Building Your Brand: The Importance of Providing Testimonials and Reviews

NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Small businesses have historically relied on word of mouth advertising to grow and expand their business. But with brand exposure continually becoming vital to stay relevant in today's marketplace, entrepreneurs need to discover and utilize new tools that support their businesses' credibility and level of expertise. This is why having reviews and testimonials on a business website makes it easy for prospective customers to see what others have to say about the company and become loyal customers as a result.

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In the latest Small Business PR Toolkit article, Marc Prosser of Fit Small Business takes it even one step further and suggests that business owners should work with their suppliers, vendors and partners in order to have testimonials listed on to those websites.  In his article, "The Value of Giving Testimonials & Reviews," Prosser suggests the following benefits by applying this overlooked method:

• Valuable Links. Most testimonials featured on other sites will include a link back to the originating customer's website. This is a valuable SEO tool that business owners shouldn't overlook.
• Media Coverage. Providing testimonials for a company that is receiving media attention may increase the likelihood that they reach out to the businesses that provided the reviews.
• Marketing Materials. Incorporating a provided testimonial into other printed marketing materials may lead to increased brand exposure and company mentions.

For further discussion on the value of testimonials, please read Prosser's article here: http://bit.ly/137t5zG

PR Newswire's Small Business PR Toolkit is a comprehensive resource that provides small businesses and entrepreneurs the tools to develop an affordable public relations and marketing plan that helps generate interest from potential customers, engage with key audiences and grow their businesses. The toolkit features relevant content such as informative white papers, interactive webinars and how-to articles and premium access to educational resources, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of special offers designed specifically for small businesses. To request information on how PR Newswire can help your small business, click here. You can receive updates on new Small Business PR Toolkit content by following @prnsmallbiz on Twitter.

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