Capitalize on Testimonials!
Much like positive product reviews and Facebook Likes, displaying customer testimonials can go a long way in terms of achieving consumer confidence. It’s important to remember that testimonials don’t just have to pertain to your products themselves, but can apply to customers with kind words on their shopping process, customer service, a gift they gave to someone, punctual delivery or any other positive experience they’re willing to share.
There are many places to consider displaying such feedback. The homepage is a good start, since that’s likely a common place where customers begin their shopping process and any apprehension might be eased. Throughout the store any vacant areas are logical places to ‘toot your own horn’ rather than just displaying empty real estate. Don’t think of it as filler, but rather a way to maximize the surface area you have to work with. You may even have seen links in retailers’ navigation devoted entirely to testimonials labeled something like “What people are saying.”
Testimonials don’t always come that easily, so it’s important to strategize how to graciously elicit them. Since you’re more likely to get stellar feedback from a happy customer, consider searching your order history for repeat buyers and sending off a bulk email asking for feedback. You might even offer an incentive, such as a discount or free shipping in exchange for a good review. Another great tactic is to include a link to a testimonial form somewhere in order confirmation or shipped emails. Someone who’s just placed an order may be more forthcoming to share their positive experience. Nexternal clients can use the Customer Order History Search to hone in on ideal targets based on their past purchase behavior.
Chris is a Senior Account Executive at Nexternal and has been with the company since 2005. Before joining Nexternal he worked in the cloud-based educational software industry. Chris enjoys establishing new relationships with online merchants and working closely with those clients as they grow.
