All testimonials should be approved by the person giving it. Again, it is their words, you’ve just edited it and positioned it.

Miles your site is a marketing site. Those who are giving you testimonials are marketing savvy. They have a sense of what to say and how to say it.

As a copywriter I deal with “regular people” who often struggle to put their testimonial in words.

They’ll often say, “I love it” or “She is so nice,” etc. OK, yes sometimes it is stronger than that but the point is that very often the real benefit they’ve had can be better said.

To me, it’s a shame not to fully communicate their experience.

That’s why I find interviewing customers so powerful. It really helps bring out the full story, the full benefit to the customer.

For those who don’t have “The Secret Six” training it’s difficult to understand.

Let me interview one of your customers — you’ll see what I mean and trust me, you’ll definitely want the stronger, very real, testimonial on your site.

Shaune

At what amount of editing or hand-crafting does a real testimonial become a fake one?

And…

Are you deceiving your visitors by telling them it’s a testimonial when you’ve actually wrote it yourself, edited it, or re-wrote it?

What’s most important to me is honesty and trust. If my visitors thought I was editing, re-writing, or re-creating my customer testimonials then the testimonials would definitely not have the same impact as if they weren’t edited, nor would they be as believable.

I personally don’t believe there is a such thing as a “long-winded” testimonial. If the customers words are pure and true it will come across just fine. I personally don’t feel I should have to edit my customers words in order to make my product look better.

You and I obviously have different views about this subject and I apologize if my first comment came across a bit abrasive. I do enjoy your blog at times and am glad you didn’t delete my comment, some bloggers would have.

Anyway, we’re both passionate about online marketing and that’s a good thing!

If you want to disagree, no prob. but it loses impact when you directly self-promote.

Looks like you may have “made up” your perspective in order to “create” an opportunity to market yourself.

As for your point, I went to your site and you only validate my perspective. Waaay to long winded testimonials.

I don’t advocate writing fake testimonials, I advocate interviewing customers and taking their words to make THEIR point in an abbreviated and more effective way.

In todays fast paced environment your message must quickly make it’s point. Long-winded testimonials give the hurried prospect good reason to leave your site.

To see what I’m talking about take a look at the testimonials at http://www.DynamicResponseMarketing.com

Their words - More effectively said!

Shaune

First off you totally lose the uniqueness that various customers will give you. No matter how hard you try you won’t write like 15 different people will write.

Secondly, you will insult your customers intelligence, perhaps YOU can write great fake testimonials, but many people won’t, following your advice is a bad move for them. People see through re-written and fake testimonials, especially ones that are too clever, too similar to one another, or appear to be overly hand-crafted with a similar writing style.

Thirdly, YOU TOTALLY MISS OUT ON THE REAL JUICE OF A TESTIMONIAL. Customers will say things in a way that relates to potential customers in a way you could NEVER say it, they will also mention things that you as a seller would NEVER even think of.

Don’t edit your customers words, let THEM speak about the product, isn’t that what a testimonial is? Since when did it become okay to reword, edit, and partially make-up your customer testimonials?

If you need to, give your customers some pointers before leaving a testimonial, there’s nothing wrong with leading them in the right direction, but controlling what they say? I can’t agree with that.

Want to see what REAL great customer testimonials look like? Visit my site (Edited by Shaune) all 100% unedited testimonials from real paying customers, plenty of them with pictures and real wording.

Don’t underesitimate your customers, they can write completely amazing, GLOWING testimonials all on their own, with no help from us.