Social Proof! Testimonials Work For Associations
It’s happened to all of us. You are wrapping up for the day, but you just get approached by your boss with an urgent request to search for a product or service. And, of course, they need an answer NOW. You conduct your search online for answers and options, but all you can find is brochures on how the product or service works. What else can you do but cancel your plans and conduct a serious analysis of all the options out there?
It’s happened to all of us. You are wrapping up for the day, but you just get approached by your boss with an urgent request to search for a product or service. And, of course, they need an answer NOW. You conduct your search online for answers and options, but all you can find is brochures on how the product or service works. What else can you do but cancel your plans and conduct a serious analysis of all the options out there?
Then, it comes to you suddenly, information in the form of brochures, but with an added bonus – a series of testimonials from actual users. What’s even better, the testimonial comes from a like-minded organization who is recommending it.
Who would you believe? The brochure from the company or the promotional piece that includes testimonials from people you respect?
The power of testimonials
Testimonials are among the most powerful forms of promotional content, powerful enough that it’s astonishing to see associations that don’t use them, frequently and effectively. It is social proof that your association is the best source, the most relevant, and the right organization to pay membership dues to. Yes, your employees need to be positive and be able to promote your organization effectively, but they should also be able to provide real proof. It is a shift in perspective which can cut through the clutter of competing associations.
Testimonials are not a new idea, but what is new that in an age of information overload, at work and at home, can catch the eye of a new member recruit. Be strategic about where and when you use association testimonials.
Where should you use testimonials?
On your website: When a new member is researching information, they will likely end up on your website. Ensure that each benefit/service page contains a testimonial – ideally, relating to the specific benefit/service they are looking at.
On your blog: These testimonials should be directly related to the blog, and should indicate WHY this is the one-stop shop for opinion pieces on the particular market/industry.
In your email signature: These should relate specifically to a testimonial about the person sending the email, or the organization itself, and could easily be built in to the area with your associations’ mission/slogan.
In your other marketing material: Testimonials about your conference, your certification programs, etc. are great ways to help justify the spend for a potential new recruit.
Start by reaching out to members regarding a certain product, benefit or service. You can help the process along by suggesting a few different formats that they can tweak to suit their individual opinions. You should see quickly that testimonials can be simple thing to obtain and a great way to showcase the great impact your association has on members.