or service.   Strategy # 6: Have your customer state their credentials. This will make their testimonial even more persuasive because their comments will be seen as coming from a credible source. People tend to believe others in positions of perceived authority.   Strategy # 7: Always try to get a picture with them using your product or service. As a matter of fact, try to take the picture yourself so that you know youll get a good one. Take several and make sure they are showing the benefits of the product or service. Pictures double the effectiveness of your testimonial and bring the testimonials to life.   Strategy # 8: Make sure you get permission from your customers to use their testimonials in your advertising. Thank them profusely and let them know that it is testimonials like theirs that help your business grow.   Strategy # 9: Ask them if you cannot only use their name but the town (suburb) they live in. Addresses, even if its just a city name, increase the believability of the testimonial. It demonstrates that they are real people who live in the same community as your prospects.   Strategy # 10: Now here is a controversial tactic but it has worked every time for me. Lets suppose your customer procrastinates to send in their testimonial. Call them up and mention that you know they are very busy but that you value them as a customer and their testimonial is important to you.   Suggest that to save them time and hassle, you will draft a testimonial for them and they can make any editing changes they want. Then send it back. Of course, youll want to send a self-addressed envelope. You get the perfect testimonial and they dont have to do any work. Again, this tactic has worked 100% of the time for me.   Heres a sample letter from the spa industry asking for a testimonial from a customer:       Dear Frank:   Thank your for purchasing your spa at Spa City USA. It was a great experience helping you in your selection process. You were well informed which made our job easy. We wish we had more customers such as you who take the time to make a good decision.   We know you had several choices from which to purchase your spa and we were flattered and grateful that you chose to purchase your spa from us. We consider it an honor when someone shops around and comes back to purchase at Spa City.   From time to time we ask a few of our special customers for their feedback. We often use this feedback as a testimonial in our marketing material.   Because we had such a pleasurable time with you Frank, could I ask you to