Testimonial Video Production Tips

Testimonial Video Production Tips

Creating a dynamic testimonial video is something a lot of companies see as valuable thus these testimonial video production tips . Most business owners believe that word-of-mouth is the most important thing to attracting new customers. The question is, how do you make that word-of-mouth spread? How do you get that first vocal customer that starts the word? Well that has always been the tough part. You can advertise, that can help you bring new customers. Others might hear your message but remain hesitant until one of their friends corroborates what is being advertised. For years advertisers created commercial spots with actors, pitch people, and endorsors. However, those actors and endorsors were getting paid. So how credible can that be? Well it worked then and still works today to an extent, but customers today are more savvy. They will look for reviews and/or testimonials from real customers. Those testimonials can be met with the same skepticism from potential clients as those paid endorsements if they are not done right. Below are some helpful tips to creating a successful testimonial video.

1. Finding the Right Testimonial Subjects – Yes you want to find those customers who have been helped tremendously by your product. Still, just as important you need to find personable and articulate individuals that can get the message across.

2. Finding Enough – The truth of the matter is that even if someone is super happy with your product or service, not everyone is willing to get in front of the camera. Plus, it is important to have more than just one or two testimonials. There is power in numbers. Also, you might find customers that get cold feet after initially agreeing to it.

3. Make It Easy – The last thing you want to do is make your clients jump through hoops. It might cost more money to go to them, but it’s usually worth it. Unless, you are hosting a gala or conference, most clients are not going to want to take the time to go to your location between the hours you have a camera crew scheduled. Going to their office or facility may also be an incentive for them. Especially, if you are getting great footage of their location and are showcasing them and their company.

4. Provide Coaching – You want your client to feel comfortable before and during the testimonial filming. It is important to designate someone on your staff or hire a director that can help answer client questions or concerns, research, coach, and conduct the interview during the recording. Having the right person in this position is very critical and cannot be overstated. If your client is nervous, that will be magnified on camera and make the testimonial less credible. A good director will calm those nerves and get them talking like they’re are having a casual conversation with a friend. There’s an art to it that when done right makes it look very easy.

5. Go Unscripted – A mistake many make is in trying to force their clients to say certain things or having them read from a script. Neither comes across credible. Clients are not actors and even a CEO that is comfortable making speeches to large groups can come across robotic when trying to nail down certain points. It can also feel like like a hard sell. The worst mistake I have seen made is when someone is reading from a teleprompter for the first time. You can see people’s eyes move from side to side which can be very distracting. News anchors can do somber naturally and without the viewer noticing because they have years of experience. The key is to make it like a casual conversation with a friend, this is so it comes from the heart, not from a prepared line.

These are the steps to successful testimonial video: Do the research to get the perfect candidates, make the process easy by selecting the right team, and get a solid director to provide enough coaching and create a comfortable, credible atmosphere.

We hope you enjoyed reading our testimonial video production tips. To get started on your testimonial video contact us today!

To view our testimonial video production tips in our: Testimonial Video Work