When I purchase an ebook I always read a few testimonials to see what others have experienced. It’s a powerful method because it helps build trust with your customers. It’s harder to gain someone’s trust on the Net than meeting them face to face. This is because there are unscrupulous people on the Net that take advantage of others trust.
Testimonials convert lookers into buyers because people other than yourself believe the content of your ebook was very valuable to them, and will be for others.
How to get testimonials
1. Participate in forums, blogs, social media sites
If you communicate with others in these public areas by contributing to the discussion taking place you’ll begin to develop relationships. Often you’ll find friends you’ll want to do business with. It’s easier to ask for testimonial after you’ve established a trusting relationship.
2. Ask your newsletter subscribers
Your newsletter subscribers already have a long term relationship with you because they’ve been reading your articles for several years. Make a pre-launch offer to them by selling your ebook below it’s launch price and ask those that buy to write a short testimonial.
You may even offer them a link back to their website on your sales page. They will receive a nice boost in traffic when you promote your ebook.
3. Create an evaluation form
When someone purchases your ebook, have them fill out an evaluation form based on their experience reading the content. Make sure you include a statement giving you permission to use their testimonial.
4. Ask the experts
Create a list of experts in your field then contact them to write a testimonial for your ebook. This will add a lot of credibility to your product because people tend to trust those that have built a strong reputation.
Don’t worry if you don’t get a reply because they tend to be very busy and get many offers every day. Your ebook may not appeal to them if it doesn’t offer something that stands out from all the others they’ve seen.
Offer to sell your ebook to their newsletter subscribers for a reduced price or give them a commission for every ebook they sell. This will make your offer more appealing because it benefits their pockets.
5. Offer a Free Gift
If you have trouble gathering testimonials from experts, offer your ebook as a free gift in exchange for a testimonial. Receiving testimonials from anyone is better than none. Ask for good and bad criticisms because you want to improve your ebook.
6. Offer to write the testimonial
People are busy and often can’t get in the right mindset to write a testimonial. Offer to write one for them or provide examples of past testimonials to help stimulate their creative juices.
If you write one for them find something in your ebook that relates with their area of expertise.
7. Use a photo, audio, or video
This adds more substance to the testimonial because you are appealing to their hearing and visual senses. The more that people connect to your testimonial through these mediums the more likely they are to purchase your ebook.
8. Include the full byline
The byline provides the name, and often the position, of the writer of an article. A full byline gives the testimonial more credibility than just saying
“J.C. from Ohio”
Testimonials provide a powerful endorsement of your product that wins the trust of your customers. If you weave them
into your sales page content you will make more sales than if you hadn’t done it.
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Herman Drost is the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW)
owner and author of Web Design, Web Hosting, SEO
