Testimonial Video Production: To Script or Not to Script

Testimonial ScriptwritingTestimonial video production starts long before the cameras start rolling. First, you need a willing client to appear in the customer testimonial video. Next, you need to plan the entire shoot from location to what the client will actually say during filming. At this point, you have two choices: letting the customer speak freely or scripting the words. Let’s take a look at these two options for client testimonials.

In either situation, you need happy customers willing to share their positive experiences on video. The problem with allowing customers to speak freely during testimonial video production is that customers aren’t always clear about what satisfied them. Where one customer might say, “They were great” and then draw a blank, another customer could ramble on for ten minutes detailing every aspect of the transaction. These two extremes illustrate why scripting client testimonials makes more sense.

While it’s tempting to simply let your happy customers speak their minds, the best client testimonials are scripted. Some business professionals balk at the thought of scripting a customer testimonial video. They may feel as though the scripted customer testimonial video is somehow dishonest. Scripting client testimonials doesn’t mean putting words into clients’ mouths. It’s a process that involves interviewing the customer, extracting the most satisfying parts of the user experience, and crafting a customer testimonial video script to match. When done properly, the words are authentic because they accurately reflect what the customer has previously said.

Testimonial Video Production – The Scripting Process

Scripting client testimonials is necessary because you have a short amount of time for customers on camera to make their point, and many customers aren’t exactly sure what their points are. In order to help customers communicate what they liked about a product or service, a skilled scriptwriter joins the testimonial video production team and carries out the following steps:

  • Interview the customer – When it comes to scripting a customer testimonial video, scriptwriters must first interview the customer to uncover vital information about the customer’s experience. By asking the right questions, listening to the responses, and digging deeper, a skilled scriptwriter can quickly uncover hidden gems that the customer might not have freely discussed without prompting.
  • Extract the most satisfying parts of the customer’s experience – After interviewing the customer, the scriptwriter reviews the interview transcript and extracts those magical moments.
  • Write a concise customer testimonial video script – From there, the scriptwriter crafts a concise script that is as close to the customer’s own words as possible, highlighting those magical moments and making a point quickly.

Once the customer testimonial video script is written, it is given to the customer to review to ensure that it accurately reflects the customer’s experience and speaking style. Changes can be incorporated as needed. Finally, as testimonial video production continues, the client rehearses the lines for a natural delivery. Teleprompters or cue cards may be used to prompt the client.

In addition to writing and practicing the script, further testimonial video production work can be done to polish the customer testimonial video to perfection. For example, it’s not unusual for clients to stumble over words when giving client testimonials on video. Encourage your customers to keep speaking and not get flustered. After all, you can reshoot the testimonial as well as edit it afterward.

Scripting client testimonials requires a strong scriptwriter with excellent interviewing skills. With a concise, to-the-point script in place, your customers can express themselves better than ever without compromising their experience or integrity.

What do you think about scripting client testimonials? Share your thoughts in the comments section below:

Testimonial Video Production: Why are Video Testimonials Effective?

Testimonial Video Production

Effective testimonial video production is a powerful tool that can influence prospects and help them make buying decisions. Each customer testimonial video on your website serves as social proof that your company has delivered on its promise. As prospects look at client testimonials and see that other people, many just like them, have had successful experiences with your company, they’ll feel more confident in buying similar products and services from you.

What makes a customer testimonial video so effective? Featuring client testimonials in video format allows future site visitors to see and hear your customers speaking favorably about your products or services. They’ll see that despite the strong testimonial video production values that went on behind the scenes, these are real people relaying real experiences. This builds trust and reinforces your credibility.

In fact, effective testimonial video production centers on the following three important factors:

  • Credibility
  • Word of mouth
  • Relationships

Build Credibility with Client Testimonials

Whether you have one or dozens of client testimonials featured on your website, each customer testimonial video adds credibility to your claims. While you could broadcast high quality commercials touting how wonderful your product or service is, having a customer echo those claims is far more credible. Anyone can say their company will do a professional job; but if a satisfied customer says so, that’s much more credible. Ideally, not only will your testimonial video production team capture your client’s describing your product or service, it will also record images of your client enjoying the finished product.

Leverage Word of Mouth Advertising through Testimonial Video Production

Each customer testimonial video also harnesses the power of word of mouth advertising. People trust the recommendations that come from other consumers. Even if your site visitors don’t know your clients personally, they can relate to the people featured in each customer testimonial video.

Testimonial Video Production can Serve as a Relationship Marketing Tool

Client testimonials can reinforce your company’s commitment to becoming partners on each project and serve as social proof that you aren’t just a company, you’re a team of professionals that takes the time to get to know your customers and their needs. Your prospects will see a series of satisfied customers who were taken care of so well that they were willing to share a few words about their experiences via a customer testimonial video.

How to Ensure a Successful Testimonial Video Production Campaign

Clearly posting video client testimonials on your website can influence prospects due to the increase in credibility that each customer testimonial video provides. However, not all testimonial video production procedures are created equally. Some tips to follow include:

  • Using a professional video production company
  • Using real customers
  • Using a diverse mix of customers
  • Keeping each customer testimonial video short and focused on just one key benefit
  • Presenting different benefits from different customers
  • Addressing common objections via client testimonials
  • Inviting customers to contribute their own testimonials

Testimonial video production requires a mix of traditional video production techniques and marketing expertise. Your video production team should be prepared to allow your clients to speak freely while gently guiding them about which points to cover. Your clients should feel comfortable in front of the camera and be genuinely pleased with your products and services. After the shoot, the video production company’s editor will select the best parts of the customer testimonial video and create a final cut that delivers the client testimonials perfectly.

What are your thoughts on what makes an effective testimonial video production? Share your comments below:

Testimonial Video Production: Why Client Testimonials on Video are Effective

testimonial video production

Testimonial video production is a process that can yield tremendous results. By posting a customer testimonial video on your website, not only are you leveraging the power of word-of-mouth advertising, you’re also presenting social proof that you can deliver on your promise. When viewers watch client testimonials, they can see that a past customer of yours is happy with your service. When taken all together, your prospects will start to trust you and your offer. Let’s take a look at why testimonial video production is so important.

Leveraging Word-of-Mouth Advertising with a Customer Testimonial Video

We all know how powerful word-of-mouth advertising is. When a customer tells other people about how wonderful your product or service is, those other people warm up to the idea of potentially making a similar purchase. However, the traditional word-of-mouth advertising model is slow and largely out of your control. With video client testimonials on your website, you can speed up the process and take control over the entire testimonial video production.

For example, with a customer testimonial video, you no longer have to wait for customers to tell their friends. Instead, you’ll record client testimonials and place them prominently on your website where your prospects can easily view them. In addition, since you control the testimonial video production process, you can provide a script for each customer testimonial video or carefully edit the client testimonials for maximum impact.

Client Testimonials Deliver Social Proof

Each customer testimonial video on your website serves as social proof that you can deliver. While word-of-mouth advertising does the same thing, that social proof usually takes place outside of your realm. In addition, the people hearing word-of-mouth recommendations may not be suitable prospects. With testimonial video production, you now have a way to prove your capabilities to an audience that’s already interested in learning about them.

Your prospects are prospects because they’ve arrived at your website looking for information about your product or service. As they are exposed to your messages, they may be interested but also slightly doubtful. Your client testimonials can ease those doubts by proving that you did deliver on your promises. What’s more credible, an advertisement touting the benefits of your products and services or a customer testimonial video featuring a satisfied customer who has the same problems and needs as your prospects? Let your customers build trust on your behalf by starting the testimonial video production process.

What Makes a Customer Testimonial Video Effective?

As you begin the testimonial video production process, it’s important to understand what makes client testimonials so effective. By understanding this, you can choose remarks that build trust and reflect well on your product or service.

The most effective testimonial video productions include the following:

  • Relatable people – Select customers that your prospects can relate to. For example, if you’re marketing a product to executives, your customer testimonial video should feature a business professional. If you’re targeting young adults, your client testimonials should be from young adults.
  • Specific examples – An effective customer testimonial video is loaded with specific examples, not vague murmurs of greatness.
  • Benefits – As part of the testimonial video production process, provide a loose outline of some of the benefits your product or service delivers and make sure that your client testimonials mention those benefits.

Throughout the testimonial video production, keep benefits firmly in mind and focus the entire production around those benefits. Doing so ensures that each customer testimonial video is as effective and credible as possible.

How have you approached testimonial video production? Which client testimonials are the most effective? Share your thoughts in the comment section below: