The Value Of Visitor Feedback!
Most companies selling weight loss supplements are quick to use glowing testimonials
to sell their products. I'm sure you've seen zillions of them by now. They usually go
something like this...
"Wow! I can't believe this product. I've been stuck in a rut for years, and must have
tried a hundred different diets. Since I've tried (insert product name here!), the
weight has been dropping off like crazy. No doubt about it, this is the only product
I've ever used that has delivered on its promises." Chris H, Missouri
Or...
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've lost 20 lbs in three weeks with (insert product
name here!), and I feel great. My friends and family are all telling me how amazing I
look, and my husband has taken a new interest in me. Thanks for giving me my life
back." Wanda M, Washington
Sound familiar? Uh huh. That's what I thought. But here's something you should know...
1) Unverifiable testimonials are no better than no testimonials at all. Since you
can't ever confirm that these words actually came from a real individual, and not some
employee in the company's advertising department, you have you assume the worst. And
what's that, exactly? That these "glowing reports" are actually manufactured. Shocked?
Don't be. Deceptive advertising practices are used all the time. All you need to do is
to look into some of the actions taken by the US Federal Trade Commission against
the deceptive advertising practices of some supplement retailers, and you'll see what
I mean.
2) Even when feedback is genuine, it is highly anecdotal. For instance, most people
are not aware that it is your bodyfat percentage, and not your weight (usually
measured by the bathroom scales) that determines your diet success or failure. Since
muscle weighs more than fat, a diet program that includes resistance/weight training
could be successful even if that success is not reflected on the scales by a loss of
body weight. Other people continue to overconsume calories or do not implement a
healthy eating and exercise plan along with product supplementation, so their feedback
is not an accurate representation of a product's capabilites either.
Also, remember that unlike supplements, all regulated pharmaceuticals are rigorously
tested against a placebo (a sugar pill). For some people, the power of suggestion is
enough to elict a response on its own. In other words, an individual who genuinely
believes a product has worked miracles for him or her, may be completely incorrect. So
a positive review doesn't necessarily mean anything.
In a nutshell?
Using customer feedback to influence your purchasing decision is not always a wise
choice. But here's the rub...
Although all customer feedback should be approached with caution, I do post customer
comments and experiences on UltimateFatBurner.com (it's an extremely popular element
of the web site, and I use only comments from visitors willing to surrender their names and
e-mail addresses).
Why do I do so?
Well, for one it is a valuable way for visitors to warn others of bad purchasing
experiences, which is sometimes one of the biggest issues for anyone ordering online.
It's fairly common to be added to a recurring billing program without consent, for
example.
Next, I like visitors to be able to see what real testimonials "look" like.
They seldom look anything like the two examples I've included above. I also think it's
valuable to present a counterpoint to the other "review" web sites, which represent
their top fat burners as receiving a 95% approval or positive rating. I can tell you
from positive experience that no fat burner in the world receives such a positive
rating. It's simple really... almost all retailers grossly exaggerate the kind of results an individual will accomplish with their products. The effects are not in accordance with the laws of human physiology, and are therefore unattainable. Ergo, there's no way any product marketed in this manner will receive more than a tiny percentage of positive feedback.
Last, it provides a gitty, down-in-the-trenches element that visitors enjoy.
Bottom line?
Testimonials, provided they are real and can be verified, can enhance the visitor's experience, even if they are anecdotal. To see what I mean, check out some of the newest feedback posted on UltimateFatBurner.com for yourself...
Rev XP feedback!
Lipozene feedback!
Miracleburn feedback!
Propolene feedback!
to sell their products. I'm sure you've seen zillions of them by now. They usually go
something like this...
"Wow! I can't believe this product. I've been stuck in a rut for years, and must have
tried a hundred different diets. Since I've tried (insert product name here!), the
weight has been dropping off like crazy. No doubt about it, this is the only product
I've ever used that has delivered on its promises." Chris H, Missouri
Or...
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've lost 20 lbs in three weeks with (insert product
name here!), and I feel great. My friends and family are all telling me how amazing I
look, and my husband has taken a new interest in me. Thanks for giving me my life
back." Wanda M, Washington
Sound familiar? Uh huh. That's what I thought. But here's something you should know...
1) Unverifiable testimonials are no better than no testimonials at all. Since you
can't ever confirm that these words actually came from a real individual, and not some
employee in the company's advertising department, you have you assume the worst. And
what's that, exactly? That these "glowing reports" are actually manufactured. Shocked?
Don't be. Deceptive advertising practices are used all the time. All you need to do is
to look into some of the actions taken by the US Federal Trade Commission against
the deceptive advertising practices of some supplement retailers, and you'll see what
I mean.
2) Even when feedback is genuine, it is highly anecdotal. For instance, most people
are not aware that it is your bodyfat percentage, and not your weight (usually
measured by the bathroom scales) that determines your diet success or failure. Since
muscle weighs more than fat, a diet program that includes resistance/weight training
could be successful even if that success is not reflected on the scales by a loss of
body weight. Other people continue to overconsume calories or do not implement a
healthy eating and exercise plan along with product supplementation, so their feedback
is not an accurate representation of a product's capabilites either.
Also, remember that unlike supplements, all regulated pharmaceuticals are rigorously
tested against a placebo (a sugar pill). For some people, the power of suggestion is
enough to elict a response on its own. In other words, an individual who genuinely
believes a product has worked miracles for him or her, may be completely incorrect. So
a positive review doesn't necessarily mean anything.
In a nutshell?
Using customer feedback to influence your purchasing decision is not always a wise
choice. But here's the rub...
Although all customer feedback should be approached with caution, I do post customer
comments and experiences on UltimateFatBurner.com (it's an extremely popular element
of the web site, and I use only comments from visitors willing to surrender their names and
e-mail addresses).
Why do I do so?
Well, for one it is a valuable way for visitors to warn others of bad purchasing
experiences, which is sometimes one of the biggest issues for anyone ordering online.
It's fairly common to be added to a recurring billing program without consent, for
example.
Next, I like visitors to be able to see what real testimonials "look" like.
They seldom look anything like the two examples I've included above. I also think it's
valuable to present a counterpoint to the other "review" web sites, which represent
their top fat burners as receiving a 95% approval or positive rating. I can tell you
from positive experience that no fat burner in the world receives such a positive
rating. It's simple really... almost all retailers grossly exaggerate the kind of results an individual will accomplish with their products. The effects are not in accordance with the laws of human physiology, and are therefore unattainable. Ergo, there's no way any product marketed in this manner will receive more than a tiny percentage of positive feedback.
Last, it provides a gitty, down-in-the-trenches element that visitors enjoy.
Bottom line?
Testimonials, provided they are real and can be verified, can enhance the visitor's experience, even if they are anecdotal. To see what I mean, check out some of the newest feedback posted on UltimateFatBurner.com for yourself...
Rev XP feedback!
Lipozene feedback!
Miracleburn feedback!
Propolene feedback!
posted by ultimatefatburner at 3:07 PM
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