Gender Bender: The Power of a Woman's Testimonial September 09, 2008
By Kelly McCormick
Nothing sells a product or service like a testimonial. And this is especially true of a testimonial written by a woman for a woman. Just ask 23-year-old entrepreneur Alex Masterson about the power of a woman's buying opinion.
She Tells It Like It Is
Masterson is the gutsy brainchild behind BitchBoards®. Her company makes snowboards and equipment designed specifically for women. This young businesswoman has already experienced the value of letting her customers sell for her. As a matter of fact, the company Web site has an entire page dedicated to customer feedback. Its headline is simply "What Women Are Saying About BitchBoards."
Masterson's customers are talking. The testimonial of a customer in Washington reads, "FINALLY! A board with an original design for the mainstream, average woman who doesn't want a pink flower or heart on her board. This isn't just genius, it's common sense! Thank you for your bravery in this quest!"
Similac infant formula has also tapped into the power of a woman's feedback. Print ads for a new package launch include glowing testimonials from females. Under the banner "Here's What Moms Think About This Awesome New Package," a cross section of mothers have shared very clear examples of why the container works for them.
Are You Benefiting From Her Selling Power?
Women trust their sisters to tell it like it is and hold nothing back. Both BitchBoards and Similac recognize the value of a women's endorsement. So the question is: Why aren't more businesses and salespeople harnessing this selling power? Could it come down to the mistaken belief that collecting testimonials is too time consuming? That doesn't have to be the case, if you know a few shortcuts.
1. Ask for Her Feedback The easiest way to collect feedback is to just ask. Sounds simple enough, yet many professionals don't know how or when to do that. The perfect time is when a buyer has expressed appreciation for your product, service and/or customer service. You simply say: "I'm glad we met your needs. I'd really appreciate sharing your feedback with other customers. May I quote you?" Most women will say "yes," without hesitation. Women tend to be very open about passing on helpful information.
2. Use Technology to Connect The wired world also provides ample opportunity to find out what women think. That is, if you make it easy. How about providing a 1-800 number for her to call you? You can also program your blog to be an interactive forum. Web sites can include a "Tell Us What You Think" link. But make sure that your "Contact Us" link and/or e-mail address are easy to find. Women don't have time to waste navigating any form of technology that isn't intuitive.
3. Let Your Customer Sell for You. As soon as you get her testimonial, start using it. Insert her comments into everything from your sales conversations to your promotional materials. Highlighting testimonials from a woman for a woman is a brilliant marketing initiative. Her endorsements are also a powerful sales tool. Women trust each other to tell it like it is. So let your satisfied customers sell for you.
Kelly McCormick is an online columnist for Sales & Marketing Management. Get Kelly's OutSell Yourself tips at www.OutSellYourself.com. Read her monthly column on women and sales at www.SalesandMarketingManagement.com and look for her book, OutSell Yourself: How to Sell Without Selling, which is soon to be released. For information on Kelly's OutSell Yourself with Women Buyers keynote talks and teleclasses, call 800-889-9637 (PST).
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