The Power Of The Client Testimonial Video

By Dave Bartlett, November 1, 2023

One of the most powerful uses of video for business is the client testimonial.  While your prospects may be interested in your sales pitch or the specs and pictures of your products, seeing and hearing a satisfied client sharing their positive experience, and the problem you solved for them, can be the secret to closing a deal.  The reason is simple: everything you’ve promised in your marketing becomes real and expressed by a third party whose comments can have both an informational and emotional component.  But creating a video testimonial that breaks through isn’t easy, and requires several key aspects of filmmaking be carefully applied. You’re telling a story, and that’s why I refer to these videos as Client Success Stories.  Here are the keys to creating powerful Success Stories that I’ve learned after creating dozens of them for over over 15 years.

 

A CLEAR AND CONCISE STORY

Once you are able to get one of your happy clients to agree to participate and tell their story, you must define your key goals of the message.  Be careful not to pack your story with a long list of bullet points, something sales and marketing folks tend to want.  This will dilute the core message and the human connection.  Focus on a few key points, and any extras should be considered a bonus, not a requirement.  

Instead of just relying on a client to say generic phrases like “ABC Company did a great job, I’d recommend them”, focus on getting a client to speak in a way prospects can relate to.  This starts with the basic setup: explaining who they are and their general situation as it relates to the product or service.  Then it should transition to articulating their problem, followed by your company’s solution to the problem.   Sometimes this is complicated and difficult to express in just a few short sentences, so key words and phrases should be worked out ahead of time that can be suggested to the client during the interview.  This is where having a skilled and experienced video producer is critical.

 

AN EMOTIONAL COMPONENT

 

Besides expressing the problem and the solution, the most effective Client Success Stories include some candid words expressing how the experience changed their organization’s outlook, or even their life.  No matter how technical  or mundane the content may seem, there’s usually some strong positive feelings that can be expressed if the person being interviewed feels its OK to do it and gets led to it by a skilled interviewer.

 

PROFESSIONAL LOOK AND SOUND

 

 

While the content is critical, the video production quality is also very important.  If someone is recorded saying great things, but the video looks or sounds bad, or just isn’t very inspiring overall, it can not only distract from the message, but also cast doubt on the professional level of the company presenting the message. 

The most effective videos go far beyond beyond getting the basics correct.  These are short films that should inspire people by using the various tools of filmmaking and cinematography.  Effective use of music, combined with dramatic shots, angles and lighting all work in the background to subtly impress the viewer.  Your organization is being judged on multiple levels, and if a very professionally produced video is part of your presentation, it helps build viewer confidence and shows that you care about the details.  The quality of the message is, itself, a message.  

 

At btv Productions, we’ve been creating Client Success Stories for over 15 years, traveling all around the country, and are experts at getting the highest quality and most effective testimonials to help your business.  These videos have proven results.  If you’re considering this type of video, please feel free to contact us so we can discuss your goals, offer suggestions and estimate a cost.  

Samples of Client Success Stories can be seen here: 

https://corporate-cinema.com/projects