The Most Powerful Marketing Copy in the World – Testimonials
What is a testimonial?
You've seen testimonials for every type of product and
service imaginable. A testimonial is a brief quote from
a member of your audience – donor, volunteer, client,
member or community stakeholder – summarizing how your
organization has benefited him or her.
Nothing you can say or write has as much impact as
comments from your audience, to your audience. Yet, I
continue to be surprised at how many nonprofits don't
put testimonials to work.
Take a look at these examples, drawn from nonprofit
websites and brochure:
- Volunteer – "The hours that I spend volunteering
for HOM are the best part of my week. I always look
forward to coming into the office and seeing other
HOM volunteers and our delightful staff, and I
especially cherish the times when I go visit patients.
I feel that discovering Hospice has been one of the
greatest events in my life."
- Donor – "I can think of no support higher on my
priorities list than a donation to the Global Fund for
Women's Investing in Women Campaign. After 16+ years
of building an excellent track record, the Global Fund
is in a good place to establish an endowment fund to
help secure its long term commitment to the issues of
international women and their families."
- Client – "I came into the hospital a very nervous
hip replacement patient. I left confident and relaxed,
comfortable with my ability to care for myself and my
family...You cared for me intensely when I needed care,
and let me care for myself when I was ready. What more
could a rehabilitation patient ask for?"
Why Testimonials Work
Prospective clients, donors and others want to hear
from their peers what their experiences have been
with your organization and its programs and services.
Testimonials are crucial because someone other than you
is telling prospects the value of their involvement
with your organization. Testimonials provide prospects
with a human face and story (everyone loves a good
story) and an objective opinion.
Your prospect expects you to go on and on about the
impact of your nonprofit or the importance of your
new program. However, when you have someone who has
experienced that benefit first hand, their comments
are much more convincing and accepted!
How to Get Testimonials and Use Them for All They're Worth
- Follow up regularly with clients, volunteers, donors
and others, asking for feedback. You might want to
develop a web-based feedback survey or simply call or
email. Follow up as soon after your interaction with
your audiences as possible, while the experience is
still fresh.
- If you use a survey form or email, ask for one or two
sentences describing the value of the experience with
your organization whether it be program participation,
giving or use of your counseling service. Provide an
example to make it easier for your respondents to
craft a useful statement. You can even draft a model
testimonial for them to amend.
- Take your testimonial feedback (verbal or written)
and shape it into a brief but powerful statement.
Limit testimonial length to one or two brief
sentences, with a photo when space allows.
- Request permission to use the testimonials in your
marketing and fundraising campaigns.
- To ensure credibility, include the name and title of
the person contributing the testimonial and the name
of their business or organization if relevant. In some
cases, issues of confidentiality will make attribution
impossible. If this is the case, create a profile
to serve as an attribution, e.g. "Donny R., 30
years old, and WHR dental patient for over ten years."
- Integrate testimonials in general and more targeted
promotions, both print and online. I feel that spreading
testimonials throughout your website or brochure has
greater impact than concentrating them on a single page.
By spreading them out, prospects are more likely to see
them even if they don't read every page.
- Make sure to refresh your testimonials so they reflect
current programming and campaigns.
Start Your Testimonial Collection Campaign Today
Yes, get out there and start soliciting testimonials
from audiences today. Remember to ask for testimonials
whenever possible, and use them often and wisely!
© 2002-2008 Nancy E. Schwartz. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Nancy E. Schwartz helps nonprofits succeed through effective marketing and communications. As President of Nancy Schwartz & Company (www.nancyschwartz.com), Nancy and her team provide marketing planning and implementation services to organizations as varied as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Center for Asian American Media, and Wake County (NC) Health Services.
Subscribe to her free e-newsletter "Getting Attention", (http://www.nancyschwartz.com/getting_attention.html) and read her blog at http://www.gettingattention.org for more insights, ideas and great tips on attracting the attention your organization deserves.
NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the copyright and "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint.
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© 2002-2008, Nancy Schwartz & Company
Revised April 12, 2008
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