|
Testimonials for Your Press Center
Subject Line: Testimonials for Your Press Center
The Write Market Release
Vol. 3. Issue 11
Testimonials for Your Press Center
______________________
CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE
1. Editor's Remarks
2. How to Build an Online Press Center - Part VI:
Testimonials
3. What's New at The Write Market
4. Get Your Ad in TWM's Release!
5. Administrative Information
_________________
EDITOR'S REMARKS
Hello everyone!
I watched the Winter Olympics. I think it's the
first time since I was a teenager that I've actually sat and watched
most of the games. What a long way these games have come
in 20 years!
What particularly interested me was the way each athlete has a
story. I love the way the press profiled them. It makes the
wins and losses so much more poignant. Even if the event
seems a little boring, the athlete's path to that event is truly
interesting.
After watching this reporting for a couple days, you can see
what the press is looking for. They are looking for achievement over
pain, they are looking for uniqueness, they are looking for something
a little bit off the beaten track.
When you are writing each element of your online press center,
keep these thoughts in the back of your mind -
1. how can I show triumph over pain?
2. how is my business story unique from other businesses?
3. what is different about my product or services?
A good reporter can interview a stone and get an interesting story.
At times, reporters need to interview people that are less than
interesting. However, in the case of your business, if you are trying
to get some press, you need to think like the reporter. How can
you present your business in a light that is inviting and exciting?
If you can hit on just one of those three things listed above - you have
a good story for the press.
This month, we are going to talk about "testimonials" and how they
can help your press center. Stay tuned next month for the big issue
on how to write a press release.
I'm still looking for examples of online press centers. If you have one
email me the URL. Thanks!
See you in April.
Write on,
Renee Kennedy
rkennedy@thewritemarket.com
__________________
SPONSOR MESSAGE
Check out our St. Patrick's day goodies. Mugs,
mousepads, t-shirts and more, all with a unique "Irish" design:
http://www.thewritemarket.com/products/twmirish.htm
_____________________________
ELEMENTS OF A PRESS CENTER
(This is a quick review to show you where
we're at and where we're going.)
1. Table of Contents
2. Backgrounder
3. History
4. The People Behind Your Business
5. Projects, Clients, Partners and/or Works
6. Testimonials **We're HERE **
7. Press Releases
8. Sample News Story
9. Articles by Other Sources
10. Contact Information
For more details on the elements of your Press Center see:
http://www.thewritemarket.com/press/index.htm
____________
TESTIMONIALS
Most of this article is an excerpt from our new book. I've edited
it to be relevant to your Online Press Center.
(The book is not in print yet, we're getting there, though. It
should be out by mid April.)
Testimonials are endorsements for your Web site, your products
or your services. Testimonials will increase trust in your business
and possibly provide the confidence necessary to buy.
In the instance of the Online Press Center, testimonials will bolster
your credibility and give the reporter the trust that you are legitimate.
Use real testimonials from satisfied customers or visitors to your
Web site; fabricated endorsements do not have the same ring of
truth that a genuine endorsement will.
Longer testimonials, at least two to three sentences in length
will inspire readers. When you use a shorter testimonial, it can
look as though it's been edited for content.
For instance, these two sentences don't say much:
"...excellent web site..." or
"...your tutorials are great..."
Whereas, this testimonial provides in-depth details and benefits
of the Web site:
"I just wanted to write and let you know that I think you are doing a
good job with your site. I use it as a reference tool and have
encouraged friends to visit your site when they have had a
particular questions that I know you had articles, tutorials or
resources on." (This was a real testimonials from a visitor to our
Web site.)
Also, specific testimonials are going to be a better endorsement
than more general ones. Sometimes, especially if you're just
opening up shop, you won't have much of a selection of testimonials.
Use whatever you have. However, when you start to get more visitors and
business, you will get more testimonials. Start to become selective about
which testimonials you use.
Get permission to use testimonials. Ask for permission to use it for
all types of ad copy including brochures, sales letters, and your Web site.
You want to be able to use the testimonials now and in the future. It is important
to get permission to use names and any contact information that people
are willing to provide to you.
On your Web page, you want to be able to attribute the testimonial to a
person. It will boost your credibility if you can include a full name, city,
state, job title, company, URL, and email address. There is also
evidence to prove that including a photo will triple believability.
Organize your effort to collect testimonials. Read all your mail and
email carefully, pull whatever you can from your mail. If you aren't
getting testimonials through email or mail, then be sure to ask for
them. If you don't feel comfortable asking for a "testimonial," instead,
ask for your customer's or visitor's opinion. You might end up with a
critique, but most people will also include positive feedback. Also,
a critique can be good, because it can help you improve.
__________________
SPONSOR MESSAGE
Free Ebook for Web Masters!
Have you heard of CGI, but felt it was beyond you?
Meet Will Bontrager. He knows how to make the deepest mysteries of
CGI understandable to webmasters. He takes the technical and turns it
into plain English.
Demystify CGI by reading his brand-new ebook, "How CGI Works and
Answers to Other Questions You Didn't Know You Could Ask."
Free Download: http://willmaster.com/mari/pl2/pl.pl?wrtmkt
Sooner or later you need CGI. Then you need WillMaster.
________________________________
WHAT'S NEW AT THE WRITE MARKET
New Posters and Gifts:
http://www.thewritemarket.com/course.shtml
New Articles in:
Press and Public Relations:
http://www.thewritemarket.com/articledir/media.htm
Business Website:
http://www.thewritemarket.com/articledir/website.htm
A new article section called: Testing and Tracking:
http://www.thewritemarket.com/articledir/tracking.htm
________________________
GET YOUR AD IN THIS EZINE
Get an ad into TWM Release:
Contact:
webmaster@thewritemarket.com
Current number of subscribers:
4750
____________
INFORMATION
You may forward this newsletter to anyone.
You are receiving this email because you
signed up for it! Either you signed up through
Marketing Course Newsletter Network (MCNN)
or somewhere at
http://www.thewritemarket.com
or you simply sent an email to our subscription
address below.
Editor: Renee Kennedy mailto:rkennedy@thewritemarket.com
Associate Editor: Terry Kent mailto:tkent@thewritemarket.com
Subscribe:
mailto:subscribe@thewritemarket.com
Copyright 2001 The Write Market All rights reserved.
|
