What Would Happen If...? (Please Read)

[MH1]

MH1 that's ONLY for a new startup who doesn't have ANY Customer's to ask. Please read in context.

I never work for anyone for free.

But if I was starting in a new industry, and trying something new with NO customer base, I'd consider approaching a large company in that industry and offering some free work in order to show them what I can do, and also in the hope of gaining a testimonial.

You're completely misquoting and misusing the context I've said that in.

Why would you have to work for free if you have customers? Duh!

It was not read or misquoted out of context, in my book the only testimonial worth having is one given for a paid for job, the only part I would agree with is never work for free, Duh!

NOW... here's a crucial thing... You might feel what I'm about to say next on surface seems a bit suspect, but it's not... it's perfectly normal business practice.

And if you don't think people in business do this, then you're naiive to the world of business.

Tell them that to save them time, you'll draft a short testimonial for them, and providing they're happy with it, they can put their name to it.

Take this little gem, IMO the idea of drafting a testimonial for a client is a huge trap many people fall into, and they wonder why people do not believe them when put on their websites.

Most of my clients asked me what I would like them to say, I asked them to word it themselves to reflect their own views and most importantly so they rang true. I use two simple rules, I never state what I would like to see and I never alter a single word of the testmonial, I do mention I might shorten it with agreement due to a few clients writing an essay instead of a testimonial.

I'm not trying to upset you, forums are for discussion and debate, I guess we just have a different view of what an honest testimonial is.

 

[christian_d]

People being so critical of a decent initial post. And its the same old people too.

Great post, some good points, keep it up.

Testimonials are brilliant when you feel the need in your sales process to use them.....

and I havn't got time to check your site to see if you 'practice what you preach' ... I understand their value anyway. Nice post

 

[salestraining]

Hi MH1,

If it's a free work just to solicit a testimonial - in other words, "whatever kind of job we do, good bad or ugly... we'll do it for free for the sake of a testimonial" that too in my books is a "no no" and I am with you with what you are saying.

However, that's not what I'm advocating. What I'm talking about is a testimonial based on results, with a service offered for free for them to put it to the test.

If they like it, can see how it works based on results, only then do they recommend it, and you offer that with a view to getting a testimonial AND ideally a paid contract for the full service you offer or a door into that company or organisation in the future.

And I think you'll agree that if the service doesn't work for them no reputable company would say it did or be prepared to put their name to it.

If someone offered me a service and said... "hey... give it a try, if you can see how the service works... will you recommend it?"

I'll say "Sure...!"

Why? it's not going to cost me anything and as long as there is no risk of it harming me, what do I have to lose?

And if it works... I'll sing it's praises and the name of the company who provided the service to all who'll lend an ear.

And if it doesn't work... I'll say... "Good try chaps... Sorry it didn't work out, but thanks for trying. Better luck next time."

I'm not going to give them a testimonial on failure, and neither would any sane business person.

For example, when I launched my twittollower website, I initially allowed 4 people to test the site for free on the proviso that 1) if they like it... they recommend it to their own customers.

They tried it, the loved it, and they mailed out to their own mailing lists, recommending the product (providing a testimonial) not to me, but to their own customer base about the results they'd had with the service.

For me, that was a perfect "In" in order to grab their attention.

If I'd have said to them, pay for it, I might not have even gotten them to look at it.

If they hadn't liked it, there was no way they would have been willing to put their own names to the product or recommending it to their lists.

Thereafter, marketers like Simon Hodgekinson (made over $1.7 million in a week on his last online launch) and who could have EASILY asked me for freebie, (He's a personal friend of mine but had never promoted for me before, so I'd have given him a freebie if he'd asked) based on their recommendation, purchased the product, tried it, and mailed out to his substantial sized list also recommending it.

And so it snowballed, so that by the end of the first month or so of trading we were just into 6 figures worth of sales.

That all came as a result of offering the service for free as a "try it and see, and if you like it, recommend it" offer to four influential marketers.

So it wasn't... "give me a testimonial just for a freebie..." and that's not what I'm saying. There is no value in that, and its doubtful a person would get one anyway if what they were offering was rubbish.

It was... "put the service to the test - and if you like it... and can see it works... Recommend it".

So I hope you can see the difference and value of the approach I'm suggesting.

 

[MH1]

I understand your viewpoint, mine is simply a testimonial should be based on reality, and that means like for like.

If the company is willing to do free work to solicit a testimonial to use to gain further work, either state the work was done for free or offer the new clients the same deal.

A testimonial obtained doing work for free IMO to gain paid work is little better than a bribe, just my opinion, maybe others think differently. Personally I have never offerred a discount or changed any terms to get a testimonial, I prefer to obtain freely offered testimonials based on the product or service as it will be in normal day to day trading.

Personally I am a huge fan of testimonials and recommendation in helping to obtain further sales, I just disagree with some methods in obtaining them, guess I am old fashioned.