Do you ever solicit positive comments for your website?

[adam_nance]

C Jo Gough and others on this site have testimonial pages on their

websites that are out of this world. "You were the best

photographers ever and if I weren't already married, I'd marry YOU!"

 

Okay, well maybe not that good. :) But you get the idea.

 

Does anyone ever solicit these types of comments and if so, how?

I've asked some of our happiest customers to shoot me an email with

a testimonial, but so far, none have. I'm confident that this isn't

because they're unhappy, but just because life is busy and they're

too busy looking at and loving their photos to send off an email. :)

 

I've thought about emailing out a survey a week or two after turning

over pictures that asks about the services they received. I figure

this can help us to improve our services and also probably get us

some choice quotes for our website.

 

What do you think? Anyone ever try anything like this? Obviously,

we'd get permission before quoting someone on our website.

 

I'm looking for feedback on this idea, so positive and negative

comments are welcome.

 

Thanks!

 

-Adam

[terry_rory]

Maybe a good idea but who is to know the comments aren't from your family and friends!

[terry_rory]

The work will speak for itself.

[picturesque]

I've seen websites that use this idea. I don't put much weight on these kind of comments just because they can be solicited just the way you have been doing. Over the years, I've gotten thank you notes from some brides that I could have used, but haven't. I agree with Trevor--the photos will speak for themselves.

[patrick_lockwood]

I'll get a nice comment, once in a while, and I always ask if I can quote them on my site (though I haven't gotten around to it, yet), but I don't believe in soliciting testimonials.

 

 

Patrick

[splat]

My wife has had several customers specifically ask if there was some way the could make a positive comment on her website or any other way they could help promote her to other brides. Since I myself don't put much weight behind comments and instead prefer to look at the pictures I haven't bothered with adding customer comments. We usually just tell them that if they are happy it will show without comments on a web site. I just think a potential customer will listen to what their friends tell them more then what some stranger has written on a web page. Probably helps that we are in a small comunity and everybody talks.

[pavelp]

I would say comments and quotes that cannot be easily verified are not very persuasive (I ignore them completely).

 

As a customer I am interested in quotes from verifiable sources (magazines, other websites or other customers that I know personally).

[think27]

I recently updated my website and added a testimonial page. I wanted the testimonials to be not just generic quotes..but actual letters and a few solicited contributions. I used the actual client's names and they've also offered to be used for references. <p>I was not at all shy about emailing some that had already sent thank you notes and asking them if I could use them on my testimonial page. They were more than happy to do it. <p>Additionally, yes - I sure did email some of my brides that I have developed a good relationship with and asked if they would be interested in sending me something I could use on my website. I asked 4 of them and they all sent me something to use. I only ended up using one of them. The rest were letters or parts of letters that I got permission to use. They all responded so enthusiastically and were more than happy to do it. <p>Do I think it is effective? I do. I know I notice these when I'm looking for services. Plus, the fact that those people can be contacted for further information makes the quotes believable. If you don't use someone's name or make them available for a reference - someone might think the quotes are made up. <p>Anyway - here is the actual page if anone is interested.... <A href="http://www.maryballphotography.com/content/testimonials.html"> My testimonial page</A>

[adam_nance]

Mary,

 

Thank goodness! From the initial responses people offered, I thought I must have

really been off my rocker with this idea. I agree that it's best to use the names of the

contributors and to have them available as references.

 

I love your testimonials page. May I make a suggestion? Why not post a photo of the

couple next to their testimonial? I think the comments about ornate doorways and

fields of daisies and carefree PJ style would be even more powerful next to a favorite

photographic example, and this would also help to make the testimonials seem

legitimate.

 

Thanks for your feedback. I agree that these pages can be important marketting

tools. I'd certainly interview a photographer with a testimonial page like yours.

 

-Adam

[william_au]

I don't think you're off you rocker Adam. Some people don't put much stock in them, but then it doesn't hurt to have them there for people who like to see them. I like your idea of having an image next to the testimonial.

[think27]

Adam - Nice idea.. Thanks