Look for Luis' articles starting next month.