Better profit margins. Improved image. Consumer confidence. All of these can be achieved for little or no money if you employ one of the oldest and best tricks of the marketing trade. A well-written, strategically placed testimonial is one of the most cost effective tools you can use to attract attention, convey a benefit and boost credibility.

“You would think that since testimonials are so easy to fake that people wouldn’t believe in them,” said Dr. Ralph F. Wilson of Web Marketing Today. “The trick is to make sure it is believable. If a testimonial sounds so good that you couldn’t have said it better yourself, then it probably won’t sound credible to your customer.”

Testimonials offer customers the opportunity to hear about your product in a different “voice” than yours. The more specific the quotes in the testimonials are, the better. For instance, if someone says, “This is the best wrinkle cream I’ve ever used” your customers may or may not be impressed. A better quote would be: “The wrinkles on my forehead made me look years older than I am. I tried everything on the market with no success. After using this cream for four short weeks, the wrinkles are gone and people tell me that I look five years younger. I actually enjoy looking in the mirror.”

There are three basic types of testimonials – web hosting provider offers tips.

Customer Quotes. This is by far the most effective type of testimonial. Marketing studies show that businesses that begin to use testimonials often see a 15 to 20 percent increase in business within weeks.

Celebrity Testimonials. These are not as credible as customer testimonials, but they can be effective if used sparingly and discreetly. Everybody assumes the celebrity is being paid to promote your product, which diminishes the level of good will and credibility that can be achieved. Be careful who you choose and stay completely away from controversial figures. If your customers are not particularly fond of the person you select, they might transfers their feelings to a negative view of your product.

Third Party Endorsements. If your product receives praise from a trade association, a magazine in your field or is lauded by “experts” you can benefit greatly by adding this information to your site. Expert organizations carry a lot of weight because people believe that their endorsements cannot be bought.

An effective a website testimonial should have the following – web hosting tips:

• Cite complete attributions. The more complete the attribution, the more believable the testimonial will be. Consider using Dr. Susan Smith, vice president of marketing for Acme Corporation in Detroit, Michigan rather than S. Smith, Detroit.
• Be authentic. Resist any temptation to rephrase your customer’s words. In most cases you will compromise the credibility if you tamper with the original message.   .
• Use photos. Testimonials that include photographs of the testimonial writer are particularly impressive. Studies show that including photographs of the person actually using your product can triple the credibility and selling power.

If your ecommerce site is new, you may find that customer testimonials can be an excellent way to add content. Bear in mind that proper placement of testimonials is critically important. A testimonial belongs at the point of sale where you may be dealing with a particular objection. Don’t cram your testimonials together. Space them out with other parts of your sales copy and make sure they flow naturally.

Talk to your web hosting provider about how you can put this marketing tool to work for your ecommerce site. Then gather quotes from satisfied customers, post them in the appropriate areas and watch your business grow and thrive.