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The Professional Testing Blog

Testimonials Speak Volumes

It seems like YouTube videos have been around since the Internet materialized. In recent years, various video sharing platforms such as Vine, Vimeo, Facebook Live, and even Snapchat have increased the prominence of videos across the Internet. So how can you use a video to market your credentials?

Video Testimonials.

It’s easy for a company to say good things about a product they created, but it speaks much louder to potential customers to have an external audience vouch for the worth of your product. Filming video testimonials is a great way to capitalize on the praise spoken by your customers. These testimonials can be highly influential when an individual is deciding whether to pursue your credential.

Gathering video testimonial doesn’t have to be a large-scale production. If your organization hosts a conference or trade show, this is the perfect opportunity to pull out your video camera. You’ve already done the hard work of assembling a group of enthusiastic individuals who hold your credential, now it’s time to reach out and ask if they’d be willing to give you 10 minutes of their day to record a simple video in which they tell you how great and beneficial your credential has been for their personal and professional growth. If you have access to editing software, you can cut together short soundbites from several individuals to create an even more dynamic testimonial.

But you can’t show up to the event and start chasing people down with your camera and hope to capture what you need. Here are a few things to consider before pressing record:

• Have you prepped your interviewees? This can be as simple as sharing some interview questions with them beforehand so they have a sense of the type of statement you’re looking for. You can also provide a few talking points for them to incorporate but avoid providing verbatim answers – these will come across as scripted on camera.
• What is the overall style of your video? Consider whether you want talking heads or some action. Do you want multiple people in the frame having a conversation about your credential?
• How will you structure your soundbites? If you’re not doing any post-production editing then this won’t be of concern to you, but if you are, the soundbites should be ordered so that they tell an engaging story about your credential.
• Do you have b-roll footage? If you’re sticking with a talking heads format, you’re going to want to make sure you have b-roll to interject throughout, especially if you have a longer soundbite from a single interviewee. Break up the stream of faces with clips that relate to the product in question, such as someone working in the environment that your credential serves.

Once the videos are complete, your next task is to ensure they land in the hands of your potential customers. You can share these videos across multiple channels, including newsletters, emails, social platforms and your website. Make sure these fit with your editorial calendar and then start sharing.

Categorized in: Marketing