Testimonials are one of the most important elements of persuasive copywriting. But not all testimonials are created equal.
Good testimonials are descriptive and specific. Rather than saying, “This product is great,” they offer specifics about the individual giving the testimonial has benefited.
One of the best ways to get world-class testimonials to use in your copywriting is what I call the “Before-After-After” template. Here’s what it looks like: Before the experience, immediately after the experience, and several years later. The second “after” is what really adds punch to the testimonial.
Let’s take the example of someone who’s just attended a seminar. Interviewing the individual on video, you ask, “Okay, before this experience, what was life like? After this experience, what’s life going to be like? Finally, three years from now, what do you think your life will be like as a result of attending this workshop today?”
Another way to use this technique is to contact existing customers. For example, imagine that you had been a customer of Viking Appliances for years. One day, the company contacted you and asked, “Hey, how has our Viking Stove worked for you over the years?”
You say, “Well, before I bought my first Viking Stove, I thought a stove was a stove by any other name. After I had it, I couldn’t believe the cast iron and it’s so reliable. We’ve never had the handyman come over and fix it. I’ve had it now for seven years and the Viking Stoves are the single most reliable stoves, I think, on earth. I pay more for them, but they’re worth every penny.”
That would be a “before-after-after” if I owned a Viking Stove for seven years.
If your students or your customers are new to you, you can give them the “bigger, brighter future” question. You still ask the first two questions: What was life like before? What was life like after? You’re asking, of course, about life before and after they purchased your how-to course, workshop, teleseminar, software or whatever it is that you’re selling.
That’s where most testimonials end. But the “before-after-after” has more punch when you say, “How do you feel life will be like three years from now?”
The most amazing thing about the “before-after-after” template is that not only do you get world-class testimonials, it also reduces refund requests.
I’ve found that anyone who gives you a testimonial is less likely to ask for a refund. When they do the “bigger, brighter future” after-after testimonial, they live into a completely different experience because their mind is no longer living in fear. Their mind moves them towards synchronicity with their heart.
One final tip: Sound and video are extremely powerful, because you cannot fake them. Written testimonials don’t seem as real; people who don’t know, like or trust you could think that you forged them. Use the before-after-after template to create more persuasive testimonials, and use video or audio template to add power to the words.
Have you ever used the before-after-after template with your testimonials? If so, how did it impact your results? Share about your experience below! ~ Alex
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