Almost every small business marketer knows that they should gather testimonials to use in their marketing materials.

The problem though is that getting your clients, the ones who know your greatness, to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and crank out a glowing testimonial can be a bit of a chore. It isn’t that they don’t want to do it, it’s just that there are other priorities calling to them as well.

I accidentally stumbled on a way to get clients to systematically write testimonials. And, I found that this method actually produced far better, results oriented, copy than anything I had done in the past.

Here’s the system.

Occasionally, when you are presenting your wares to a prospect, include a page that simply lists four or five references for contact instead of your traditional glowing testimonial page. Urge your prospect to contact each for more information on how you or your product performs. (I’ve even gone as far as writing a list of suggested questions they might ask the reference – it helps them focus on benefits) In some cases your prospect may request this anyway.

What I have found is that when your current client is contacted for information (often by email these days) they will generally and immediately feel compelled to put in writing what amounts to a well-written testimonial. The key here is that, when approached by another business, they will write as they are speaking to a prospect. The copy will almost always be over the top selling you and in the perfect voice for you to re-use as a testimonial. (When a client writes a testimonial in the traditional way they often write is as though they are speaking to you. Many times this doesn’t have the same marketing pop to it.)

Now here is where the fun part comes in. What I have also found is that quite often your existing clients will copy you on the communication they sent to the prospect. Bingo, instant testimonial, written exactly as you need it for your marketing materials.

Actually, using this strategy can be even stronger than just printing written testimonials as it involves your current clients in the active process of marketing and has the tendency to resell them on their decision to do business with you as well.

The only caution is that you spread the love around to as many of your clients as you can so that no one group of clients becomes burdened in the process.

Here’s a technique that many businesses can and should use.

Want to close almost every deal you come across? Get your prospects involved before your ever make a call on them.

Here is what I want you to think about applying to your sales process.

You get an appointment with a hot prospect. Before your appointment, send them some homework. Send them an evaluation form, a “goal audit”, a checklist, an “asset reminder exercise.” Send them some sample of how you work and ask them to get involved and all of a sudden they will begin to see themselves getting the results you promise before you ever show up to talk about how smart you are.

It’s kind of like the car test drive. Get them in the car, take it out for spin, heck, take it home and show it to your spouse. Once they touch the goods, they will be hooked. So put the product in their hands.

Quite often, businesses that adopt this little twist find that the prospect has already sold themselves before you ever show up.

This technique will shorten the sales cycle and put you in control of the process of selling like nothing I know of.

Work on it.

People do like to make referrals.

The problem often though is like everything in life, the squeakly wheel is using up all of their grease. So, instead of just squeaking louder yourself, give them some more grease.

Create a whole series of referral tools and put them in the hands of those you know can best refer you to others.

Here are some of my favorite examples

• Mail a personal letter and enclosed a “proposed letter of referral” that simply needs to be copied onto their letterhead.
• Send four referral type postcards, already stamped and ready for them to send
• Send them a supply of business cards
• A supply of pens with your company logo
• A list of names or target prospects

You get the idea – be easy to refer and you will be the provider of choice when the referral moment arises.

A CPA reader of mine, MaryAnn Soukup, developed a little mini brochure with a tear off business card for this purpose – What a great little inexpensive marketing piece!

This is the type of tactic you will find through Referral Flood