By working plenty of “proof” into your communications.

A powerful way to do this is through customer references. Alongside product information and demos, testimonials and endorsements offer powerful social proof that your software does exactly what it promises.

And social proof is a very powerful motivator, especially in B2B.

You find testimonials everywhere: on websites, in trade show collateral, press kits, direct marketing literature, advertisements, and case studies in print, audio and video formats. And what about the word of mouth work your customers are doing on your behalf across the Internet?

Why do testimonials work? Because they satisfy the golden rules of selling:

• We don’t like the idea of being sold to
• We buy things for emotional, not rational, reasons
• Once sold, we need to justify our emotional decisions with logic

Here are some tips for more powerful testimonials:

• Use evidence that shows the software in action. This shows what the software has done, not what it is supposed to do.

• Be as specific as possible. Use precise figures to illustrate the advantages a business or department gains by using your software.

• Write one testimonial per benefit. Then create three or four testimonials. This creates a halo effect around your software. Good for polishing up dry and dusty datasheets.

• Make sure the benefit is believable – get plenty of “reason why” copy in.  Keep it clear, reasonable and logical about why the software worked. Make sure the quote comes from someone directly benefiting from the software

• Dramatise a problem and show how your software solved it.

• Keep the testimonial targeted precisely to your audience. If you’re selling to finance directors tell them in numbers how your software affects the bottom line.  But tell a CIO about an integration issue you helped resolve.

Well-crafted customer references help to overcome sceptical prospects. So keep your testimonials specific, targeted, believable and focused.

Want a copywriter to add powerful testimonials to your advertising, direct mail, web pages and marketing collateral? Contact me on 020 8943 2472, and I'll be delighted to help.