"Buying products on the web can be scary.
Customers want to know :
* Is a web site secure?
* Is this a reputable business?
* Does this product actually do what they promise it does?
Customer testimonials can PROVIDE the answers to such questions, BUILD trust and CLOSE sales!"
from
http://www.soho.org/Marketing_Articles/Testimonials.htm
I was just trying to help - I am a full-time Internet Marketing Professional - I have seen proven results from the use of testimonials - written, audio and video. Readers can tell when a testimonial is fake.
Just look at the power of the DIS when it comes to
Dreams Unlimited Travel - almost 68,000 board members - and how many threads have many happy DU clients? Even DU has a great testimonials page
http://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/faq/clientquotes.cfm
Sure, they could be fake - but I doubt it - you should always require at least an email ok from a client before posting a testimonial on a website for legal reasons - and I bet many of these happy clients could be emailed as a reference.
Lori and Dawn - I was in no way questioning your legitimacy as an agency, I was trying to state what many consumers feel help them feel comfortable with an online business.
Other things that help raise a comfort level:
- SSL secured data entry form (the lock symbol in your browser), even if no credit card info is entered - I have seen requests triple once this is in place!
- BBBOnline reliability symbol
- photos of the owners or members of the business
- symbols from membership in organizations (CLIA symbol, etc)
- contact info on every page, usually in footer - email address and/or phone number, address - where is business located? even though it is the internet, consumers 'connect' with local businesses or even businesses in their state or a nearby state.
Yes, it is a lot of work to get all of this on the web site. But I have seen one business quadruple its rate of web requests by implementing many of these suggestions.
Have you had clients call and ask you the "How do I know I can trust you since you are on the internet?" question yet? Someone will, eventually.
I wish you luck in your endeavors.
-Joe