Sharing customer stories can be an effective means of marketing your business in a number of ways. Reviews and testimonials are amongst the most credible forms of marketing because customer stories come from real people and real experiences. So too are case studies – more detailed stories written by clients who have used your products and services and been able to achieve the results they hoped for.

While it is true that some unscrupulous marketers try to manipulate sales at Amazon and other sites that accept customer reviews, it is also true that honesty is the best policy. The more genuine, positive reviews you get from your customers, the more you will look like the “real deal” and worth trusting.

There are different ways to get customer stories and to share them.

Getting Customer Stories

The best way to get customer stories is to remember to ask for them on a regular basis. If you sell information products such as eBooks, for example, ask for reviews to be posted on Amazon. They can be written and video-based. Request they send written reviews and testimonials via email as well. You will soon have a library of customer stories related to your products.

Creating a Template

You can create a template that offers suggestions on how to write a review. It could be something like:

• What problem were you experiencing?
• What other products had you already tried?
• Why was our product the right solution for you?
• What results did you get in the end?
• Why would you recommend it to another person?

This will help get more believable details so not all your reviews look the same, and also give them some useful prompts in case they are not sure what to write.

Testimonials

Testimonials can be slightly different in that they are often longer, and frequently written by people who work in your niche or industry. They are very powerful tools because these people are considered to be experts in their niche. Getting a foreword for your latest eBook by a prominent person in your niche can be a powerful tool for that book selling well.

Case Studies

Case studies are like a before-and-after snapshot of a problem a person faced, what action they took, and what results they achieved. Case studies often provide screenshots, reports, and statistics to illustrate what was done and what results were obtained. If you sell products or services designed to help your customer reach a particular goal, it might be worth it to ask for a case study. These questions can act as prompts:

• What problem were you experiencing?
• What other products had you already tried?
• Who implemented our product?
• What results did you get in the end?
• Why was our product the right solution for you?

Ask for screenshots and reports if possible. Get a legal release form that will allow you to use the material. Be sensitive about not disclosing any information that might harm the person or company in any way.

Sharing Customer Stories

Once you get the reviews and testimonials, share them:

• On your site
• In your sales letters
• At your blog (use a testimonial rotator plugin to help)
• Include quotes from advanced reviews in your eBooks and other products
• In your online marketing material, such as at Amazon
• In your email marketing
• On social media
• Snippets added to your signature in emails and on discussion boards

Make a more conscious effort to gather customer stories and use them, and see what a difference it makes to your marketing mix.

Please share your thoughts and ideas directly in the comments. You never know how your words will connect with others that visit my site. Remember, being a business owner doesn’t mean you have to do it alone:)