How to gently shove your B2B prospects into the buying zone
Let’s say you’re in the market for a fitness tracker.
The Fitbit looks good. But then so does the Nokia Steel.
The Nokia has less functionality of course, but it’s waterproof.
You don’t swim much, but not having to take it off in the shower is weirdly appealing.
You spin the options around your head for a few days, weighing things up in a mental boxing match of pros and cons.
But then, you stall. Something’s missing...
You go online, start scanning the testimonials.
Someone writes:
“The Nokia Steel is the perfect balance between discrete daily watch and connected fitness watch.”
Bingo.
You picture yourself smashing through the finish line, grabbing your 5K medal, and flitting off for a boozy lunch with pals. Your shiny new watch effortlessly transitioning with you.
This image spools through your tentative brain.
Resistance unclenches….
And bleep, phhaarrrt, B A N G!!! — out pops a confident decision.
Real reviews and testimonials are POWERFUL
Whether you're selling fitness trackers or SaaS products, testimonials are a smart ‘n’ sneaky way of helping your prospects overcome decision paralysis.
How? By piping in extra nuggets of detail you might not comfortably (or ethically) include in your own copy.
Take this example from The Funding Circle:
Now obviously, Funding Circle can't make specific claims about returns. But by using a testimonial, you're able to visualise the kinds of results you might get—through the eyes of an existing customer. Clever, right?
And this is exactly what fence sitters crave when they’re knee deep in decision mode.
Plus, like a perfectly-timed punchline, it whacks you in the face just at the point you might be hovering over the 'buy now' button.
Here's another example, this time on Mailchimp’s homepage:
The features are clear to see. But it’s the testimonial that does all the heavy lifting here.
By using a customer testimonial to talk up the benefits, it’s a zillion times more compelling than even the cleverest piece of Mailchimp copywriting.
And that’s saying something.
Why are customer testimonials so convincing?
Independent, unbiased feedback literally soaks your business in credibility.
I could tell you, for instance, that my writing helps businesses grow sales. But you'll only really believe it if you hear it from my customers, right?
Like it or not, we're ALL social proof-hungry beasts at heart. And the data doesn’t lie...
According to Feefo, 94% of consumers check reviews when they’re looking to buy something.
So feed your prospects with photos, names, job titles... anything to beef up the authenticity of your testimonials.
Look how the smart cookies do it at mHelpDesk:
You’ve got photos, you’ve got quotes, you’ve got videos, you’ve got a link to a whole library of case studies.
Your prospects want to see other people (people like themselves) using your services. Which is why mHelpDesk slides these bad boys right under your nose, seconds after you land on the home page.
Remember: real feedback signals trustworthiness. So put it up front and centre.
Conclusion: How to gently shove your leads into the buying zone
Never forget that your happy customers are your biggest brand advocates.
So collect their glowing sentiments like your business depends on it. Better still, build it into your sales process. Make it instinctive, automatic, perpetual.
And when speaking to your customers, ask the WHY, not just the HOW. Keep your questions open-ended. Dig into the nitty-gritty; get the name of the dog, as they say.
And always, ALWAYS record their exact words and statements.
This is how you’ll unearth the answers your prospects want to hear. And it’s how you’ll present them in the most magnetic way.
So why not take advantage of this proven tactic to gently shove your leads off the fence and into the buying zone?
Chances are they’ll thank you for the helpful nudge and you’ll double digit your conversion rates.
************************************************************
How are you using your customer testimonials? Is a more strategic approach appealing? Tell me in the comments.
***********************************************************
Case studies get you to ‘YES’ faster.