Marketing: Three Tactics for Gathering More Testimonials

While a glowing customer testimonial might not have the power to make or break your catalog or Web site, it certainly can help tip the scales in your favor to convert a few more browsers to buyers.

In particular, says Lea Pierce, a consultant and freelance copywriter in Santa Rosa, Calif., and former creative director with catalog and online marketer Windsor Vineyards, many direct marketers find that testimonials influence sales of highly priced products (say, a $1,000 wine cellar). Pierce offers the following advice for collecting testimonials that pack enough punch to boost your sales numbers: