Do you date much? Would you like to?

(No, ProspectsPLUS! is not moving into the dating advice niche. This is just a set up to for an analogy.)

Which is the easier way to get a date?

• On your own, at the supermarket, laundromat, bar, etc.
• By having a friend introduce you to someone they know.

You probably said number 2, right?

Not a Total Stranger

This may be a huge oversimplification, but it’s still true: it’s easier to get the date by your friend setting you up because you’re a friend of their friend. So you’re safe (more or less). You’re more familiar than a total stranger. It establishes some small degree of trust.

So, what does all this singles-scene stuff have to do with your marketing?

It’s this: by showing prospective customers that people just like them have used your service or purchased your product and got a good result, are happy and satisfied, you become less of a total stranger to your prospect.

They are thus more likely to trust you.

There are three main ways to promote your results and produce this effect:

• Photos
• Testimonials/reviews
• Evidence of market dominance

 Let’s take a look at each in more detail and how to use it in your marketing.

 Photos

 Photos are ideal for before-and-after scenarios where a picture really is worth a thousand words (and, marketing-wise, perhaps many thousands of dollars):

• Weight loss
• Cosmetic dentistry
• Anti-aging products
• Beauty products/services
• Interior decorating/remodeling
• Landscaping

But photos of happy customers and their purchases—house, car, pet, etc.—can also be effective in producing trust.

Testimonials/reviews

There is no bigger credibility builder than a great testimonial or review (or a few of them).

A testimonial can say things to overcome skepticism and build trust that you, as the voice of your business, could never get away with. That’s because a good testimonial or review isn’t sales copy; it’s word-of-mouth advertising.

When choosing a testimonial, shy away from the non-specific “I love this! It’s a great product!” raves. Instead, look for one that fulfills the following requirements:

• It’s from someone like your prospect. “Like” can mean same geography, age group, line of business, etc.
• It speaks of concrete benefits and results: “In just two week, I lost three inches in my waist!” or “We did the course and applied what we learned and have doubled our income in just the first six months.”
• The benefits should support the claims you’ve made for your product or service. In other words, losing inches in the waist is great, if you’re selling a diet or exercise product or service.
• It’s credible, meaning that it has identifying information, such as name (or initials), job title and company (as applicable), and city and state.

 Photos have been shown to increase the credibility of testimonials and video testimonials are even a step better.

Evidence of Market Dominance

If you’re the city’s #1 plumbing company… that speaks for itself…and it says to prospect “Everyone is calling these guys. You should call them, too.”

But don’t use this one unless you really are the market leader and can back it up with evidence and/or statistics: number of customers, number of sales, quotes from published reports, awards that indicate your “number-one-ness,” etc.

A great photo, testimonial, or evidence of market dominance is the most powerful “bait” for attracting new customers.

With one of these in hand, all you’ve got to do is log on to www.prospectsplus.com/pei and put it into your postcard. Then print, and mail and get ready for your phone to ring.

Or, if you’re tied up with all it takes to continue dominating your market, turn the postcard work over to Opportunity Knocks at 1 (866) 319-7109 and we’ll get it done for you.