02.20.07
“The Power of Testimonials…”
The true power of testimonials is often misunderstood and underestimated.
Why should you solicit a testimonial? The most obvious reason is to help convince others that your product or service is exceptional. Half right.
Yes, it’s true that when you see favorable opinions about a person or a company, you tend to think better of them. It’s natural. But that’s only half the story. The second part is more subtle, and more powerful. Let me illustrate.
During the Korean war, the Chinese communists running American POW camps were extremely effective. They could get patriotic Americans to do and say things they never would have thought of doing at the start. How did they get them to crack?
They got them to write. Robert B. Cialdini explains how in his book, "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion." At first, the Chinese asked innocent-enough sounding questions like "Is America perfect?" The obvious answer came quickly. "No, America is good, but not perfect."
"OK, write it down then," they’d be told. Here’s where the first chink in the American’s armor was exposed. Writing it down makes three crucial things possible:
- Writing (as opposed to just saying something) creates an undeniable record of what was expressed.
- You can use what was written to convince others (how testimonials are traditionally used).
- People come to believe what they themselves write.
The third point is the one which I didn’t fully grasp about testimonials. We judge ourselves based on our actions and what we state to others about ourselves and what we believe.
Have you ever been in an argument you felt you were losing? I have caught myself justifying my opinion, even when it was clear the evidence wasn’t in my favor. Why? We want to act consistently with what we have said. It’s even more powerful when we write it down.
So how does this apply to testimonials? Simple. When someone writes a testimonial about your service, first they have created an undeniable record that they feel a certain way. Second, you can use this testimonial to convince others you have a great product or service.
The third, and most important point is that those who write the testimonial convince themselves you have a great service even more by the very act of writing it down. They commit themselves to the statement.
When the Chinese communists coerced American POW’s to write down that America is not perfect, it was powerful. The Chinese took this statement and showed it to other Americans.
When asked why they wrote that America wasn’t perfect, the coerced POW would say, "Because it isn’t!" Because there was an undeniable record of what they said, there was no backing out. They found themselves defending "their" position. The act of writing it down made it not a position, but their position.
This powerful knowledge must be used ethically and responsibly. In getting a testimonial from a customer or client, understand how you effect their attitudes. You strengthen their commitment to use your product or service.
It’s your responsibility and mine to make sure we provide a service worthy of their praise. When we do so, it’s not manipulation. We are engaged in spreading the word about an excellent product or service. It’s a lot to live up to.
Businesses cheat themselves when they underestimate the power of testimonials to promote the excellent products and services they provide. If you haven’t harnessed the power of testimonials up to now, commit to yourself to it. Better yet, write it down.