If you plan to film a client testimonial, then this information should help.
Testimonial videos have become a very valuable asset in a company’s marketing toolkit. However, getting powerful content is often dependent on asking the right questions. Assuming you have a happy client lined up to talk on camera – you are already halfway there. The questions will just help the story unfold in a natural and authentic manner. For the person talking on camera, it is more natural for them to answer a question than make a statement.
The best questions are those that are open and informed, relating to the client’s experience. They will also be crafted to guide the conversation and bring out the vital points that need to be included in the video message.
To generalise, questions could be similar to the following:
- What was the need/pain?
- Why did you choose XXXX?
- What was your experience of using the service/product?
- How would you rate your experience?
- What have you gained/how do you feel about your choice?
- What would you say to someone else considering using XXXX?
If the answers aren’t quite ticking the right boxes then it can help to rephrase the questions or ask them to answer in relation to the focus topic that has been missed. When we film a testimonial, we will usually ask more questions than just the ones that appear in the videos – partly to help them get into the flow of talking on camera, but also to ensure there’s plenty of good content to choose from.
It’s important to build a strong message – so if the answer to “Why did you choose XXXX?” is simply “I chose them at random,” then it’s an answer that doesn’t add anything. Whereas if the answer is “I was strongly recommended to use them by a client”, then it adds another layer of peer validation.
Another way of looking at it is that the best questions add to the strength of the message, otherwise leave them out.
If you have questions about video testimonials or other aspects of Corporate videos then feel free to contact me, David Bird
