Thanks
Rick

What "experiment" ?

Sheesh.

Incidentally, if you want to collect testimonials -- well -- you know those commercials

"I liked the razor so much, I bought the company" ?
(Okay, it *was* a while ago...)

Well, I liked this product so much I became a reseller (please note the copy at this time is what came from IncanSoft):

http://ez-testimonial.NextDay-Copy.com

I love it, and I use it, myself.

Incidentally, I also wrote Robert and suggested that offering incentives for testimonials is ill-advised. It's ill-advised because the testimonials really are not "authentic" (how many people have given testimonials to get a copy of seminar DVDs?)

As well as how well they stand with the ftc.

Aside from the ftc -- DOES IT REALLY SERVE your customer base? What happens when people find out that all your testimonials are incentivized (which I believe that you have to indicate on your sales page -- CLEARLY (and not in tiny print) -- if you have done so.)

I'm not sure how it is unprofessional, or for that matter uncalled for my comment was. I certainly believe your choice of words in at least one response on the WF might have been more considered ... it may be that I am just an ancient old fogey and use language differently.

(Sure Gerard, you've not seen my name on anything recently, but have a look at RFC89, if you care to.)

I think that the negative responses that abounded on WF would have been avoided if the nature of the experiment had been talked about. I am watching it with interest to see if I learn something from it, as I often do from your work.

However, I'll stand behind my view that it was "handled with stone fingers." (... as somebody onece said to me about the way Digital Equipment Company handled some matters ... )

I belive that it is important to treat those who value you with respect. It is clear from the responses on WF that a lot of people who do value you don't feel treated that way, and that is really your loss, not mine.

Best regards,

Gren.

now go make a blog post about Gren's comment- you won't regret it.

(i pretty much guarantee you'll get LOTS of comments to that post)

And getting a testimonial in the future means not pissing of a number of well known and lesser known Warriors with hidden experiments and arrogant reponses in a product launch.

Regards,

Gren.

What an awesome post, and a reality check as well. You put things in such an easy to understand manner.

You create massive value for everything you put out there - even the free stuff. You are just amazing, to put it mildly.

I have to confess, that whenever you put out a product now, all I do is look at the general gist of it, barely read the sales page (because it's YOU) and head for the buy button. Why? Because you've proven yourself over and over and over.

Thank you for being uniquely YOU,

Donna

Now I know what to do and will definitely use your advice.

My sales pages don't have testimonials, except one, and I realize they are important but never knew how to go about getting them. Now I can put the request into my autoresponder series, and give them a "gift" for their time!

Thanks for this great post!

Gabriella

great idea!!