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Every great copywriter knows that a testimonial can be one of your best selling tools. Unfortunately, you won’t always be handed a pile of powerfully worded testimonials. The good news is that you don’t have to settle for weak ones — even if that’s all you have to start out with.

By doing a little extra work, you can go out and get great ones. Testimonials that talk about specific benefits, and connect with your prospect because they are talking more than just "before and after" — they’re telling stories about real people. With testimonials like this, your copy becomes even more powerful.

A typical testimonial is what I call a Before and After testimonial. The customer tells you about the problem he use to have, and how it went away after he started using the product. The Before and After testimonial is a lot better than what we used to see, which was the "I love your widget!" style. But for today’s prospect, you need to do even better.

Why do I say that? Because nowadays everyone gives Before and After testimonials. They’ve become common and after awhile they start to all sound alike. They simply aren’t as powerful as they use to be.

For great copy, you want to get richer, more powerful testimonials. The good news is it’s not that hard to do. In fact, with just a little work, you can have a pile of testimonials — each focusing on a different selling point. All you have to do is go out and get them.

The first step is to get the names and contact information of key customers. Call them up and arrange a time to "interview" them for 20-25 minutes. This will be your chance to uncover interesting, real-life stories your prospect can relate to.

The next step is vital to creating powerful testimonials.

At the end of the interview, ask if he would be willing to give you a testimonial that you can use. If he says yes, ask if he would like you to type one up based on the conversation you just had. Most customers love this idea, especially when you tell them that they will have final approval on how it’s written.

Once the customer gives you the go-ahead, your job is to take what you have and turn it into the most powerful testimonial you can. If the interview has gone well and you’ve asked the right questions, you will have a lot of great material to choose from.

Start by reviewing your interview notes and asking yourself a few questions:

* Which angle should I take?

* Which key selling points do I need to reinforce?

* Which one could this story reinforce or support?

* What is the best way to position this particular testimonial?

* What parts will make my prospect think, "Hey, that guy is just like me!"

Just imagine how much more powerful and effective these type of testimonials will be. All of the different angles you can take and the great real-life tidbits that you can weave through your sales copy.

Interviewing is a great way to get powerful testimonials for your copy. The key is understanding how to guide the conversation so you can get to the "good stuff" in a short period of time. Then it’s just a matter of positioning it properly.

You’ll have a testimonial that’s written in your customer’s words, only better. It’s laser-focused. It addresses key selling points and reveals real needs and desires that your prospect will immediately connect with. It’s a testimonial that most copywriters only dream about.

About the Author:

Jodie Kastner can help you discover how to take your copywriting career to the next level. Don’t write another piece of sales copy until you find out about the copywriting secrets that will dramatically improve your response rates.