A customer testimonial is a powerful way to build trust and credibility with your audience. After all, if your customers are happy with your product or service, that’s the best endorsement you can ask for. But not all customer testimonials are created equal. So, what makes a great customer testimonial?
The testimonial is real
The best testimonials are those that come from actual customers who have used your product or service and can attest to its quality. Don’t be tempted to make up fake testimonials – your audience will see right through it.
The testimonial is recent
Customers’ needs and expectations change over time, so it’s important to get testimonials from people who have had experience with your business recently.
The testimonial is specific
A good customer testimonial contains specific details about what the customer liked or didn’t like about your product or service. This helps new potential customers understand how your offering can benefit them specifically. Generic recommendations don’t carry as much weight and don’t educate the prospect about the benefits and outcomes they should experience.
The testimonial is positive
Of course, you only want to showcase customer testimonials from happy customers. But even the most positive testimonials should be realistic even if that means including some negative comments.
The testimonial is believable
In order for a customer testimonial to be effective, it needs to be believable. This means that it should come from a real person with a real story, not from a fake or anonymous source. Video testimonials are much more difficult to fake and are more believable because prospects can see and hear the customer giving their review.
The testimonial is relevant
The best customer testimonials are those that are relevant to your target audience. So, if you’re selling products to small accountancy organizations, look for testimonials from other similar accountants who can speak to the benefits of your product. It may be tempting to use a bigger name logo but that can have a negative effect as the prospect won’t be able to relate and may reject your product or service as they don’t see it for them.
The testimonial contains messages that are consistent with your brand
The testimonial should work as evidence that your marketing messages are to be trusted. If the testimonial highlights a legacy feature that is not being promoted by the organization, the impact is going to be limited.
The testimonial is concise
A good customer testimonial is brief and to the point. It should be clear and concise, without being too long-winded.
The testimonial is credible
A testimonial is more credible when it comes from a well-known or respected source. So, if you have a celebrity endorsement or a testimonial from an expert in your field, that can be very powerful. If the testimonial is a video testimonial, the presentation of the video must be consistent with the brand and presented in an appropriate way.
The testimonial is story based
The best testimonials are those that tell a story of the customer experience. Ideally, the customer should talk about the original problem, how the problem was overcome and the outcomes they received. Customer Stories testimonials are much more persuasive because they can help prospective customers to visualize themselves using your product or service. Success stories, either as text testimonials or testimonial videos provide the best form of social proof.
There is a call to action
A good customer testimonial should not only be positive and believable, but it should also encourage the reader to take action. Whether it’s inviting them to try your product or sign up for your service, a call to action can be a powerful way to convert leads into customers.
Use the right format for the job
Testimonials can be presented in a variety of formats from simple quote testimonials, to text testimonials, longer testimonials, audio testimonials and video testimonials. The choice of format will depend on the customer providing the testimonial as well as where you are using the social proof in the customer journey. A single video testimonial can be edited to provide the same testimonial in multiple formats including a testimonials page on your website, blog post, social media testimonials or review site.
Conclusion
A customer testimonial is a valuable asset for any business because it helps build trust and credibility with potential customers. But not all testimonials are created equal—the best ones are specific, detailed, focused, sincere, and credible. Use tools like Wizu to collect testimonials that are focused and story-based to ensure you end up with strong testimonials that will help convert leads into paying customers.