Thread: How do I get testimonials if I don't have any customers?

The good guys give away their products for free with the intention of getting testimonials. Then they release it to the actual market. Give it to your friends or whatever first, ask some people around here, and tell them specifically "I'm looking for testimonials."

In MJ's case I learned so much from him just reading this forum and his posts that I'm willing to give him pretty damn much anything he wants! ... (but don't get too frisky!)

Okay I'll find some people for freebies. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Kung Fu Steve

The good guys give away their products for free with the intention of getting testimonials. Then they release it to the actual market. Give it to your friends or whatever first, ask some people around here, and tell them specifically "I'm looking for testimonials."

In MJ's case I learned so much from him just reading this forum and his posts that I'm willing to give him pretty damn much anything he wants! ... (but don't get too frisky!)

This is the way to go. To take it a step further, use these first customers (who get it for free) as an opportunity to get some feedback. Maybe even give them questionaires to fill out. For a product release, this is commonly done and known as "beta" testing. You'll find that no matter how much thought you've put into your product/service, you'll always get some good perspective and insight from the customer point of view.

I am part of a new business that is seeking testimonials as well. Sometimes prior to launching your product/service you can provide a section where your future testimonials will go putting in "What People Are Saying" or "What Are Others Saying?"

Then you can get friends, contacts, etc to understand your business. You can find others who share in the same passion. Find reputable people in the industry and ask them to write up a phrase or a quote describing how they think your new product/service will revolutionize the industry and take it to the next level.

In return, provide them with compensation or free trial periods, or be creative and give them something in return. Maybe even ask them. Approach someone and let them know what you are doing and if they believe in the product/service to write up something and to think about what they would want in return.

I have been able to provide a few of these for our new business and you know what... everyone so far has done it for free because the people I approached have actually been good contacts where in the past we have helped each other out, or they know that I will provide them with something in return some day in the future. They know that if they asked me to do the same, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Hmm... Best case scenario, these people you share with will be able to really draw a crowd to your product on their own. There's a reason why people try to get rock starts and pretty girls to wear their brand, you know?

So anyone got a tip on how to identify the people who are likely to spread the love of your product and really help boost exposure outside of their testimonials?

Off the top of my head, you could: Do a search for phrases that come up relevant to people wanting whatever it is you provide, and be their angel. You can do a little screening of their 'net activities and really get a good feel for how people react to their word within their sphere of influence.... As an example, if I had something and saw that Russ would really benefit from it, I could easily see that he's a very well respected member of his community.

So let's say I had... Uhm. Hmm... Some kind of keychain you can call/text with your cellphone to make it beep, and I saw that Russ H. was complaining about tenets losing their room keys. I think he would be a good stranger to offer a sample / samples to in exchange for and honest review/testimony.

Of course, you need to be able to approach strangers without coming off like some alley pill pusher. "Pssst... C'mere a second, I got something you'll like."

Don't approach it like that. If you do you will have a hard time finding people to agree to anything. You aren't selling the keychain that beeps. Maybe this approach:

Russ,

I noticed your complaints regarding your tenants always losing their keys. I am in the process of launching a new product that will assist in eliminating that problem for you. I would love to send you a free keychain or two and test it out. They have a machanism on there that beeps so when the keys are misplaced your tenants do not have to contact you and waste your time and money. They can press a button so it will beep. If I can provide you with free keychains for all of your tenants, would you be willing to test it out and provide a brief written testimonial that I can place on my website? That would be very helpful for me and hopefully we can solve your problem in the meantime. Don't forget, under your testimonial we can provide a link back to your own website. Thanks for your time and hope to hear from you soon.

FDJustin Keychains, Inc

I would also contact bloggers in your industry and ask them if they would be willing to receive a free keychain in exchange for a review. I run a blog network and we have people always giving us free products and in return our bloggers write up a nice little review. The blogger gets a free product and provides them with more content to post so the blogger is usually more than willing to do this.

On the flip side, give them very easy criteria. Make sure you tell them that all you ask is that they mention your business by name and a link back to the site.

Lastly, provide an affiliate program. Wouldn't be nice to not only contact the bloggers to write about your free product but to also tell them, "hey I will provide you a special link that will keep track of how many people you send to my site from your blog post, and if they buy a keychain you can earn a commission."

This will be more incentive for them to turn around and push your product.

Having a good affiliate program can be the difference between good earnings and awesome earnings.

Rem nailed it on the head.

If you call as this regular dude and say "Hey, I've got this cool keychain that will help your clients find their missing key cards, can I send a few over for free? I'm not looking for anything but testimonials - think you could help me out?"

just an alternative script, what Rem said was golden.

I was just searching youtube for those old BlueBlocker sunglasses the only reason I bring it up was because John Carlton brought it up and I just repeat whatever he says because he's my hero (just kidding... kind of... ) but what he said is the testimonials from the old infomercials were perfect because it was actual reactions of people wearing the blueblocker sunglasses.



At :30 seconds it has an actual testimonial. You can tell it's not manufactured, it wasn't faked it was just someone trying them on and they caught it on camera.

So you see most recordings on commercials or whatever they put some dude or dudett in front of the camera and say "tell us your testimonial" and it sounds completely fake and they put text on the screen that says "ACTUAL CUSTOMERS!" or "REAL TESTIMONIALS!!" They might as well put "THIS IS REAL GUYS.. REALLY... I MEAN IT!"

I thought that was always hilarious.

Testimonials? Real people, using real language, you get them on camera or on text with nose hairs sticking out and all! That's real.

I'm off on a rant again so I'll stop. To get testimonials? Just ask. As a matter of fact... Think I'm going to give away my CD program right now to anyone who wants it... Good thinking guys. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Rem

Russ,

I noticed your complaints regarding your tenants always losing their keys. I am in the process of launching a new product that will assist in eliminating that problem for you. I would love to send you a free keychain or two and test it out. They have a machanism on there that beeps so when the keys are misplaced your tenants do not have to contact you and waste your time and money. They can press a button so it will beep. If I can provide you with free keychains for all of your tenants, would you be willing to test it out and provide a brief written testimonial that I can place on my website? That would be very helpful for me and hopefully we can solve your problem in the meantime. Don't forget, under your testimonial we can provide a link back to your own website. Thanks for your time and hope to hear from you soon.

FDJustin Keychains, Inc

Thanks for elaborating on what I said not to come off like, by showing a good example of how to do it well.

Just because I'm afraid it might not have been read properly the first time:

Of course, you need to be able to approach strangers without coming off like some alley pill pusher. "Pssst... C'mere a second, I got something you'll like."

I definitely didn't want anyone to give the wrong impression!

I know this is off topic, but I had an OCD moment and had to emphasize why those amber lenses would actually be genuinely helpful by blocking blue light, because they don't elaborate on that point... I mean it says what blue light does, but not why.
That's probably a marketing choice.

Basically, cells in our eyes get bleached by light and stop working until they recover. Blue light causes them to unbleach and get used before they're ready. High-energy visible light - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sorry, you can go back to your regularly scheduled topic.

Thanks for the input everyone, it is very helpful.

My initial response to the question is to just make up the testimonials yourself. I can come up with quite a few right off the bat. Didn't see that answer in the responses so far.

Does everyone think this is immoral to do? I am 50/50 on this. One one side, I say no harm, no foul. Not going to loose any sleep over it. It is just words on a screen. On the other hand, I am an honest person and strive to live an honest life. I want to run my businesses the same way. What does everybody think?

If I am derailing the OP topic, let me know and I will start another thread on the morality of faking testimonials.

Originally Posted by Mikerags

My initial response to the question is to just make up the testimonials yourself. I can come up with quite a few right off the bat. Didn't see that answer in the responses so far.

Does everyone think this is immoral to do? I am 50/50 on this. One one side, I say no harm, no foul. Not going to loose any sleep over it. It is just words on a screen. On the other hand, I am an honest person and strive to live an honest life. I want to run my businesses the same way. What does everybody think?

If I am derailing the OP topic, let me know and I will start another thread on the morality of faking testimonials.

If I did that then people would be signing up based on a lie and I don't want to do it that way. I see so much shady crap online and I don't want to be like that. I can't say the idea didn't occur to me but I just can't do it.

Flatlander, yeah like I said I am 50/50 on it. I can see both ways. I think being an honest business man will pay off ten fold in the long run. PM me your site and I'd be happy to give you a review.

Go to Warrior forum and offer it for free if you get a positive review. You will get more than your need.