Word-of-mouth is powerfully persuasive.
The Law of Social Proof says that when people are unsure what to do, they will look to what others have done before to make a buying decision.
McKinsey & Company in a recent study about “word of mouth” marketing reported that:
The influence of word of mouth is GREATER when the products or services being bought are relatively expensive or people need to conduct detailed research.
In the digital world, you can provide potential customers with good ol’ word of mouth with video testimonials – and increase your sales at the same time.
There ARE customers out there who love what you do and their lives may have changed because of your services or products.
Using their positive experiences to reach your target audience is a slam dunk for your business’ growth.
Let’s take a look at four of the most important reasons to use video testimonials to build your reputation and lend credibility to your brand – and the best methods for getting your unique message across to your audience.
4 reasons to reach your target audience with video
1. Get noticed
The stats don’t lie: Videos are 53 times more likely than text pages to appear on the first page of search results.
What does this mean for you?
Putting effective video testimonials on your website gives you a much greater chance of grabbing the attention of your audience.
Video gives you a leg up over a written testimonial too, because according to Diode Digital, 60% of people will watch a video before they read text.
I have a special section on my website called Success Stories where I put all my video testimonials, written testimonials and Raving Fan Client List, so my audience can easily access word-of-mouth testimonials.
2. Earn trust
Reading what someone else has written about your services is far different than seeing the happiness on their face and hearing the excitement in their voice in a realistic video.
It adds authenticity and believability to what you do – AND the most important factor: trust.
Earning the trust of your audience is a crucial part of them making the decision to work with you.
3. Establish authority
Getting positive testimonials from your customers is the key to establishing your authority – and building a brand that people will trust and want to buy from.
A video testimonial gives viewers a face to connect with – and emotions, too. All of this evidence exponentially raises the testimonial’s authenticity, and your credibility.
Your potential customers will see you as skilled, knowledgeable – and most importantly, successful.
Bottom line, video testimonials WORK because customers trust recommendations from their peers versus hearing from you why you’re fabulous. So give potential customers what they want to hear, and establish your authority with video testimonials.
- Attract qualified prospects
Customers are waiting longer and longer to reach out to a company’s sales team in the buying process. They’re doing much more research on their own, and frankly, they don’t want to talk to you – yet.
So it’s your job to provide them with content that will help educate them on your products and services, and how working with you will benefit them.
Video testimonials are an excellent tool for achieving these goals – especially if you want the right, qualified prospects to knock on your door.
When your prospective customers notice the commonalities they have with the people they see in your testimonials, it’s easier for them to connect the dots and see how what you’re offering is good for them, too.
How to create customer testimonial videos that really work
A study by Wharton School of Business says that 83% of satisfied customers are willing to refer and recommend products and services they trust. But only 29% actually do.
That’s generally because you just have to ask for it.
Here’s how to collect video testimonials.
1. Use the video testimonial to tell a story
Visually compelling customer testimonials will grab your audience’s attention and pull them into the story of how their transformation happened.
It’s important for the audience to know these are real people who experienced a change for the better. Their story will help potential customers see themselves in the same position.
In addition, don’t just collect testimonials immediately after a purchase. Get them over time too: 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, even 5 years post-sale. These will be even more persuasive!
In order to get the best story, you need to be specific with your questions.
Your focus should be on highlighting how your customer has changed in terms of their business, as well as emotionally.
Check out these example questions to get your creative juices flowing.
- What was your greatest challenge before you attended/purchased/joined?
- How did that problem make you feel?
- What changed after you attended/purchased/joined?
- Can you share specific results/outcomes?
- What would you say to someone who is on the fence about attending/purchasing/joining?
- Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Once you come up with a list of questions, pass it along to the customer to use when recording their testimonial.
(It’s also important that you get permission from the person for their image and organization to be featured in your marketing materials.)
You may think you have to invest in expensive equipment and hire a videographer to get the testimonial; however, it is actually more powerful if the person records himself using his smartphone.
This format lends to the credibility and real-ness of the testimonial.
Alternatively, you could also set up a make-shift recording booth at your next event, or go big with a hired camera crew to capture testimonials. Remember to always use a plug-in microphone when filming with your smartphone to get better sound.
2. Create a process for collecting customer testimonials.
Don’t wait until you need a testimonial to get one.
It’s important to have a process for how you’ll gather these customer endorsements.
This will be specific to your industry/business, but the main thing is that you have a method in place.
Here’s an example of what your process could look like:
- Target people who have had the most success using your product or service. Try to get a testimonial from the customers who most closely match the prospects you’re having trouble converting. Or start with people who have already given you positive feedback in the past.
- Ask for testimonials via email, text, phone, in person or through social media. If people seem intimidated by the idea of giving a testimonial, switch up your phrasing. Ask them to tell their “success story” or to share their “experience.”
- Provide a specific deadline.
- Set a clearly defined time parameter for the video – approximately 1- 2 minutes.
- Give them questions (see #1 above).
Use video testimonials to attract the right audience
Customer testimonial videos allow your audience to see real people talk about how your product or service has helped them solve an everyday problem and transformed their lives.
It’ll help you get noticed, build trust and authority, and attract qualified leads – and attract the right target audience you can drive sales.
Use this guide to get started and create a system for gathering video testimonials. Let me know how it goes!