While marketing may seem complicated, it involves a fundamental concept. At the foundational level, a marketing strategy consists of providing customers with the right information sufficient to help them make a purchasing decision. The scope of this fundamental goal is quite broad and involves everything you do from the images and messages you choose to the media and delivery methods you have for promoting your brand. Testimonials have become very important in modern marketing, particularly in sports marketing for obvious reasons. Although not all the sports testimonials are equal, as this article by RTR Sports Marketing says, most strategists use them to increase brand appeal and influence customer attitude towards a product. Here is a brief look at three main benefits of testimonials in sports marketing.
- It provides advocates who can influence customer attitude
Testimonials allow customers to become brand ambassadors and advocate for your products and services. Although having a sleek website and strong “About Us” page will pull customers closer, studies have shown that most people go straight to the testimonials and reviews before making a purchase decision. If you are using testimonials from a known athlete or sports professional, this can have a powerful influence on customers who already want to associate with the famous athlete. However, it does not have to be a legendary sports icon. All testimonials from real brand users are valuable.
- Enhances business credibility
Testimonials offer an extra opinion from real customers, so prospects do not have to take your word for it. Every business or company will market their offer in the best light. No one wants to point out the concerning flaws in their product, so customers are always skeptical when reading company descriptions and promotional messages. With testimonials, prospects can get insights about various areas of value before making a purchase decision. They also get more information about your product from real users who have tried and appreciated your offer. This includes usability aspects that you may or may not have in your promotional message. When many people are giving their opinion on your product, it is much safer to decide to rely solely on what the company says. The sentiments are more believable, especially if the testimonials are from reputable and popular influencers.
- Improves reputation and perception
Testimonials are more like product reviews as customers describe their sentiments and experiences with your product. In sports marketing, your goal is to establish a thriving reputation and position yourself as a highly reputable brand within your niche. As a general rule of thumb, businesses that consistently produce satisfactory services will have a positive reputation in the areas they serve. Testimonials offer more insight into your products and services, including customer support, communication, and how you handle complaints. If you have more positive testimonials, customers will gravitate towards your products, associating it with high quality. Reputation also increases your brand’s reach, thus working towards the goals in your marketing strategy.
Conclusion
The benefits of integrating testimonials in your sports marketing strategy are quite obvious and straightforward. There are various marketing actions available for sports ranging from advertising and sponsorship to promotions, direct mail, digital marketing, and public relations, among others. The goal is to combine various actions and benefit from each.