Business Building Corner

A Formula for Good Endorsements


An effective endorsement addresses specific benefits without going overboard. That is, sincerity and truthfulness are much more convincing than the use of superlatives. If you gush too much, it only draws suspicion and disbelief. Here are a few simple things to keep in mind when putting together an endorsement that you may use when speaking or writing to a prospect:

  1. Be tactful. No matter how wonderful you say something or someone is, never put it in a way that insults another person, company or product. You never know with whom or what the prospect may have been affiliated. Being tactful means stating the positive and avoiding the negative.
  2. Be authentic. Avoid the temptation to embellish. People are generally pretty good at detecting when you’re not being completely honest.
  3. Back up what you say with specific examples. Numbers tell a story more than adjectives alone. Use percentages, actual timeframes and dollar amounts where appropriate. For example, “With the addition of Laminine OMEGA+++ to our regular sales of Laminine, we doubled our profits in a month!” Or, “My father’s memory improved noticeably within three weeks after taking two Laminine capsules a day.”
  4. Keep it short and sweet. The average attention span is only between one and three minutes. People are not interested in hearing or reading a long dissertation. A simple way to keep it short is to limit your endorsement to three main aspects: before, during and after using the products.
  5. Add a third party endorsement to your own. For example, if your family and friends experienced similar or different benefits, tell about those, too. As you give endorsements, collect new ones from others and obtain their permission to share their stories.

  1. Be engaging. Provide real life examples. Speak or write in a way that makes the prospect want to ask questions. Create a dialogue.
  2. Tailor your endorsement to the specific target audience. If you are speaking to young mothers, your endorsement should differ from the one you give senior citizens. This goes back to point 6. As you collect other people’s positive stories, you can create an archive of endorsements that appeal to different demographics.
  3. Speak or write in your own voice. Sound like who you are, because the prospect needs to connect with you in order to buy into what you are offering. Don’t sound like someone who is making a pitch or trying to be scientific (unless you are a physician or scientist).
  4. Focus on benefits. “Laminine is great” is not nearly as powerful as “Laminine helped me deal with stress and I’ve been able to sleep through the night for the first time in two years.” In terms of opportunity, “I want to help people” is not as convincing as “I have money left over every month now and can donate to my favorite charities.”
  5. Be prepared to counter any objections to your endorsement. There’s always a “hater” or two out there, so don’t let their negativity rattle you. State the facts that prove your point and move on.