For small businesses with limited marketing budgets, customer testimonials can be a great tool. It is a good idea to bring endorsements from previous customers as well. But to do this, you need to keep the following tips in mind:
1Truthfulness of the Testimonies
In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s Revised Endorsement Guideline, one of the most important rule for testimonials is their nature of truthfulness. This essentially means that a customer testimony cannot be forged from people who weren’t actually customers or had not actually tried the products they were raving about.
Also, it is advisable not to lift testimonials from reviews websites. If you see a good testimonial of your product on any review website; just don’t copy paste it to your own website. Most review sites have their own clause stating that user-generated content (such as testimonials and reviews) is owned by the user and licensed to the website.
2Disclosure of any connection between you and the endorser
If there’s any connection between you and the source of the testimonial which might directly or indirectly affect its evaluation, then you need to disclose it. These connections could be familial or paid endorsements and should thus be disclosed, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
3Testimonials can’t make claims that lack the proof
When there are subjective claims like “I loved my experience” or “I’m happy with the product” being made in the testimonials, they are likely to be held good as long as they’re truthful. But in cases of objective claims, like curing medical injuries, there must be substantial back up proof provided.
4Misleading consumers with expectations
You should avoid misleading customers with expectations that don’t match with results that a customers can expect. A disclaimer that simply states “results may vary” is not always sufficient. If the testimonial describes results that aren’t typical and so this fact needs to be disclosed explicitly. Additionally, the generally expected results need to be described in the ad.
5Written permission from customers to use their testimonials for commercial purposes
It is essential to obtain a written permission from previous customers especially if the testimonial includes personal information like a customer’s name, age or photograph that could be used for identification purposes, then it is a good idea to get written consent. This way you can prove that the customer agreed to this usage of their testimonials, if it ever becomes a legal issue.
Originally posted 2017-08-20 06:36:34.
