Testimonials and Monkeys

Testimonials are pretty important - providing they are genuine, or, at the very least, believable. Wikipedia has this to say:

"A past or current customer will present a formal "word of mouth" testimonial that a business can use in marketing and to build trust with future customers. Though testimonials are incredibly effective when believed true, a challenge lays in having the audience believe that testimonials presented by a business are given by real people, and not fabricated by the business itself. Even so, testimonials, reviews, and case studies are still considered by most marketing experts to be the most effective means of marketing and gaining brand trust by small- and medium-sized businesses".

A number of different ways of showing testimonials are illustrated here.

So what makes a good testimonial?

Here are five tips for making good use of testimonials: 

1. Don’t over-edit. Testimonials work best when they are in “real” language. Those small grammar and language quirks help the reader connect and demonstrate they are real. 

2. Use testimonials that fit. Place appropriate testimonials along with a particular point that you are trying to make. 

3. Address objections. If a prospect discovers that another customer’s worries have proved groundless, then that person is more confident to reach for the wallet. 

4. Never fake it. While testimonials are crucial, it’s not worth the risk to fake them. Most people have well-trained BS detectors that can smell a fake a mile away. 

5. Encourage specifics. Specificity works in all areas of copywriting, but is especially effective in a testimonial. Rather than “we saw a big improvement,” get your customer to state exactly what the improvement was, such as “we saw a 217% improvement.”

Source: 

Testimonials are big business - you can even use a monkey to get them - free on a 14 day trial.

By now you might be wondering, 'What's all this got to do with the three fantastic plays being shown next week at The Dogstar?'

Oddly, quite a lot.

Before you go and see a play you might like to read critics' reviews if there has been an advanced showing. In this case, there are none.

So in that case you can check out the (glowing!!!) testimonials of the Director (and co-producer) or even of the organisation itself

You might also consider the work of the writers such as Michael Dickinson or the Assistant Director Anna-Jane Niznikowska.

You could also check out the actors:

Stephen Cheriton (Demetrius in New Rep Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Emilia Petryszyn (Lady Teazle in N1 Theatre Company’s The School for Scandal)
Denholm Spurr (John Keats in Pale Fire Theatre Company’s Romantics)
Louisa Tee (Anna in Opera Upclose’s Don Giovanni)

But let me suggest an alternative or, addition.

Why not come on the opening night (the plays run for three nights 7.30pm on Tues 20^th, Wed 21^st and Thurs 22^nd November 2012) and then RETURN on one of the other two nights (or both). Sometimes when you see a play twice the already high satisfaction/value increases. So why not come on Tuesday, tell your friends, return on Thursday (for example), bring a group and make an evening of it?

The acting is excellent, the Direction, as expected, is innovative and creative and at least two of the plays ('Call on Me' and 'Circles') possibly even three, are extremely well written.

Tickets are just a fiver (think 'pint of cider + £1) and 50p goes to the Multiple Sclerosis Society. 

Who knows, you might even come out of the play and never again be able to look at the back of your hand - or the moon - without seeing Arabic!

The plays are being performed at: At The Dogstar, 389 Coldharbour Lane, London, SW9 8LQ.(Nearest tube: Brixton).