Should you use endorsements and testimonials in your marketing campaign?

Turn on the television or open a magazine and you'll no doubt be inundated with commercials and ads. More often than not, it's a celebrity or someone else familiar with the product who is endorsing it - the milk industry made dozens of Got Milk? ads that made a point of putting celebrities in milk mustaches. And weight loss chains like Jenny Craig and Nutra System rely on people who have had success with the product to sell it through endorsing it for them.

When used effectively, endorsements and testimonials can have a positive impact on your business in a number of ways, including:

- Provides proof. Promises of results mean nothing unless there is proof to back up those claims; people want to see proof that something works. Take diet programs, for example. Before and after photos as well as testimonials of people who have tried the program and had success with it are wonderful tools for a marketing campaign. The potential customer is more likely to look at the testimonial and pictures and say, "Wow, that product really does work."
- Appeal. Often, organizations will use celebrities or sports figures because of their appeal or popularity at the moment. The public will often try to emulate those they admire or want to be like, so if a celebrity whose hair everyone envies is promoting a certain hair product, chances are people will be curious to at least try it out, with the idea that if her hair looks that good, maybe theirs can too.

However, just as they can provide credibility and bring you business, endorsements and testimonials can also be, at worst the downfall of your business or, in the very least, result in serious damage control. There are a few things to keep in mind if you're considering using endorsements and testimonials in your marketing campaign:

- Consider the potential for damage. If the person(s) you are using to endorse your product are well-known, this could just as easily cause problems as it could be beneficial to your organization. Take for example Kate Moss, who ran into trouble with the organizations she was endorsing when she was caught using drugs. Many of her sponsorships dropped her. Anytime the person whose products you are endorsing becomes involved in a public scandal, it could spell trouble for your product. This is something to take into consideration.
- Ask yourself if the person giving the endorsement is appropriate for your product or service. If you run a tutoring business, it would be a good idea to have a local Teacher of the Year endorse your services, as his or her opinion as an educator would be valuable. On the other hand, if a local newscaster endorsed your business, that person's testimonial would most likely be viewed as insignificant when compared to a teacher's. Or, you wouldn't have a vegetarian promote the opening of your new steakhouse. These are all things to keep in mind.

If you're thinking of using a prominent figure to endorse your product, keep in mind this idea can backfire. However, using endorsements and testimonials can be an effective way to promote and marketing your products; it just takes an appropriate amount of research and knowledge of your customer base.