There are many ways to showcase your product, but social proof is one of the most valuable assets to help your potential buyers decide in your favor. Your ads may be great in attracting customers, but satisfied users can help you get the conversions you’re after.
You’re probably aware that video content has increased in popularity over the last few years and that most brands are using it across all available channels. So instead of long articles and portraits with quotes, let’s talk about creating video testimonials for your brand.
Give specific information to the viewers
The main goal of video testimonials should be to confirm your unique selling proposition without just repeating the things you already showed to your audience.
That’s why you need to get specific and provide clear examples of how you’re a true partner to your customers and that your product solves issues the potential buyer may have.
- Use one customer per video – this type of content should feel more like a case study and less like an infomercial. If you plan on including multiple people, it’s better to split them into a short series of videos instead of bundling them all in one piece of content. This way they seem more genuine and the audience has more time to pay attention to each of them.
- Help the audience visualize – you need to show your product or service benefits tangibly. Encourage the speakers to give exact percentages and clear examples of a situation where you helped them solve a challenge.
- Show multiple scenarios – ideally, you should include different types of buyers, as well as selling points for your product. This also goes in line with creating multiple videos, as you have an opportunity to reach out to different niches within your audience and offer something to all of them.
Make your videos authentic
When you allow your satisfied customers to talk about your product, the last thing you want is for them to sound the same as your sales reps or just another paid campaign.
You should aim for the tone of a genuine recommendation. Besides providing information, the videos should feel sincere and focus on the true experience. You can achieve this by making adjustments to your approach:
- Don’t use a script – of course, this doesn’t mean you should do it without preparation, but when you ask the customer to stick with the script, the performance will most likely be too stiff and fake, even if they believe it. Instead, send out a list of questions or important points to go over and tell them to use it as a reference. Don’t worry about editing, you can always add more material if needed, so just let them talk about the experience in their own words. Another way is getting your users to recommend your product or service during a live webinar session. You can later use that recording as a testimonial, with the permission of that user, of course.
- Showcase real emotion – another way to make your videos feel more authentic is by including materials that your users post themselves. Curate the content and think about the ways it can be implemented in the videos you create. When a buyer shares a positive experience without you asking for it, that provides valuable social proof, so the next step is to try and include those enthusiastic brand ambassadors in testimonials.
Think about the production
Making your B2B video testimonials look good is never just about the budget. Sure, having professional cameras and lighting can help in achieving a more polished look, but you can always improve your content by including some variation and getting the most of what you have.
Flashy equipment aside, there are some elements of a video that are often neglected but can have a strong influence on the end product:
- Use the right setting – this one isn’t about your camera – you should always have the surroundings in mind when filming a testimonial. Whether it’s an interview or just them talking about their experience, the setting can make a difference in how the video conveys the message. The speaker should feel comfortable, but the background should also be in line with the story. Go through the options and consider if they should be in the office or at home, standing or sitting, but stay consistent as you don’t want the changes to be distracting.
- Always have B roll – a common mistake when you create videos is filming just the talking part. No matter how short the video is, you always need something to back up the person talking. To make a more appealing video, you should combine footage of the person in their environment, interaction with the product, and any other shots that can contribute to the visual experience.
- Use text and graphics – another way to make the videos more dynamic is editing in some additional elements that contribute to the story. We’re not talking about over-the-top animation or some expensive CGI – just making the numbers that the person is talking about appear and adding simple graphics for transitions can go a long way in making the video feel more professional.
Wrapping up
When you put everything together and create a video you’re truly satisfied with, share it across your channels. Adapt the format according to the platform you’ll be using and listen for reactions. Your main goal here is to have your audience connect with the content and recognize their issues in the stories of your previous buyers.
You should change the formula a bit over time, but keep the essentials as you don’t want to lose sight of the important part – the message comes first and the technicalities later.
About the Author:
Sam Shepler is the founder and CEO of Testimonial Hero. 150+ B2B revenue teams at Google, UiPath, Medallia, InsightSquared, and many others use Testimonial Hero to easily create customer videos that engage prospects, reduce friction in the sales cycle, and drive more revenue faster. Find him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
