Tag Archives: Testimonials

An Example of 7 Best Practices on How to Market Your Business with a Video Testimonial

Marketing, ,

Gathering and using testimonials for marketing your business can be challenging but I’ve found a video testimonial that is a really great example of how to do it right.

There are several things I really like about the way MMG (McLellan Marketing Group in Des Moines, Iowa) has used their clients testimonials this video.

Video Testimonial Best Practices:

  1. Fast lead in about the company, getting right to the “meat” of the video.
  2. Used a similar background, but slightly different for each client, so you could focus on what they say, not the background.
  3. Someone off camera cued them with questions.  (How does working with MMG make your work easier?  Did your experience with  MMG match your expectations?  How is MMG a value to your organization? What’s the biggest difference working with MMG over other marketing firms?)
  4. They had the client repeat or paraphrase the question “… What’s the one word I’d use to describe McLellan Marketing Group?  Well,  it’s two words actually…” Many of the answers reinforced their branding.
  5. The use of a character generator to type words over the bottom of the video to identify the person who is speaking.  Adds credibility.
  6. While the client was talking, they edited the video to fade to a pan of the work that was done for that particular client, brochure, ad campaigns, annual reports, newsletters, folders, rack cards, etc. Now it’s a portfolio plus testimonials!
  7. It was posted on YouTube.  Not only does posting on YouTube make it easy to search and find… it made it easy for me to embed and promote them as well.  Isn’t YouTube the biggest TV station in the world and you can run your commercials for free? And the people who are looking for a service like yours can find you in a search? What’s not to like?

What am I missing? What else do you see that Drew and Mark did right on this video testimonial?

More Marketing with Testimonials How-To Tips:

Giving and Getting References, Testimonials and Referrals
5 Tips for Getting Testimonials to Build Referrals
How to Get Testimonials
How to Use Testimonials on a Business Website

Message Movers: Personal Endorsement over Mass Impression

Branding, Marketing, Video Marketing, Viral Marketing, , ,

Seeing a political message on TV or your computer is one thing. Reading a clear message on the chest of someone you know is a whole different message.

Much more personal than mass TV or even targeted internet advertising, these human billboards convey the personal endorsement of those who wear the message.

CafePress created a clever viral video of using YouTube. They used the timely flurry of political interest to promote their message movers with a T-shirt throwdown. Then they distributed the video by emailing the link to their contact list.

Although t-shirts, sweatshirts, political buttons, bumper stickers and yard signs are nothing new, Cafe Press brings instant promotional goods publishing to the masses.  T-shirt advertising can convey the message with a strong personal endorsement, a testimonial, a referral.

Don’t think this type of advertising is effective?
Think about what happened when cigarette advertising was pulled from TV in the US back in 1971.  How did the companies manage to communicate their marketing and branding so effectively — even when everyone knew smoking is bad for you? Along with outdoor billboards, the industry used huge amounts of branded t-shirts, jackets, playing cards, dart boards, and other promotional goods branded with the likes of Joe Camel and the Marlboro logo.

Check out this 1991 study measuring branding of cartoon characters that caused an uproar: Joe Camel had high recognition among even 3 to 6 year olds.

So what does this mean for small business?
Have you considered alternatives to traditional advertising by using promotional goods? Does your product cry out for a personal endorsement from the people who use it? Are you trying to get your customers to refer new customers and provide testimonials for you?

Tell me:
Who’s your target market? What medium did you use (ie:tshirt, mug or notebook)? How did you distribute it? What was the result?

5 Tips for Getting Testimonials to Build Referrals

Marketing - General, tactics, ,

Ever feel like word of mouth advertising is your best way to build the business? Then your business may benefit by gathering testimonials from your satisfied customers.

Of course the best way to get terrific testimonials is to do a wonderful job. If you haven’t done a great job, don’t ask for a testimonial, fix your service first!!

Here are a few ideas that work:

  1. You’ve done a great job for a great customer. They are happy and so are you. Now is the time to approach them for a testimonial.
  2. Offer a contest for your employees. A prize goes to the individual getting the best customer service rankings. Make sure your employees tell the owner of the company, someone will be calling to ask about your satisfaction with our services. They’re running a contest at work and we’re trying to win. We get a prize if we get the best satisfaction ratings. It also helps if the people delivering the service tells the client at the end of the service, we are having a contest at work about customer service, so you’ll probably get a call about how we worked together.
  3. Don’t just say, “Would you mind giving us a testimonial?” They’ll say yes, but never bother to write something or send you the form back. The key is to call the person that you have worked with or have the relationship with to do the interview. Ask customer service type questions. If the answers are positive, then ask if this could become a testimonial to put on the website.
  4. Call to get the testimonial =don’t make them write it! Interviewing is better. The best way to get a great testimonial is to call on the phone and interview them. Then ask “is that your comment for the contest? After they say yes, then the interviewer says ‘Do you mind if I wrote this up and get you to sign it to let us use it as a testimonial?”
  5. Immediately type it up. Then e-mail the statement to them for them to print out and fax back to you with their signature. Don’t make them write it up. If you’re not interested in going the fax route, mail them a copy and include a stamped self addressed envelope so it’s easy for them to return the testimonial.

Another way to get better testimonials is to use fill in the blank questions so your clients don’t have to write it all from scratch. Ask them to print it on their letterhead.  Try to use some open ended questions like these:

  • The best thing about _____ services was: ____________________.
  • The reason I selected ______ to be my ______ service provider was _______.
  • I would recommend _______ ‘s services to a friend who needed this service because ________________________________.
  • At the end of the project I felt ____________________________________.

Do you make getting testimonials part of your marketing program?  How do you get them?  How do you use them?