Charles Green got me thinking the other day about the right way and the wrong way to ask for testimonials. He was actually talking about how to do customer service surveys but his point applies to asking for testimonials as well. In Trust-Based Selling, Green wrote, “It’s manipulative to ask customers point blank if you have given them excellent service; it is embarrassing, self-serving, and highly self-oriented.” (p. 201)
The reason I’m writing about this is because it relates also to requesting referrals and testimonials. So how does a heart-based, soft sell salesperson get testimonials? I think it’s a bit of a tightrope walk to do it right without losing the trust you worked so hard to develop. The key to heart-based, soft sell sales lies in which has priority, my prospects’ challenges and desires or my profit. Assuming I have earned their trust and delivered what they need, I have found customers very willing to give me a [...]
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Skip Manipulating by Customer Service Report Card
Charles Green got me thinking the other day about the right way and the wrong way to ask for testimonials. He was actually talking about how to do customer service surveys but his point applies to asking for testimonials as well. In Trust-Based Selling, Green wrote, “It’s manipulative to ask customers point blank if you have given them excellent service; it is embarrassing, self-serving, and highly self-oriented.” (p. 201)
The reason I’m writing about this is because it relates also to requesting referrals and testimonials. So how does a heart-based, soft sell salesperson get testimonials? I think it’s a bit of a tightrope walk to do it right without losing the trust you worked so hard to develop. The key to heart-based, soft sell sales lies in which has priority, my prospects’ challenges and desires or my profit. Assuming I have earned their trust and delivered what they need, I have found customers very willing to give me a [...]