How To Get Reviews BEFORE Your Product Launch.

One of the best ways to promote your product and help it sell is to have testimonials from customers who have used it and given honest reviews of it.

A selection of good, genuine testimonials can be the difference between your product being a success or getting lost without trace.

People generally trust a review from someone with no connection to the product more than the sales copy of the seller.

When they see a review from someone who’s benefited from the product, they tend to want to benefit as well.

All very well and good but what about new products that you haven’t even launched yet? Is it possible to get genuine testimonials before even launching your product?

You will be glad to know the answer is YES!

So how does one go about this? How do you get testimonials for a product that no one has even seen yet?

Surely you need to launch and sell the product in order to get the feedback from your customers?

Not necessarily!

If you really want to hit the ground running then you need to get your testimonials in place BEFORE you launch your product.

How?

Easy, all you need to do is find people willing to review your product or service and provide you with feedback for doing so.

All the major retail companies use this tried and tested method time and time again.

For example, lets say your new product is an ebook on how to prepare for and enter your pet into a dog shows.

Chances are unless you are an expert on the subject, you have done your in depth research. No doubt during this research you will have come across various forums and websites associated with your subject.

You now need to go back and revisit these sites, as well as similar sites based around your subject. Take some time and make a note of the regular posters, the ones who have the most valuable input.

Reach out to these individuals and offer them your product for free in return for their feedback. The reason I suggest approaching the frequent posters as opposed to anyone posting at random is because these individuals are already being helpful. As a result they are more likely to take the time and help you out with a brief review.

You don’t need to tell them you are looking for testimonials or product reviews. This will only put unnecessary pressure on them, and you really want their genuine unbiased reviews.

Tell them it’s a new product that is in the final stages of testing before launch. Let them know you want their feedback and if they have some constructive criticism that would also be welcome too.

Constructive Criticism Is Good Too

By asking for feedback rather than testimonials you will be getting the good and the bad.

Constructive criticism is good because it can draw your attention to something you may have overlooked. Something that could turn a potentially good product into a really great product.

It gives you the opportunity to look at your product through someone eases eyes.

As a result you will be getting positive feedback that can be used as a genuine testimonial. These are infinitely better than a hundred sugar coated words which are disingenuous.

Encourage Good Feedback By Asking Questions

Once you have people take you up on your offer its best to make things as easy as possible in order to get their reviews.

When you send them your product include a list of questions for them to answer.

Questions such as:

In what way was this product helpful to you?

Did it help solve a problem/save time etc? If so How?

How could I improved this product?

Do you believe it is good value for the asking price?

Was it a good quality product?

Any other feedback?

Is it OK to use your name/website?

Look To You Own Network For Reviews

Another great source you can draw from is your own network of friends and online contacts.

Obviously your product is not going to be of interest to everyone you know. You will need to use these contacts on a case by case basis and decide who can be of help to you.

If you do know people or have contacts that would be interested in your product, then by all means approach them in the same way mentioned above.

Testimonials from Big Name Influences

If you can get testimonials from big name influences then it can do wonders for your products sales.

However you don’t need me to tell you that this is not something you can easily do. These people are are inundated with requests every single day and are notoriously busy.

That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean its impossible.

If you have a great product that you genuinely believe in, then there is no harm in contacting some of the big names on the subject and asking for a short review.

Don’t get offended if they reject your offer or do not reply at all, always be polite and professional. As I said before they are busy people and receive requests like this all the time.

In Conclusion

Testimonials are a great way of giving your product some credibility, especially when you are first starting out. They can be the difference between people buying or walking away.

Having said that, poor, made up or false testimonials can be the kiss of death. Not only for your product but for your own reputation.

NEVER be tempted to use testimonials that are anything but genuine. It could tarnish your name and your reputation irrecoverably.