Video Testimonial Tips on Getting Them from B2B Customers

What Is A Customer Testimonial Video?

A customer testimonial is a form of social proof that utilizes the experience of previous happy customers and creates trust between potential leads and your business.

The customer gives your product or service an endorsement, because they have used it and are happy with it.

A testimonial can be written, audio or video. They can be featured in your website and social media, such as Youtube, LinkedIn, Facebook and more.

Understanding how to use testimonials in marketing can make a great difference for your company and your sales.

There are many types of testimonials, such as case study, quote, influencer testimonial, interview testimonial and many more. 

In this article, we focus on the customer testimonial video. 

Characteristics of Video Testimonial

Key characteristics of a testimonial video include

• Happy customer as the main “character”
• Customer tells about pain points that they had before,
• how your product or service has solved their problems, and
• showcases proof of the benefits.

A testimonial video can be any style you come up with. The key is that the customer’s journey at your company is highlighted.

There are many different ways to create video testimonials, so stay tuned for recommendations and examples!

Why Should I Collect Video Testimonials?

One of the pain points of your website might be that visitors do not convert into actual leads and customers. This is where testimonials step in.

Reason 1: Wisdom of the crowds

As mentioned above, testimonials act as social proof, which works like magic in marketing. When visitors see that other people are happy with a brand, they are more likely to trust that brand as well.

Testimonials and other marketing tactics based on social proof, such as case study and review, are much more effective than ads.

Reason 2: Emotions

The benefit of a  testimonial video is that it is more powerful than a written testimonial. People love a good story, and what would be a better way to tell stories than video?

Video allows us to see gestures, facial expressions and hear someone’s voice. It has a bigger emotional impact than text. 

And believe it or not, the rational business choices are impacted by our emotions just like everything else in our lives.

Reason 3: Statistics 

Statistics show that video gets more attention and converts better than text. For example:

• 64% of viewers are more likely to purchase after watching a video
• 73% of B2B businesses that use video in their marketing report positive ROI
• 75% of executives consume work-related video content once a week
• 59% of executives prefer video over text

Best Video Testimonial Tips on How to Get Customer Testimonials from Business Customers

Ask

Let’s begin with stating the obvious: You have to ask! They won’t magically appear, and few customers would be the first one to suggest this.

While some unsolicited testimonials can be found in writing from social media and review websites, that is not the case with videos.

Here are some options regarding where and how to ask:

Email	The traditional way is to send email to your customer asking for feedback and a possible testimonial. When you think about your own email routine, how likely would you be to prioritize that email during your work day? The risk is that people will just throw it into the bin or ignore it.
Phone call	If you are in touch with your business clients via phone calls a lot, this option might work for you.  Especially if you are going to organize an elaborate video production, this might be the most likely option to go for and discuss the details.
Meeting	Make time during your next face-to-face or video conference meeting to ask and film a short video testimonial. Ensure that the meeting is going well and that the client is happy before suggesting making the testimonial.
Social media	Many brands make use of social media when asking for reviews and testimonials. Make a tweet where you ask for short customer testimonial videos. You could also reach out to your customers on other platforms, such as LinkedIn and Facebook.  If you notice that someone from your audience is interacting with your content, take that as a sign that they are a potential candidate for a testimonial.
Testimonial form or survey	Put a testimonial form or survey on your website. Make sure that it is accessible for all visitors and will not go unnoticed. Start with a few questions in writing, and finally suggest that the customer leave a video testimonial. The platform should have a possibility for the customer to create an easy selfie video.

Deserve

Make sure that the customers are satisfied and actually want to speak about you in a positive light. Happy customers are likely to say good things about you!

If your customers are not happy with your product or service, you will not get testimonials, at least not the ones that you want your video viewers to watch. 

Value your customer’s feedback and always strive to improve. If the reviews are not positive, focus on bettering your services.

Make it effortless

Giving a testimonial should be easy for the client. No one wants to spend their valuable time doing favors for other businesses, but lots of people have a few minutes to spare.

If you schedule an appointment to create the video, make sure it does not require the client to bend backwards.

One option is to automate the process, which allows the customer to make the testimonial on the spot when they are browsing your website. That prevents the customer from procrastinating.

How to Create A Great Customer Testimonial Video

There are many ways to create customer testimonial videos, which is why we should first discuss the objectives, resources and limitations. Consider the following questions:

1. How much resources are you willing to sacrifice in the making of testimonial videos?
2. What is your target audience? 
3. How much knowledge do you already have about video production? 
4. How tech-savvy are your customers?
5. What kind of finish are you looking for?
6. Where will you be using the video testimonials?

Based on the answers you have for those questions, you could choose between professional video production, do-it-yourself -solution or testimonial software.

Before we move on to discuss each option, there is something that should apply in every case.

When creating customer testimonial videos, make sure that they look as natural and authentic as possible. Let the customer’s personal touch and perspective shine through.

It is important that the viewers don’t find the video too scripted. That takes away from the authenticity and appears less trustworthy.

If the testimonial is not authentic, it is basically an advertisement. And what do we know about advertisements?

Right, they do not work as well as social proof!

Professional Video Production

One cannot deny that hiring a professional team ensures the best quality possible. Professional script, filming, and editing can get you a video clip that could be shown on national television or in a movie theater.

Results like that come with a price. It is expensive and time-consuming to hire professionals. 

Even if you have your trusted person or a team, it might not be that easy to coordinate a production between team members and your client.

This solution also requires resources from your client. Are they willing to sacrifice so much time?

Unless you plan to actually broadcast the testimonial or case study on national television, or make a big Youtube campaign out of it, all this might be a bit too pricey and ineffective.

Do It Yourself Video Testimonials

These days everyone carries a device with which they can film and edit videos.

Get your phone camera out and prepare an interview for the customer. Use some free or inexpensive applications to edit the clips.

But is it really that easy?

Granted, this is much cheaper than hiring a production team, but this still takes your time and effort. If you don’t already have a lot of experience in creating videos, the quality might not be the best and you need to learn lots of new techniques.

You might even need to buy some equipment, like a camera for better visual details, a microphone for better sound, or a camera stand to be able to shoot those best angles.

And of course, you need to find the customers who are willing to appear on your video, travel to them, plan the video with them, et cetera. This is all away from your regular core tasks.

However, this option is great for artistic freedom, as you have all the control and can modify the videos to fit your company’s characteristics. It also makes nice social media material.

Video Testimonial Software

Software is the most cost-efficient, time-saving and easiest way to collect customer testimonial videos. We argue that this is also the most authentic way to showcase your product.

You do not have to personally contact anyone and what the client says comes straight from the heart with no script or manipulation by an interviewer.

Unlike spending a few hours on shooting the video, the client can use a couple minutes to create the same value with a simple selfie video.

The quality of these video testimonials might not be that of a cinematic grandiosity, but they are honest and appeal to your potential leads.

The benefits of testimonial video software include:

1. Cost-efficiency
2. Quick and effortless
3. Authenticity
4. Quantity of testimonials
5. Easy integration to websites

Offer your customers multiple chances to leave testimonials. Place links, pop-ups and forms in different parts of your website, so that there is a bigger chance for the visitors to notice some of them and not forget midway through the visit.

It is important that the software is easy to use on any device, so choose your platform wisely. It should also be clear enough so that the not-so-tech-savvy customers are able to navigate it.

How Does the Software Work?

The Trustmary testimonial software is easy to use.

First, you can customize your testimonial form, with which you ask for customer testimonials for your company. Trustmary offers templates that are easy to make your own.

The form can be embedded on your website, where the customer can find it. It can also be triggered to be sent automatically straight from your CRM, like HubSpot or Pipedrive, to eliminate the risk of forgetting to send a request.

The form includes an option for the customer to film a short video testimonial. The design is simple and effortless.

Once the testimonial is ready, you can share it on various platforms. They can be featured on your website or social media, and used in marketing campaigns.

There are also further features for measuring customer satisfaction and collecting data.

Step-By-Step Guide for Creating the Best Testimonial Form

Creating a testimonial form or survey can be a tricky task, but these tips and examples should help you.

1. Start with positive vibes

Give your customers positive encouragement. That is often all they need to feel motivated to give feedback.

You can subtly guide them with careful word choices. Imply that other people are leaving testimonial videos as well, and that it will just take a moment.

Example: 

“Hi there! Pleasure to have you!

We love to hear feedback from our clients. Would you like to give us a testimonial? It will only take a moment.”

2. Rating

The first question of the testimonial survey could be a rating, such as scale between 1 and 10. Start with a question such as “How happy are you with our software?”

If the respondent chooses a high enough rating, such as 8 and above, they are a great potential testimonial interviewee.

3. Personal questions

Ask the respondent if they would like to leave a testimonial that can be published on your website.

After they agree, ask for basic information about them: name, company they represent, profession, or other relevant information. You can even ask for a photo of them. 

This makes the testimonial more trustworthy, as people see that someone is willing to have their name and face connected to you.

4. Interview questions

This is the part where you ask more questions about the customer’s opinions regarding you and your product or service.

For example:

1. How did you find us?
2. What problem(s) and pain points did you have before?
3. How has our service helped solve those problems?
4. Can you give tangible examples of how your business has improved with our help?
5. What is your situation now?
6. Would you recommend our service to other businesses?

There are of course multiple variations of questions that you could use. See for example this article about 15 important questions for testimonials.

5. Ending

Remember to thank your customer for the time they took to answer your questions.

Example:

“Thank you so much for your time! We truly appreciate your feedback and are glad that you have enjoyed our cooperation. Have a wonderful day!”

Examples of Customer Testimonial Videos

Let’s take a look at some examples that can help you better understand what we talk about when we talk about customer testimonial videos.

1. Professional Testimonial Video

This video of HubSpot’s customer journey with Zoom and Slack is most likely produced by a professional team.

It features the interview with the company’s representative and daily tasks of the office, as well as some shots in the company premises.

The Vice President explains the communication challenge that the company has while operating in different countries, and how Zoom and Slack have helped them overcome those challenges.

The video is scripted, professionally filmed, has a great sound and editing, but still manages to come across as genuine.

2. DIY Customer Testimonial Video

In this video by the author Joe Dispenza, his customer tells a story about how his book helped her overcome her struggles with an eating disorder.

While the video is made with a good quality camera and sound, it seems simple enough that anyone could be able to shoot it. There is only one setup and not too much editing.

The customer seems to speak quite freely. Since the topic is very personal, she is happy to share her experience and it seems very authentic.

3. Selfie Testimonial Video

The last example features a selfie testimonial video that a client has filmed for his personal trainer at PerformancePT.

In this selfie testimonial video, the customer tells about his fitness goals and how the service has helped him achieve them, and recommends the services for other people as well.

The clip has one take and no editing, and the customer once again speaks freely.

This kind of testimonial videos can be collected easily through automated software, such as Trustmary. You can start your free trial to test the feature out immediately.

Hopefully these examples from both B2B and B2C brands have helped you understand the general idea of customer testimonial videos better!

As you can see, all examples were published on Youtube, which is the most popular platform for watching videos.

Conclusion on Video Testimonial Tips

Video testimonials are an effective marketing tool and build trust between you and your audience, and help you capture more leads and customers.

Most people are more affected by video and actually prefer watching videos than reading text.

The power of testimonial video is based on its emotional impact and the fact that people love a good story.

There are many tactics to making a customer testimonial video. They range from professional video production to simple selfie videos.

In order to get customer testimonial videos, you first need to ask for them, deserve them and provide multiple easy ways to submit them.

Collecting testimonials from your customers can be time consuming, but it can be automated with software. It is possible to modify and customize your software testimonial forms to your liking.

We discussed some tips on how to formulate your testimonial form or survey, and lastly investigated some real-life examples of testimonial videos.

FAQ

Further Reading

Trustmary Blog

• The Ultimate Guide for Collecting and Using Testimonials
• How to Make a Testimonial Video? Top 5 Things to Consider
• 15 Important Questions to Ask For a Testimonial

Other Reading

• 21 Powerful Video Testimonial Examples To Inspire You
• The 10 BEST B2B Customer Testimonial Videos of 2020