How To Get A Testimonial Video Without Shooting a Testimonial Video
In a matter of days, times changed. Your biggest customers buying habits changed. That new client that was ready to sign on the dotted line went silent. People are a bit apprehensive right now when it comes to buying. But, your top customers can be your biggest cheerleaders during these strange times.
Right now might not be the best time for the hard sell. That doesn’t mean it’s time to sit on your couch watching Ozark while your competitor is planning and strategizing for when this stupid virus passes and we all get back to work.
So, what can you do on the marketing front to be ahead of the game while we are all sheltered in place? Testimonial videos! But wait, we can’t go out and shoot video you say. Yes you can, sort of. Here are two ways you can capture testimonials and create videos while you are working from home. (Or is it work at home?)
Text-based testimonial videos
DIY phone testimonial videos
Text-Based Testimonial Videos
We’ve all done it. It’s Friday night. We’re hungry. We’re looking for a restaurant so we go to Google, search for restaurant reviews and we see that Sharon’s Restaurant (made up name) has a 5-star rating. But what caught your eye is someone named Lisa B. said Sharon’s served the best BLT on the planet. You were hungry for a BLT so Sharon’s it is. Sold. You have no idea who Lisa B. is or even if she is a real person but doggone it, her opinion was the selling point at that moment. That is the power of a testimonial.
Now, take those same words, put it in motion, add a little music and bam, you’ve got yourself a video. Testimonials and reviews are so powerful people will base their decisions off of reviews from people they don’t know.
During this time of isolation, reach out to your best clients and ask them to do a review for you on Google, Yelp, LinkedIn, wherever your customers go. Also, ask them if it’s ok for you to take that review and use it in a video.
Here is an example (and a template) of how it can look. Not too flashy yet catches the eye.
DIY Phone Testimonial Videos
Phones are your friend. For those clients and customers that really like you, ask them to shoot a video testimonial for you. It only needs to be about 30-seconds. It doesn’t need to have Hollywood lighting and production. It just needs to be from the heart.
These videos are great for social media, your website, your YouTube Channel. I strongly recommend you post these videos during these crazy times to keep in front of your clients and potential clients. With some simple editing software, you can polish these videos yourself or reach out to a video production professional for some help. The costs will be minimal but the content is gold.
So what makes a good testimonial video? Have your client talk about themselves to start off. Make sure your client gets to plug themselves a bit. That provides them a bit of an incentive to do the testimonial. Then, have your client mention an issue, problem or challenge they encountered. Finally, how did your company help your client solve that problem and what were the results. It can be really short. Your client doesn’t need to go into a deep dive. Save that for a case study video done by the video professionals!
I love the following example. It’s a tad long and a microphone would have helped but it felt like it came from the heart. I’d go to this shop!
How Do My Clients Shoot the Testimonial? (Bonus Content!)
You’ve made it this far! So here is a bonus for you. I found this video showing you how to shoot the video yourself. Share this with your client. It’s got some great tips! Use these strange times to your advantage. Reach out to your clients. Ask them how they are doing and see if they’re willing to do a testimonial for you. I’m telling you, it’s all about content these days!