Are you an entrepreneur who:

• makes a living selling products and/or services on the Web?
• cares about your customers and the future of your business?
• shares success stories from your clients, members, and students to help promote your products and services?

If so, please read this ENTIRE PAGE very carefully.  In fact, you may want to print this out and highlight it to make sure you don't miss anything.

From the desk of Michele DeKinder-Smith
September 03

Dear Entrepreneur,

If you’re currently using testimonials from clients who’ve gotten exceptional results with your products or services, as of December 1st, you could have your marketing labeled ‘misleading’ and face potentially crippling fines from the FTC—even if everything you’re saying is true.

People are responding to this news in a variety of ways.  Some “experts” will tell you that the only thing you can do to stay in compliance with the new FTC regulations is to STOP USING TESTIMONIALS in your marketing—the same testimonials, remember, that are from your actual customers, who’ve gotten real results using your products or services. Sadly, in recent research I’ve conducted with marketers focused on FTC Compliance, many have revealed they’ve already pulled down some of their best testimonials – because they don’t want to be out of compliance.

But it doesn’t have to be that way …. I’m about to share with you how you CAN continue to use powerful, results-based testimonials in your marketing as long as you follow a few simple rules.

You see, the FTC isn’t asking you to stop using testimonials on your website and in your marketing materials – they just want you to provide additional information, too.  The added information they are requiring is that you demonstrate your “generally expected performance results.”  In short, what the average person can expect when they buy your products and services. 

As the owner of Linkage Research & Consulting, I specialize in marketing, consumer and business research for major corporations and often help them understand, demonstrate, and explain the value of their products. I’ve helped companies like Hoover, Frito-Lay, Verizon, and Tropicana measure what their average customer experiences and believes about their products. As the Founder of Jane Out of the Box, a community dedicated to the success of women entrepreneurs, I’m also in touch with the needs of small business owners on a day to day basis.  I am fortunate to understand both worlds – as well as the kind of research necessary to help you meet the FTC’s new guidelines in a powerful way.

GOOD NEWS: The same tools that will allow you to keep using your great testimonials can actually set the stage for massive future growth for your business—IF you know how to use them!

All you need to do is use basic research principles to understand the needs and satisfaction of your customers.  These research techniques are relatively easy, but most entrepreneurs don’t use them – because they just don’t know how, they are pressed for time, and (until now) they may not have seen the value.  They have no idea what their “generally expected performance results” are, because they don’t know where to begin.  But, with a Masters degree in Market Research, a Professional Researcher Certification, and twenty years conducting research for the mega-corporations, I do.  And if you’ll allow me, I can teach you the few simple secrets to:

• Have your prospects, clients & customers see you as a more credible source in the industry
• Set yourself apart from the competition
• Improve your products and services to keep more customers and create more word of mouth for your business
• Develop the right new products and services that most appeal to your customers, helping you have more successful product launches
• Gather invaluable information about your clients and their needs … to help you increase sales even more.

…simply by putting the basic principles of marketing research to work in your business.

That’s why the new guidelines are really an opportunity for you to turn "lemons into lemonade" by using this historic FTC decision as a marketing advantage to grow your business!

To help you do so, I’ve decided to walk you step-by-step through the research process and teach you how to meet the FTC challenge in 2010, using the same bullet-proof methods Fortune 500 companies use to demonstrate their own results and support their advertising claims, as well as to plan their future product launches. 

 

The Step-by-Step Demonstrate My Results Webinar Course

My exclusive webinar series will walk you through the process of measuring your “generally expected performance results” and staying in compliance with the new FTC regulations, step by step.

Over the course of 5 live webinars, I’ll lead you step-by-step through surveying your customers in the correct way, then help you analyze the results and put them to work in your marketing, advertising, and future product development.

You’ll implement each module of this webinar series as we go, and have an opportunity  to ask questions at every point during the process—so by the time we get to the end of the six week series, you’ll have everything you need to keep using your testimonials while remaining in compliance with the FTC (not to mention learning valuable information about your customers and their needs!)

During the webinars, I’ll guide you step-by-step through your actions for that week in clear, straight-forward, easy-to-understand language, with plenty of examples, so you know exactly what to do.  You’ll get easy-to-use templates in our Forum that you can download to make the entire process super-simple to implement – along with recordings of all the sessions so you don’t miss a thing.  And any questions you have will be answered either in our Forum or on our two scheduled Q&A calls.  With all this support, you’ll never have a doubt about whether you are doing it right!

Here’s how we’ll break it down to give you a simple, easy-to-follow, step-by-step process:

 

 

 

 

 

 

BONUS CALL RECORDING—Leveraging your research for guidance about your future offers

As part of the course, you’ll also gain access to a special bonus call recording designed to help you expand the scope of your research beyond FTC requirements and cover:

• How to get feedback for future product/service development
  Have you ever wished you could test the waters on a major new product launch before you pour a lot of time and money into developing it? Or go even further, by developing the exact product or service your clients have been looking for?   Here’s how you can get that that kind of invaluable feedback and direction from your client base—at the same time you’re uncovering your Generally Expected Results!
• How to learn more about your customers
  Your survey results can reveal a lot about your customers if you structure your survey questions the right way, right here at the outset.

Your Investment
Let me first preface this by saying, if testimonials currently play a role in your business—you have a very good reason to protect that business.   Ask yourself, first, “How many sales have I closed as a result of using my great testimonials?”

Next, ask yourself this: “How many MORE sales could I make if I could also show how many of my customers are thrilled with my products and services, in addition to great testimonials?”

As a savvy business owner, you’ve worked hard to get where you are. So you’ve probably already worked through this scenario. It stands to reason that not everyone currently using testimonials is going get the news on what they need to do to keep using them—and not everyone who does is going to do something about it.

Which means that a lot of entrepreneurs are going to wind up pulling their testimonials altogether (I’ve already interviewed many who have), and others might face fines from the FTC.  Fines are $11,000 per incident – but worse than the fine would be losing the trust and confidence of your customers in the process.

All of which leaves a whole lot of room for smart entrepreneurs who see the writing on the wall and take decisive action NOW—to gain market share, consumer confidence and close even more sales by using the SAME stellar testimonials they already have, backed up by the hard science of their Generally Expected Performance Results.

So, how much is that opportunity worth? The short answer is, a lot more than I’m offering it for.

Here’s how your investment breaks down:

The Step-by-Step ‘Demonstrate My Results’ Webinar Course
With this package, you’ll receive:

• Survey templates and branding techniques
• Access to a forum where you can get your questions answered, and download relevant templates for the program
• Special BONUS CALL — How to Leverage Your Research to Learn More About Your Customers and Create High-Demand Future Offers
• A 30-minute laser session with me to help you design your survey OR to review your results with you to help you find the golden nuggets of information.

Your investment: $497 (half off the regular class fee)
Register NOW!

That’s right—you’ll receive the entire 6 week course, uncover your Generally Expected Results, stay in compliance with the FTC, keep your exceptional testimonials, AND position your business for future growth—all for just $497!

In order to take advantage of my special Early Bird pricing though, you’ll need to ACT NOW by registering.

And just to make this entirely clear, I’m not offering this discount because I have any doubt about how quickly this course is going to fill. This is an issue that is going to directly affect the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs, and response to the preview call has already been HUGE.

I’m offering this discount simply because I want this information to be accessible to entrepreneurs who ‘get it,’ regardless of income—the fact that this historic FTC ruling really is going to change the rules of the game, especially online.

So before you leave this page, all I ask is that you take a moment, consider what’s at stake for you personally and decide, one way or another, whether you’re going to be one of the entrepreneurs who takes advantage of this opportunity.

If you are, let me be the first to congratulate you for registering now!

 

Plus you're protected by my 100% Guarantee – You'll love how juicy this product is or you'll get your money back!

I stand firmly behind my products. I KNOW this product will deliver your generally expected results so you can be in compliance – and give you new insights into your business – as long as you do the work in the manner we teach. 

But, just in case you don't agree, you have until the end of the 2nd class to decide if this is for you. Just let me know by the start of the 3rd class if you don't want to continue and I'll refund your investment.

 

 

Wishing you success in the year ahead,

Michele DeKinder-Smith

 

PS.  In times of rapid change, the market often rewards decisive action—the same way that I am, right here, by offering you $500 off the cost of registration on the Webinar Course. Register NOW!

PPS. Remember, what you don’t know about your customers could be the key to your next million dollar breakthrough.  KEEP YOUR TESTIMONIALS and position your business for future growth by registering NOW