Think about the last big purchase you made. Did you commit to buying right away, or did you trawl the Internet for every piece of information you could possibly find on the product or service before making your final decision?
You most likely did the latter.
Written articles and testimonials gave you slight peace of mind, but what gave you the most assurance were YouTube reviews and video testimonials. Watching these visual reviews allowed you to see and hear the genuine reactions of the reviewer.
Today, a customer video testimonial is the next best thing to a face to face recommendation. Being able to show authenticity to build trust is the main differentiator between video and written testimonials.
When resources are scarce, make your marketing dollar work smarter not harder by taking the time to capture a video testimonial from your customers.
Best of all – it’s so simple you can do it yourself, no camera crew or fancy editing required. Here are some tips for getting and making the most of your customer video testimonials.
When should you ask your customer for a testimonial?
The best time to ask a customer for a testimonial is straight after they’ve made their purchase and is totally satisfied with the outcome. A happy customer will be more than willing to sing your praises, but you’ll have to give them a little coaching to ensure the testimonial delivers a meaningful impact.
Ask your customer these five questions to help construct a testimonial:
1. What was your main concern about buying this service?
A customer’s concern can be anything from money to time and everything in between. This question makes your customer think about what could’ve been a deal-breaker. It’s important because if your customer is thinking about it, so are others.
2. What did you find as a result of buying this service?
This question addresses why the purchase was worth it and how it delivered the desired outcome.
3. Which specific feature did you like most about this service?
Vague answers are meaningless. That’s why this question focuses on a specific feature (or benefit) the customer most liked. A great answer would be rich in detail and explicit.
4. What are the other benefits of using this device?
The customer has talked about the feature/s, now give them the opportunity to talk about the benefits they found most useful.
5. Would you recommend this service? If so, why?
The burning question on the potential purchasers’ lips and minds is if the service receives the seal of approval of the reviewer.
This question is especially important because no-one will recommend a product or service unless they feel strongly about it.
Lights, camera, action
When filming and editing, aim for short and sharp.
The video should show how the customer overcame their concerns and should be no longer than 30 seconds in length.
Don’t worry about creating something that resembles a cinematic production, instead strive for authenticity. You want the customer’s personality, natural body language and the tone of their voice to shine through.
That’s what makes an outstanding testimonial.
Location, location, location
Finally, where you place your video testimonials on your website is crucial.
Don’t just throw them anywhere and everywhere. Testimonials need to be placed alongside a point you’re trying to make to have the best impact. After all, it’s the job of a testimonial to dispel any apprehensions.
Cindy Dang, Digital PR Specialist, Supple Solutions