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The Author of the most practical business book - Secrets To Retail Riches * provides the following article on the most effective way to advertise your business * for FREE!

Testimonials *

How does everyone else get to find out what great service your company provided. How else do they find out how good you are? You have to tell them, but through a third person, because this has far more credibility and also because in general people live vicariously through the thoughts and opinions of others.

The best way to do this is by having a statement by one (or more) of your very satisfied customers. This statement can be written or recorded on an audio or video recording.

Written

If a customer rings to thank you and tell you how great your goods and / or service was, ask them to put it in writing for you. If they seem reluctant because it seems like hard work, offer to do it for them, using their words. Simply write what they said as best you remember it, then send it to them to read and make changes as necessary. When they are happy with it, get them to sign it.

You can now use this as part of your ad, or have it displayed in store, or send it with your mail outs or other marketing material. This adds credibility to your company, but more importantly builds trust amongst potential customers that you are the right business to deal with, because other customers (like them) said so!

Audio

If you have a digital recorder, or an MP3 player with voice recording (which is most of them these days) or a laptop computer (which nearly all have built in microphones), you can actually record the voice of the person giving the testimonial and then use this * on your website, in radio advertising, on an audio reel playing in store, or if you have one of those recorder voice messages your customers listen to over the phone whilst on hold, you can have it playing on that.

Video

Do you have a small digital camera with the ability to take video? If not go out and purchase one immediately. They are not at all expensive, can be written off as a business expense and can transform your business.

Once you have permission to record their image (or voice), simply hold the small camera up at about your chest level and start recording (you do not want to hold it directly in front of your face as this may then be a little distracting for the customer). Let them see your face * let them talk to you. The camera is there to capture them talking normally. The more sincere they are, the more powerful the testimonial.

Tips

Before recording (voice or video) - Always ask the person first what they are going to say. Most people are not very natural at this, so a little bit of coaching can help them.

Listen to what they say and then say it back to them in a concise way, using their words. Make sure you tell them to use your name or the store name in their testimonial.

Then start the recorder and actually ask them again *So I have your permission to record this and use it for our store?* (now you have the permission on tape so they can*t come back at a later stage saying they never gave permission).

Then just ask them to explain how they found their experience.

Record this to your computer. When you want to edit the file and collate several of them, free programs that came with you computer (eg Windows movie maker etc) are all that are required.

If you are not familiar with these products, just ask any teenager you know to do it for you. They all seem to find these things second nature and they all use them on a regular basis.

You can also type out exactly what was said in the audio and video testimonial and use this a s a written testimonial in any of your letters or other mail outs, or as an attachment to any email you send out or even on a separate page on your website.

I can help you with that and every aspect of your business through my step by step, hand holding mentoring program.

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