Damned by faint praise

Everyone likes a good testimonial. Glowing comments straight from another customer give you confidence in the brand. If they enjoyed it, you'll enjoy it. A recommendation from a genuine customer is worth its weight in gold.

But we weren't born yesterday. User comments are exploited to the max by marketers. They are edited. They are quoted out of context. They are sometimes even made up.

This has raised the bar. It means that an average testimonial - while accurate - does nothing.A user comment has to be glowing in the extreme these days to make an impact.

Find the very best. Find the comments with 'wow' factor. Find comments that make a customer think "I'll have what he's having".

And don't do what they did outside the Revolution Bar in Richmond [see above and below].