Day 7: Using Testimonials

If I told you my Training the Trainer Virtual Program was great, and that I was a fantastic teacher, would you believe me? I would never say that anyway – it would be very awkward and embarrassing. Hey, look at me! Aren’t I great? That just feels way too weird.

Unless you are an egomaniac, it’s normal to feel uncomfortable tooting your own horn. For example, when I was at a yoga conference at Kripalu Center, a fantastic workshop leader keep repeating how embarrassed he was talking about his other products and services.

If it feels uncomfortable for you to say something, it probably feels uncomfortable for your audience to hear. However, we can always turn the tables around. Instead of talking, we can listen. And in that listening, we will be able to hear feedback about our work, which can be used as a third-party testimonial. That is much more powerful and believable than telling others how great we are – and it’s a whole lot more comfortable.

Here’s how testimonials arose out of my last Training the Trainer Virtual Program. I sent an online survey to all the participants, who had the choice of remaining anonymous unless they chose to disclose their names. The anonymity was important, as I wanted them to feel free to be completely honest about their experience. I am committed to continuous improvement in the learning process, and that only happens when you are completely open to hearing the learner’s experience.

Thankfully, I received lots of positive feedback, including:

• I now feel ready to set goals that include making a salary worthy of my skills.
  
• Megan’s instant communication and feedback on so many aspects of becoming business savvy are simply amazing.
• The way Megan integrated all the components of the course challenged me to learn in a new way and inspired confidence.
  
• Megan’s teaching style is both nurturing and supportive while keeping us on task – a very good balance.
  
• The program expanded my ideas about what I can do and how I can do it.
  
• I’m collaborating more with others and seeking out organizations and individuals to create a network – I’ve never been comfortable with this, and I’m finding that I’m much more comfortable now.
• I have found a new sense of pride in whatever role. I also feel more confident to be able to take my experience as a Yoga Instructor into the business world.

There was also a note in the survey asking for permission to use the feedback in marketing. I chose the most powerful quotes, sent the respondents e-mails to thank them, and shared how I planned to use their comments. I also gave them a telephone number – if they wanted to share the love, they could call the number to tape an audio testimonial. You can see the result of this process on the Training the Trainer Virtual Program website.

Working with kinesthetic yoga teachers, I find videos and audios a good way to personalize a website. I’ll share more about how to do that in Day 8. For today, though, think about the positive things students have told you about your work. How have you used these testimonials in your marketing communications?

Take the Challenge:

• 21-Day Yoga Marketing Challenge (overview)
• Day 6: Magic Connections
• Day 7: Using Testimonials
• Day 8: The Power of Audio

[tags]Megan McDonough, training the trainer program, yoga business, business marketing consultant, 21-day yoga marketing challenge[/tags]