Would your customers vouch for your products?
I hope this finds you and yours well. In this issue of the Executive Report, we’ll discuss testimonials and their effectiveness as a marketing technique.
Imagine you’re in the market for something new. You search for it on Google, then go to the first website that pops up. Everything looks good, so you check out the reviews. They look mostly positive, so you add it to the cart and move on. But before you click buy, you check out a competitor. This competitor features video testimonials with happy customers enjoying their products. You’ll probably pick the competitor, and why not? You’ve seen how it can improve other people’s lives and it will probably improve yours too.
Giving you a glimpse of the product in action is why video testimonials are effective. They show, not just tell. Anyone can write a review, but giving a testimonial means they loved the product or service enough to donate their time. They went to bat for a solution that made a difference in their lives. Most people won’t do this unless they love the solution and the company that produces it. You can be this business and provide products that people love and brag about.
So how should you create a testimonial? Well, it can be as simple or complex as you’d like. The core of any testimonial is allowing the customer to share their experience, and interview-style testimonials facilitate natural conversation and fleshed out answers. You can leave your questions in the video, but if you cut them out, have the interviewee restate them in their response. This style works well for simple or complex videos but can shine with additional editing and production value. With some editing, you can remove your questions and piece together a narrative of their experience from sales to installation.
Testimonials let your customer’s voice be heard; they elevate a review from a passive marketing tool to an active experience any potential buyer can join. A video testimonial takes a review and puts a name and face to it, lending credibility and a human connection. Appealing shots of the finished product further enhance this. Keep in mind that video testimonials should be short and to the point.
You can film a testimonial on your smartphone and add some pictures for an Instagram post. If you have the gear, set up a tripod, mic up your customer, and get to filming. Grab some shots of the roof (use a drone if you have it), add some copyright-free music, and edit it into a cohesive presentation. Even short, simple testimonials can be useful. But, if you have the time to set up more gear and devote time to editing, you can improve your results.
When deploying your testimonials, the two primary avenues are social media and your website. Testimonials make a great social media post, showcasing a job, your customer’s feedback, and increasing your visibility. On your website, they provide an excellent opportunity for visitors to go beyond reading a review or viewing your products.
Create video testimonials and share them on social media and your website. Let your customers do the talking, so your work can stand for itself. Giving potential buyers a glimpse of your projects can make all the difference.
Check out a testimonial from one of our dealers here.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
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