It’s safe to say that word-of-mouth advertising is the most powerful form of marketing on Earth. In fact, Nielsen reports that in a global survey of 60 countries, 83% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over other forms of advertising.

So, what are you doing with your word-of-mouth buzz?

Are you just letting it develop organically, and then hoping for referrals?

Or, are you capturing that “customer love” through testimonials, and giving your word-of-mouth a megaphone?

At Prosper Digital, we love the megaphone approach, and believe in the power of testimonials. But, we encourage clients to move past written praise, whenever possible, to testimonial video. We see it as one of the best ways to capitalize on all the hard work you’ve done, by mobilizing all the fans that love you and what you do.

Here’s a testimonial video that we did for Karuna Acupuncture:

Types of Testimonial Video

There are three types of Testimonial Video: the Traditional Testimonial, the Customer Success Story, and the Case Study.

The Traditional Testimonial is typically the shortest of the three types, and it delivers what you would expect: a satisfied customer speaking about the experience and benefits of using your product or service.

The Customer Success Story usually runs a little longer, and as the name suggests, tells a story about the customer’s initial problem, your company’s solution, and the “success,” or outcome.

The Case Study is the longest type, and is similar to the Customer Success Story. It covers the problem and solution, but digs much deeper, revealing the process of getting to the desired outcome.

Different names, different lengths, and slightly different structures, but they all do a great job in shining a light on your business.

Now here are the 5 reasons why you need a testimonial video:

1. Makes selling easier

When you have a testimonial video, it’s like adding a new salesperson to your team that you don’t have to pay. Customers in these videos talk about your product or special offering, gush about how great it is, and essentially, recruit new customers in an authentic, non-pushy way. As a result, it takes pressure off your real salespeople to close deals, because, in a way, the video is practically selling your work by itself.

Here’s a testimonial that could probably close a deal or two for Freshbooks:

2. Gives social proof of the value of your offering

A happy customer is evidence that your offering works and does what you say it will do. So, any claims you make in your sales copy can be validated by the testimony of a real person.

Here’s a testimonial that backs up the claims of Codeacademy:

3. Helps to convert on-the-fence prospects

Testimonial videos give your prospects a glimpse of what it might look like when their issues have been solved. After all, they want what your satisfied customers are getting. So, as long as the testimonials feel genuine and authentic, then they’re likely to evoke an emotional response and a desire to make a purchase.

Here’s a testimonial of enthusiastic customers that should evoke an emotional response for Clearslide:

4. Helps you stand out in a competitive market

Every business has competition. So, it’s important that you use every opportunity you can to demonstrate how your offering is better. With testimonial video, the smile and enthusiasm of a fan can give you the edge you need.

Here’s a testimonial that highlights the benefits of using Xero Small Business Accounting software:

5. Spreads the message further than you could alone

As you would expect, testimonials work nicely on your website, and come in handy when prospects research your company. But, you can also put them on your social channels, use them at trade shows, or share them internally to fire up your team.

Check out this great article from Hubspot on Testimonial Page examples.

So, there you have it: getting your rabid fans to share their love is an effective way to attract more like them.

Creating Your Own Testimonial Video

How should you go about creating a testimonial video?

The three most popular options are to: 1) get a professional video production company to help you, 2) do it yourself with your smartphone, or 3) get your customers to shoot it themselves and send it in.

If you use a professional video production company, set aside an investment of at least $1,500. Usually, this will cover development (i.e. ideation, interview questions), shooting, and editing.

The other two methods will cost considerably less, but will require much more prep and effort on your part. We will cover tips and advice on making your own testimonial videos in future posts.

Now, consider your own business. Are there any fans that you would love to capture in a testimonial video? If so, reach out to them about sharing their feelings on camera. And to show that you appreciate their time, be sure to offer incentives or perks.

If you have any questions about testimonial videos, let us know by leaving a comment below. Or, if you’re interested in creating one, contact us. We’d love to help you.