Sales letters and direct marketing predate the first postage stamp, Shakespeare had children pass out flyers announcing his plays.

The fall of the Berlin Wall (November 9, 1989) signaled an end to the Cold War (see Reagan's speech at Brandenburg gate) but the changes for the “brick and mortar” world were only beginning because The Wall came down about the same time as the Internet, and online marketing, was ramping up.

In the early days of the Internet security and trust were huge issues and, in case you haven’t been paying attention, they still are. To combat that angst many marketers use recommendations, endorsements and testimonials, which for our purposes, are all the same. If you’re going to use testimonials in your sales copy there are a few things you should know.

1. Add names and website addresses (URL) to your photos.

Names and web addresses make your testimonials more believable. Text and names, I’m sorry to say, can be and are faked. Providing additional information such as a name and/or URL gives your  audience enough information to investigate and verify your claims  The verification opportunity increases the credibility of your testimonials.

Photos of those providing your testimonial are great because they carry a hidden message – our customers are so passionate about our products and services that they are willing to share personal information and be accountable for our results.

2. Audio or video.

Audio and video endorsements are even better than text and photo endorsements. Hearing the sound of someone’s voice and/or seeing them deliver a a testimonial, with all the visual cues that come with direct communication, is more personal and, therefore more believable, than words on a page and a static photo.

It’s also easier for your satisfied customers to communicate their wonderful experiences through the spoken word, something they use every day, than it is in writing, which usually takes more time.

3. Highlight your testimonials.

Using a Light Yellow highlight around your copy (or even a photo or video image) is an excellent way to draw attention to them and  make them stand out on the page. If yellow is too in-our-face for your tastes or conflicts with your color scheme, then a Light Blue or Gray highlight also works well. And don't go nuts with the yellow, you'll look like the schlockmeister.

4. If you have lots of testimonials, sprinkle them.

Having a bunch testimonials is fantastic. My recommendation is to sprinkle them around the page to avoid having a “testimonial section.” A testimonial section, where you list 4, 5, 6 or more testimonials, is a bad idea since most people will only read one or two. Testimonials are precious so you’ll want to extract as much value as you can from each one.

A good place to insert them is right below your sub headlines.

5. If you have only one or two testimonials insert them below the mid-point of your sales copy.

Inserting one or two testimonials below the mid-point of your sales copy gives you enough time to make your pitch and, then, have it reinforced by satisfied customers.

Some marketers argue that your testimonials should be inserted right after your first sub-headline, to encourage your audience to keep reading, but I disagree. If you’ve pulled someone into your website they, typically, will read a paragraph or two before they consider leaving. If your copy is well-written that’s enough time to make your strongest points and then use your testimonials for reinforcement.

6. Testimonials need to be results-oriented.

In short, your testimonials shouldn’t be “Yippee, Sam’s the best ever!” Testimonials need to be about the results produced by your product or service. Those results are even more believable if they are qualified (“excellent service”) and quantified (“the work was delivered as promised in 4-hours”).