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Merrick, NY—Just as peer pressure is powerful to teenagers, peer review is equally powerful to adults. It’s why all respected science articles are peer-reviewed, and why websites such as Angie’s List and Care.com are so successful. It’s also why a negative review on Yelp or social media can be so damaging.

Customer testimonials are a highly effective marketing strategy, both in B2B marketing, as New York-based jewelry brand Gumuchian does in the example below, and of course in B2C (business to consumer) marketing.

A recent article in the Toronto Globe And Mail offers tips for getting good customer testimonials and using them effectively. When a client gives you a compliment about your business, simply ask, “I’d really love to share your success with others. Would that be okay?”  

Most people like to be helpful and if asked, are likely to agree, but will rarely think to suggest you use them as a testimonial. Here are some more tips for getting powerful customer testimonials:

• Tap your newest customers first. They tend to be the ones most passionate about their experiences with you. Reach out soon after your transaction and, assuming their feedback is good, ask if you may share it. (And if it’s not, you have an opportunity to fix what’s wrong!)
• Tap your best longtime customers next. These are the ones who don’t really think about your great service or product because they’re used to it and simply expect it as the norm—but if you ask what’s made them a loyal customer for so long, it’s likely to elicit some good testimonial nuggets.
• Make it easy. People are afraid to write something when they’re not eloquent writers, but the best testimonials are authentic, not polished. So ask for just a few words about why they like your store best.
• Do unto others. Be equally willing to offer testimonials for other businesses in your community whose services have impressed you. It emphasizes your high standards as both seller and buyer.
• Say thank you the old fashioned way. When someone does give you a testimonial, take the time to send a handwritten thank-you note.

Read the full article here. Meanwhile, here is a customer-testimonial piece that Gumuchian recently created:

Top image: Kazworks.com