SELL YOUR ADS HERE
Powered by WhyPark.com
How to Write Testimonials that Sell CDs Like Magic
"Which is your best CD?"
Ever get that question? My band has five CDs that we sell at shows, and I get that question all the time. People rely on the suggestions of others to determine what they are going to buy. They trust the opinions of others to help them make decisions. So having great testimonials to sell your CDs is essential.
The trouble is most fans email you something like this: "You rock! -Joe." They don't explain how your music affected them or why they came to that conclusion, and you don't bother to ask.
But if you want great testimonials, you have to ask for them. You can't be passive and wait for those one in a thousand great testimonials to come in. Instead, educate your fans.
That's one of the secrets to the success of the Brobdingnagian Bards. We have a lot of fans who are passionate about our music. Steven Hahn is so gung-ho about our music that he called a television station to tell them about a gig we had. And a camera crew showed up!
That kind of enthusiasm is contagious. But it's also been taught. You see, we educate our fans on how to help us.
That's also what you have to do when gathering testimonials. Educate your fans how to write them. Guide them step-by-step. Ask questions that will get you your desired response. They know they love your music. Now you have to get that into a format that will help you sell more CDs.
To write a testimonial, you need to know what makes a killer testimonial?
1. Great testimonials focus on benefits.
How did your music affect them? Have them tell a story about the drive home as they were headbanging in the car when a cop pulled up next to them on a motorcycle and gave them a disapproving glance.
2. Great testimonials are visual.
Could you see that cop in the statement above? That's the type of short story that will make your fans feel like they're back at the club nervously shaking your hand when they meet you.
3. Great testimonials evoke a feeling.
They should touch an emotion inside, whether it's joy, sadness, anger, tranquility, energy, excitement, nervousness, or whatever. That feeling should come across in the testimonial to connect with other fans.
4. Great testimonials create a positive atmosphere.
Not only will you sell more CDs, but your fans will also get a better feeling about your band. You want something that will connect to people, adding energy, excitement and goodwill to all around you.
Here are a few guidelines for creating testimonials that will make people take notice.
1. Keep it short. Cut the quote down to three sentences that really shine. You want it to grab them quickly, not something that is difficult to read.
2. Be specific. Fans can go on and on that "you rock" or "you're awesome," but those phrases don't personalize it. Instead, have them describe what is awesome about you or your CD. "The way you sang, 'The Bridge' on your CD 'Soul of a Harper' gave me goosebumps."
3. Keep it positive. If a quote is written with a negative connotation like, "I can't believe how cool you are!" Ask them if you can rewrite it in a more positive manner, like "I love how cool you are!" It will energize your site all the more.
4. Include a name. The most-powerful quotes include your fan's name, city and state (sometimes job or career can also been effective). Get permission to use as much information about the person as they are willing to give.
5. Clarify the situation. Get the five W's from your fan: who, what, where, when, why, and how. Weave that info into the testimonial. It will add personality to the testimonial and let the reader know there's a person behind it.
Of course, if fans don't really want to share more than "you rock," accept it happily. Sometimes even something that simple can be effective. If you're fans are writing from the heart, that enthusiasm will bubble over to their friends and your word-of-mouth will continue to spread.
Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.
No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com
Work at Home, Mom!
Bach Flower Essences
Alzheimer Disease Advice
Bach Flower Essences Shop (German)
Where to buy Original Bach Flower Remedies
Bachblüten Doc Nature
How to use Bach Flowers
J-5 WebKatalog - Web Catalogue
Living after Divorce
MORE ARTICLES:
If I Wanted To Sell For A Living, I Would Of Majored In It In College
By a show of hands, how many of you grew up as a kid saying to yourself, "I can't wait to grow up until I become a salesperson"?Why do people go into sales? Here are some reasons people have given to me and sales managers when they apply for a sales position: I don't know what else to do in life, so I might as well sell. I'm tired of my present job of (you fill in the blank), so I guess I'll go into sales; anybody can do it.
3 Tips to Help You Sell Your Timeshare - For More
The values of timeshares are constantly changing. There are numerous timeshare-selling companies arriving every day.
Design, Share and Sell T-shirts Online With LogoSportswear's New Social Commerce Service
LogoSportswear, of Cheshire, CT, proudly announces a new service that empowers budding entrepreneurs, designers, schools, and sports teams to unleash their creativity and "Design, Share & Sell" individual product designs on their web spaces. Visitors use LogoSportswear's Online Designers, Design Templates and Widgets to set-up online shops and sell shirts online -- absolutely free. Visit SellSportswear.com
3 Places Not To Go When You Sell A Car
Car Dealerships Mainly because of their industry, car salesmen have a bad reputation in general. Sure, there are some car salesmen out there who are great people, contribute to charity, good with children, but bottom line; they still sell cars for a living. Point being, if someone wants to sell a car and they go to a dealership they will have to interact with a salesman whose one goal is to sell them a car. They don't care that you want to sell a car, all they care about is the new vehicle they want you to buy.
Best Ways To Promote And Sell Your Ebook
You may have written your own original ebook, used another or a series of articles as a base to rewrite your own or hired a pro to write it for you However you produced your ebook you now need to get it on the web, expose it and either establish your name and build a list by giving it away or make sales
Sell Your Home Fast to Stop Home Foreclosures as Foreclosure Rates Continue to Rise in 2007
For some American homeowners, the housing boom has delivered riches; however, not without the downside in the rise of foreclosure rates. Homeowners need to act quickly - to sell your home fast to stop home foreclosures so that you are not caught in the downside of the market, AsIsNow.com now provides fair cash offer within 24 hours.
Why Ugly Sites Sell More Than Pretty Ones
What the heck is going on lately? Most internet websites I go to now, all I see are pretty graphics everywhere. I see moving images, I see crazy JAVA, things flying around.
Irresistable Dating Profiles and Personal Ads
Think back to the ads and dating profiles you?ve read on dating sites. What is the one thread in all of them that makes them memorable? I believe it?s the subconscious message they send to the reader. I?m not talking about the come fuck me one liners by men who think it?s cool to publish the word fuck next to their photo. I?m talking about ads that speak to a person in ways that cause you to click ?reply?.
Bakersfield CA based AVenues Internet Services Publishes Unique Advertising Web Site, AvenuesPlus.com, Inspired by Pixel Ads, but Claimed, Not a Pixel
Inspired by Pixel Ads, but believing that there is no future for them, AVenues Internet Services has engineered a multi-media advertising web site that breaks the mold of pixel ad tradition while borrowing upon techniques used in list ads and providing extended features.
Beware Of Google?s Top Blue Ads
Accidense
Useful Strategy on How to Sell Your Ebooks
Ebook is the buzzword of today and it is fast becoming a potential marketing tool for your products and services Creating an ebook is easy and inexpensive and, if promoted well, it can catapult you to the zenith of money and fame
Sell Sweet Treats With Candy Fundraising
Candy fundraising has to be one of the more popular fund raiser for any event. You can make the candy yourself or you can order from the Internet.
Let Your Products Sell Your Name: For Public Speakers
Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to be one long, giant commercial for yourself all the time? If maybe your products and your name did the promoting for you? When someone hires you to speak at a high profile event, they are taking a large gamble on your ability to engage an audience's interest, and the extent of your knowledge. That said, it is important to have some credibility to your name, or you'll be speaking at every pitiful engagement that comes along.
A Free Lesson On How To Easily Write Ads That Are Guaranteed To Make You Money
COPYWRITINGAfter determining what we are going to sell, the next task is to effectively convey our message.Copywriting is the art of writing words and messages that successfully sell a product or service.
Affiliate Marketing - Sell What the Public Already Knows
Affiliate marketing has changed the face of retail in the last couple of years. As a way to increase sales, companies that offer retail products have started to recruit help in the form of affiliates - people who promote or advertise their merchandise for them in exchange for a portion of the selling price. The affiliates do not actually sell the product; they only advertise it or create Internet pages that review or describe the product. Their ads or Websites will have special links that lead to the retailer's Website, and should the customer buy, both the affiliate and the retailer profit.
