Web audio
The Power of Your Client’s Voice

Online testimonials from clients win prospects, especially when their stories can be heard, not just read.

BY MICHAEL RUSSER

Dear Mr. Internet:

Do you recommend including testimonials from past clients on my Web site?

Tom Matheson

RE/MAX Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, Calif.

Testimonials are social proof that your services are valuable. Because past clients provide this social proof by praising you instead of you doing it yourself, testimonials can be a compelling nudge to encourage your Web site visitors to contact you. But to be effective, client testimonials must be structured and presented properly.

First, consider using the term "success stories" rather than "testimonials." Many consumers today are somewhat cynical about testimonials, often thinking they are “canned” and don’t reflect the speakers’ real experience. It’s also critical that each success story focus on the type of information that connects most strongly with your prospects. Make sure each story is factual and includes specific benefits that your client received from you—ideally in the very first sentence.

For example:

"We saved over $9,300 on the purchase of our first home thanks to Peg! You would think that she was buying the property for herself the way she negotiated with the seller. And, being our first home, we were expecting all kinds of hassles with the mortgage and transaction details. But thanks to Peg’s advice, it couldn't have been smoother.

There is no one we can recommend more highly than Peg Bryant. We trust her as our real estate advisor and consider her a friend as well!"

Henry and Jane Wells (and family)

Redmond, Wash.

Do you see how this is much more powerful and compelling in the eyes of a prospect when compared with something less detailed, like "Peg was just wonderful."

Let Them Sing Your Praises

If written testimonials are effective, think how much more compelling they would be if prospects actually hear your clients’ voices and felt their emotions as they described how you helped them buy or sell a home. This powerful approach requires less time and effort from your clients than a written testimonial. It’s as easy as leaving a voicemail message.

An innovative online service called AudioGenerator (the topic of my January 2004 Mr. Internet Column ) allows past clients to call a toll-free phone number and record a voice testimonial that you can post on your Web site. This is a much more compelling and credible form of providing testimony to your great services than a written description would be.

When publishing your audio testimonials to your site, include a short description of clients and their situation next to the audio player. This will add credibility and interest when prospects play the testimonial.

Remember, when you say how good you are people may or may not believe you. However, when past clients talk about the specific benefits they received from working with you, it’s much more convincing. And when your visitors can hear about the benefits of working with you directly from other clients, your ability to convert clicks to closes goes up tremendously.

**Tip of the Month

Nearly everyone has heard of Flash, the most popular way of putting multimedia onto the Web. However, what most people don't know is that there is a simple and affordable product called FlashPaper 2. This program, from Macromedia, allows you to turn any document into a Flash document, which can be e-mailed or posted on the Web. FlashPaper 2, which costs $79 at the time of this writing, can also convert any document into a standard PDF.

There are many advantages to converting your documents to Flash. Flash documents are much faster to browse through than PDFs, especially if your document has an outline, as in Word or PowerPoint. In such cases, Flash automatically creates links for each outline point so you can immediately go to a specific section. The smaller file sizes of Flash documents means they display more quickly than a PDF or other format when e-mailed. Macromedia is currently offering a 30-day free trial of FlashPaper 2.

Additional Resource on REALTOR® Magazine Online:

Tech Watch: Tech Products for Special Needs , March 2003