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AIBU?

To NOT reproduce this glowing testimonial on my webpage?

16 replies

MurielWoods · 14/07/2015 19:35

I run a business and we are all over social media, have a website etc etc.

Today we received a really lovely (and I mean truly lovely) testimonial from a customer. Without going into too much detail about who we are or what we do, this testimonial went into great detail about how our 'product/service' had made a measurable difference to their child's development.

It was quite a long testimonial, it was very heartfelt and it made me snivel a tiny bit (soppy cow that I am).

The problem is that the testimonial is 50% 'text speak', to the point that I can hardly decipher it. (think cuz/wat/av/u/fink/wen etc).

We do reproduce testimonials on our website/twitter/Facebook etc and the lady that left the testimonial has been in contact giving us permission to do so (we didn't seek permission though, she just offered it).

I just can't reproduce it faithfully word for word and there isn't even a particular sentence that I can pick out without all of the above text speak in.

Bless her, she is lovely but I just can't have this on our webpage - it's just too awful.

What would you do?

If I correct it all then she would be (quite rightly) very offended I should imagine?

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Nevercan · 14/07/2015 19:37

Contact her and say I would love to use this but will need to write it in full on my website so the older generation can also understand it who are not so good at text words. Hope that's ok

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LapsedTwentysomething · 14/07/2015 19:38

I would correct it and use it. Perhaps just tell her that that's what you'll need to do for professionalism.

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MissDemelzaCarne · 14/07/2015 19:39

I agree with Nevercan

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TheHouseOnBellSt · 14/07/2015 19:39

Just edit it fgs!

"Ur product was ace m8"

Becomes.

"Your product was fabulous."

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SwedishEdith · 14/07/2015 19:40

I'd correct it and explain that it's webpage writing convention or something. Just make something up that sounds plausible (ish).

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IgnoreMeEveryOtherReindeerDoes · 14/07/2015 19:40

Why? wouldn't it show people from all walks of life use your product/service.

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Leeds2 · 14/07/2015 19:40

Perhaps correct it, and send the amended version to her to approve? Say something like you had to remove the text speak because some of your older customers (points finger at self!) wouldn't understand it? And also of course tell her how lovely her testimonial was.

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ToysRLuv · 14/07/2015 19:40

I would just tactfully ask whether I can edit a bit, correct any typos etc., saying it in a way that implies you always ask, then go ahead and reproduce a few sentences in proper grammar. I would not reproduce as it is.

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GrumpyOldBiddy2 · 14/07/2015 19:42

I agree with IgnoreMe

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woodleydoodle · 14/07/2015 19:43

I'd also email your 'corrected' version to her so she can approve it.

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MurielWoods · 14/07/2015 19:50

I LOVE the suggestion to correct it so that the older generation can understand it - thank you Smile

ignoreme and grumpy I just couldn't faithfully reproduce it. I can just about decipher 20% of it.

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Chchchchangeabout · 14/07/2015 19:59

What Woodley said

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FanOfHermione · 14/07/2015 20:09

When testimonials are really long, I also make them shorter and just add [...] to show some bits are missing.
It's always true to the message though.

I've never had anyone having a problem with it (Same with text speak, very easily 'corrected' to a more normal way of writing)

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OurDearLeader · 14/07/2015 20:13

You could correct it and tell her that you need to do it so search engines can pick up the terms.

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SwedishEdith · 14/07/2015 20:14

Oh, the search engines point is a good one.

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ScrambledEggAndToast · 19/07/2015 17:44

The fact that it's really long is actually really helpful. You can edit it to make it shorter and during the editing process, you can take out some of the text speak. As other posters have suggested, you should probably send it to her first to check over before you put it on your site.

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