How to write a testimonial that shines

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I don’t know about your business, but I do know that for us the #1 reason we get new clients is because they heard something about us that they liked. Sometimes that’s a first person endorsement but a lot of times it’s something that they read online.  It is a challenge to get those good testimonials, right?  So  today I wanted to create a resource on:

How to write a testimonial that knocks socks off

Sometimes you’ll write your testimonial and then ask people to endorse it as their own (yup, that’s how it’s done) or sometimes you can ask people and just give them a little guidance (like link them to this blog post) on how to do that.  For the purposes of this example I’m actually going to write a testimonial for Jenny The Flower City Fashionista who was over at my house Monday helping me figure out how I should be putting some outfits together.

Step One: Think of a few powerful lines that you (or the person you’re glowing about) could use on social media.  Make sure you include the name of the service they provided and how what they did made you feel.  Social is all about engagement and feeling.  Go for the feeling.

Examples:

  • Jenny just owned my closet – I went from feeling like I had nothing to wear to so excited to get dressed for weeks and weeks.
  • The Flower City Fashionista Stylist is the real deal – I’d never had a professional stylist in my closet before but it was great! She covered everything from the reassurance that some of my favorites are in fact awesome and new ways to wear them to letting go of stuff that just was not working on my body. An honest opinion and permission to love everything in my closet? HUGE WIN.

Step Two: Think about what you gained from this experience.  We are talking about this big concept: What do people value? So you want to hit on the following: It made me or saved me Time, Money, Efficiency, Increased Productivity, Days, Happy, Healthy.

Examples:

  • Jenny easily saved me 15 minutes every single morning for the next month of my life because I will no longer be staring in my closet saying “I have nothing to wear”.  
  • I refreshed my fall wardrobe and have a new look at my closet thanks to Jenny – she saved me hundreds of dollars!  Thank you so much!
  • I ordered my pumpkin spice latte and had a little spring in my step this morning – feeling pulled together and fresh feels so good – Jenny, you’re the best!

Step Three: Pull it all together.  Add the feeling and the value.  And send all three to the person you think is the bomb (yeah, I said that, I can’t take it back).  They can use them as they need to land their next client.

Example:

  • Jenny, The Flower City Fashionista, came in to assess my fall wardrobe. I was honestly one more frustrated morning away from going on a shopping adventure that would likely have cost me $1,000 because I had the “I have nothing to wear” feeling.  Jenny came in and worked up outfit after outfit that I absolutely loved from things already in my closet.  On top of that she sent me links with 3 pieces (a rust colored pair of pants, a more versatile statement necklace and a moto jacket) that I could get for 1/3 of the cost that would really extend my wardrobe into the next few seasons.  Between the money she saved me and the frustration of avoiding the “I hate everything I own” feeling, this was more than worth the cost of her visit.

 

Testimonials are a little thing you can do to pay it forward.

Do Facebook Ads Really Work?

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Simple answer: Yes. (Sorta).

So that’s not really that simple, is it? Facebook has had a hard time convincing people that the ads you see over on the right side of your newsfeed have any effect whatsoever. Critics would point to low ROI numbers based on clicks and conversion rates – typical measurements for online advertising.

Over the course of the past year, however, Facebook has enlisted help from research firm Datalogix to show that that is the wrong way to look at its ads. Instead, we should view them more like TV ads. Customers may not convert directly like they do with search ads, but having seen the ad, they are more likely to make a purchase at a later date.

But what makes for an effective Facebook ad? Since it’s in their own best interest, Facebook folks aren’t shy about sharing what they think works. Here’s what they think a good ad needs:

  • Focal point: Make sure the ad draws attention to a specific point

  • Brand link: The advertiser should be easily recognized

  • Tone: The tone of the ad needs to fit the advertiser’s personality

  • Reward: This might be a deal, but it doesn’t have to be. Smiles, relevant info and good vibes are all rewards

  • Noticeability: The ad should really stand out on the page

  • Point: Get the message across directly

With this formula, it’s entirely possible to craft an ad that works on Facebook. In addition, you can spend as much or as little as you’d like on Facebook ads. Investments of as little as $50 can yield significant impressions. Obviously, more money will get you further, but it’s not necessary to plunk down loads of cash to see an impact.

At Capra, we can help you put together a Facebook ad campaign that hits the right customers and fits within your budget. While you probably shouldn’t put all your eggs in the Facebook ad basket, it can be a valuable and flexible tool for anyone looking to get their message out to the world.

 

Power in Pause

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My to do list is bulging.

I failed to empty the coffee pot yesterday so there was a cup of coffee over flowing on the counter top when I woke up.

My child decided that not only did she not want her hair brushed, she also didn’t want to be looked at, or taken to school. In fact she’d prefer to not. Not what? Not anything.

We have a major project in the balance – if it happens everything is golden. If it doesn’t – it’s time to hustle. Will it all work out? You bet. Will I worry about it until it does? I guarantee it.

I sit down. The emails ding in. The list grows. The noise grows louder.

And then, I hit pause.

I remember that there is plenty of time.

I remind myself that I will figure it out.

I exhale knowing that everything always does work out.

And then I hit play again, because sometimes, you just have to start.

Remember Why You Started

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Hi.

It’s Cass. It’s been a while since I’ve pulled myself into our own WordPress window. It’s comfy here! This morning Sarah of Silly Grrl wrote a great post – you should read it – and it was exactly what I needed to read this morning.

Sometimes this business of running a business is stressful and lately that’s been the case. It’s good stress – all of the problems are good problems – and it all adds up and before you know it you’ve run yourself into another night of working until 11pm. And here’s where that great trigger phrase came up for me today:

remember why you started

You may have read this at the bottom of our homepage.  It’s why Capra Strategy is Capra Strategy.

Capra strategy was founded in 2013 when Adam Burton and Cass Comerford were having a conversation that was supervised by the most condescending goat they’d ever seen. It was in those early conversations that the idea of a joint venture sounded like perfection. Things picked up steam quickly – people, and then clients agreed – this was the right thing to do. So there is a goat. We like them. They’re nimble and thoughtful and they scream like little girls and we think that’s hilarious. You should work with people that are willing to admit how funny it is. Authenticity is important. Why all this about a goat? Capra is Goat in Italian. Now you’ve learned something today.

But before Capra Strategy there was CC Interactive Marketing Services.  Which was my little company. It was me and sometimes another person – but mostly just me for the past nine years.  I look back at why I went off on my own and here were my reasons …

  • I want to do great work. I want to do work that I’m proud of. I want to be all in on what I deliver. I want to be able to deliver four amazing ideas and know that the client would be a winner with any one of them. 
  • I want to own everything – which is really  about accountability. When I tell someone that something is going to be done on October 4th – it will be done on October 4th and I won’t have to make excuses about why other people didn’t do what they said they were going to do. I want the ability to ensure that delivery will happen.
  • I want to stand behind what I built. When a client sends me an email on Friday night and says “something isn’t quite right here” I want to fix it – I want to fix it right away. I don’t want to have to talk to them about change orders – because the right thing to do is to fix it.
  • I want to have the flexibility to be the kind of person that I want to be. And sometimes that means I work at 4am so I can pick up Lexi from school. And sometimes that means I take Friday off so I can take a hike and get back in touch with what it means to exhale. And I want to be able to do that AS NEEDED and without someone else getting a vote.
  • I want to have people on my team that feel the exact same way. I want to treat them the way that I treat myself. And because of that I want them to respect their role in this company and the money they earn from doing great work the same way I do.
  • There are a lot of choices in this marketing vendor agency space. Some of them are cheaper. Some of them are more expensive. But no one can beat us on passion. Meet us? Sure.  Beat us? Not even on our worst day. And when you’re a business owner or you hold responsibility on a big project you want people like that standing next to you. You want us.

When I look back at why I started CC Interactive Marketing Services – on how that evolved to Capra Strategy I can tell you this:

We’re nailing it. And that makes me proud.

Where Businesses Go Wrong with Twitter

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Social media in the business world is still hard for some people to understand. This is true for all companies, big and small. No one is immune from the potential for slip ups. This was demonstrated quite clearly yesterday, when AT&T tweeted an image of a cell phone displaying a picture of the “pillars of light” in place of the twin towers with the caption “Never Forget.

Many people thought this was in bad taste, and numerous news organizations, including ABC, CBS and the Huffington Post commented on the Twitter outrage. AT&T removed the tweet, and the company’s CEO issued an apology. The story continues to gain negative attention in the media, though some do praise the rapid response. What does this mean for you in your social media marketing? A few things:

  1. If you EVER feel like an update/tweet/status/post may be in bad taste, you’ll probably want to play it safe and NOT post it. There should be limits to being provocative, and to the lengths to which you will go to sell a product or service. AT&T crossed the line here.

  2. 2. If you DO screw up (and it will probably happen eventually), acknowledge it immediately, don’t be defensive and own up to your mistake. A sincere apology is key, and AT&T didn’t do a bad job here.

  3. Have a process for reviewing your social media activity before it is posted. Often, companies will have one person or a small group in charge of social media. This is generally fine, but you must be sure to vet any content to make sure it is tasteful, on-brand and meets company guidelines.

There aren’t many mistakes from which you can’t recover, but the easiest way to handle it is to avoid the mistakes altogether. Be careful out there, folks!