A reader asks:
Hi John,
How do you get testimonials from well-known and A-list copywriters?
Thanks
I can only share my experiences.
I got one testimonial from an A-list copywriter in consequence of my book 10 Commandments of A-list Copywriters.
The A-list copywriter in question, somebody I refer to often in my Copy Riddles program, read that 10 Commandments book, enjoyed it, and wrote me to say so.
The second testimonial from a truly A-list copywriter came in the mail — actual physical mail.
This second A-list copywriter sent me, or had his assistant send me, a hardcover copy of his own book as a gift, along with a handwritten note saying he enjoyed my blog/emails.
That was a really nice gesture.
But then what? My problem, in the slightly twisted words of Jerry Seinfeld, is that:
I know how to get A-list testimonials… I just don’t know how to keep A-list testimonials.
Because in my own self-defeating way, I wrote both of the A-list copywriters above to say thanks for their comments (and for the gift of the book).
And I left it at that.
I didn’t think to ask if I could use their comments and their names in public. Without asking, I don’t really feel fine flaunting their private messages as public endorsements. And now a lot of time has passed, and I feel dumb writing to follow up and ask about it.
So there you go. If you want A-list testimonials:
1. Write a book or daily emails that people enjoy
2. Wait patiently until an A-list copywriter stumbles upon what you’ve written and contacts you to say something nice about it
3. Follow up within a reasonable time-frame to ask whether you can use that nice comment as a public testimonial
But perhaps that’s not what the reader above had in mind. Perhaps she was looking for a shortcut. Perhaps she was looking — and here you might expect me to promote my Most Valuable Email trick.
But the fact is, there is no shortcut, at least not one that I can see.
From what I can see, the three steps above are all necessary. Maybe you can hurry along the “stumbles upon what you’ve written” part. But you still have to write, and write a lot, and write stuff that people will enjoy. And that takes time, and patience.
So what about that Most Valuable Email trick? All I can tell you is this:
It has helped me write daily emails that people enjoy.
And some of those emails have resulted in testimonials from well-known and A-list copywriters, which I was (finally) smart enough to follow up about, and ask to use in public.
The same can happen for you — if you have the willingness and patience to actually use my Most Valuable Email trick, day after day.
In case you’re one of the few rare souls who would like to get started on that today, rather than waiting for tomorrow: