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Guest post by: Lisa Sasevich Become an Author

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As I mentioned in the last Sales Nugget, as a speaker, trainer or salesperson, one challenge we all face is: How can we effectively promote our offerings when our audience knows we are biased? The answer: By using testimonials.

In many cases you may not have happy clients at your presentation to make a live testimonial. Or, you may not want to risk the success of your sales outcome on the unpredictable nature of live testimonials.

In these instances, I recommend using written testimonials. In fact, I recommend using written testimonials everywhere you can.

On your web site

In your brochure

In every e-zine or promotional e-mail

At the bottom of any sales letter you send

And, of course, in your live presentations

Using written testimonials allows someone else to promote your product or service, even if they're not there to do it.

Here are 5 quick tips from The Invisible Close Ebook for collecting and using written testimonials to boost sales.

Make sure the testimonials cite results. Did your clients lose 50 pounds, triple their income, meet the perfect mate, make peace with their kids or land a huge contract?

When including results, share specifics. Did your client make an additional $25,000 in the first two weeks of working with you, grow workshop attendance from 18 to 78 people or buy a piece of real estate for $80,000 under the market value? Remember: numbers are credible and powerfully persuasive.

Highlight testimonials that handle the most common objections people have. If people have a common concern that your product is expensive, have a testimonial that says, "I more than recouped my investment in the first 2 months." If they're concerned that your service may be complicated, include a testimonial of someone who was concerned it would be complicated but found it very easy and fun to use.

Get them while they're hot! When someone is complimenting you or your product or sharing results they had from working with you, that's the time to ask for a testimonial.

Give them a sample of what you'd like them to include. If you want great testimonials that serve your needs, send clients a sample testimonial and ask them if you can use that or something that is like it, but in their words. They can edit it and send it back to you and you will likely get what you need quickly.

Bonus Idea!

Earlier this week I taught an extraordinary workshop with my friend Suzanne Falter-Barns called, "Get Started Speaking." One of the participants asked what she should do if she sent out an email asking to speak to a group and didn't get a reply.

I suggested that she not include testimonials in her first contact so that a few days latter she could follow up saying, "Forgive me for neglecting to include these recent testimonials with my email a few days ago. I'm resending it for your review."

A great excuse to make a second contact, let the testimonials toot your horn and get your email back to the top of their inbox!

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