Do you have testimonials on your website? If you’re answer is “No,” you better get some—right now! Even if you do have testimonials, it may not be enough. Text-only testimonials are fine. They provide a basic level of social proof that will better help your customers make decisions. However, if you want to add another level of credibility, you absolutely need video testimonials.

Why Video?

Chances are, all your competitors have text-based testimonials on their site. In fact, most businesses use text-based testimonials. This means that your customers are used to seeing product pages populated with endorsements, and most of the time, they probably gloss over them without even reading them. If you really want to get your customer’s attention and convince them of your greatness, you need something truly engaging and powerful. That means standing out from the competition with a video testimonial. Not only is a video testimonial more impressive, but it shows that you have an authentic connection with your clients.

Put in the Work to Be a Cut Above

The problem with video testimonials is that they involve a lot of work. If you want a text testimonial, all you have to do is send an email and voila! you’ve got a quote you can put up on your website. With videos, there’s a lot to consider. First off, a lot of people are not comfortable being in front of the camera. Then, there’s the logistics of how and where you shoot or how you record a high-quality testimonial from a video call. Finally, you’ll need someone to do a professional edit, and then get approval from the subject for the final version. Much more complicated! Still, the results are worth it. Below, I’ve addressed some of these issues in detail along with tips and tricks for getting a great video testimonial…

1. Always Delight Your Customer

This may seem obvious, but if you’re going to ask for a testimonial, you have to first make sure that the customer is happy. Ideally, you’ll want to find someone who is ecstatic about the service you provided them. If you’re not delighting your customers, then what are your doing in business? Start delivering excellent results and your customers will be more likely to agree to a video testimonial.

2. Agree on the Questions/Quotes Before You Sit Down

One thing that can make people more enthusiastic to participate in a video testimonial is agreeing on the outcome before you start shooting. Make a list of questions and send them to the subject. Then, discuss what you were hoping to get out of the video. This will also help the subject be more prepared on camera. If they don’t feel confident enough to improvise their answers, you can collaborate on a script that works for all parties. If you take this approach, never tell your client what to say. Instead, work out what they want to say and then come up with a powerful way to say it together.

3. Make it Easy for Them  

Remember, this person is your client. Treat them with respect. Don’t ask them to travel all the way to your office just to shoot the testimonial. Instead, offer to travel to them or organize a time around a meeting or other event that will make it easy for them. While video shot on a high quality camera is best, if this is not possible, you can record your testimonial over a video chat programs like Skype. However, make sure you have clean, crisp audio and a well lit video. A grainy testimonial from a shadowy figure in a badly lit room is not a good look and will detract from the message! A quick and easy way to get a testimonial is to ask for one during a podcast interview. That way, everything is already set up on the technical side and all the person needs to do is tell their story.

4. Clearly Explain What They Can Expect

If your subject is hesitant, clearly outline the process so they know what to expect. Some people may not be familiar with what’s involved, so the more they know about the process, the less likely they are to be intimidated. Give them a rundown, including how long it will take, who will be involved, and what you planning on doing with the video once it’s finished.

5. Provide a Comfortable Environment to Avoid Stage Fright

Going overboard with a huge video production crew, lights, and other paraphernalia may intimidate your client. If you can, have the interview conducted by one or two people. Try and create a warm and welcoming atmosphere so they feel relaxed and forget about the camera. As mentioned earlier, you should have worked out the questions and/or what they’re going to say beforehand. Stick to the script and don’t ask any questions that might confuse them or make them uncomfortable.

6. Build a Formal System to Collect Video Testimonials

As mentioned above, collecting video testimonials manually can be a lot of work. However, since everyone has access to a video camera via their smartphone or computer, it is possible to develop an automated system for collecting video testimonials. You can do this by via customer experience surveys. Once you’ve sorted out the people who have had a good experience from those who haven’t, you can set up an automated email sequence that (tactfully) asks them to upload a video testimonial to your website. Of course, there is still some manual work involved in reviewing and editing these testimonials, but once you get it humming, it can be a veritable gold mine of social proof. For high profile clients, you may still want to take the manual approach, but this automated approach works well for businesses who cycle through large numbers of clients. For more great tips on video content, tune in to my interview with Sunny Lenarduzzi on the Marketing Speak podcast.  Image: Pexels