Video Testimonials are hugely effective as a marketing tool

Two recent projects completed by New Edge have demonstrated to me,once again, what a powerful tool the video testimonial is.

Continuing our close ties with the optical industry we were approached by No7 , the UK's largest independent contact lens producer. We had worked for the UK Commercial Director, Maxine Green when she was marketing director at Bausch & Lomb and she was so pleased with the results that she knew exactly who to turn to in her new role.

As well as wanting to produce some online accreditation videos for optometrists, they saw the opportunity to use video to enhance their marketing activity. I was invited down to Hastings to listen to their needs and come up with some suggestions as to how video might work for them.

It's my firm belief that people buy from people, and well produced video testimonials from happy clients are one of the best ways to promote your products or services. It's a soft sell - you let your clients do ithe selling for you, and it's presented as a TV style 'feature' on your company, noyt a sales film. Potential customers are more likely to believe a video testimonial than a written one, because they can see that it is genuine.

No 7 are also the major supplier of a really clever machine that measures eyes extremely accurately called the Topographer. They needed a marketing tool that would give optometrists an idea of how good a tool it is, and why they should have one. Again, the video testimonial is perfect for the job. Customers can explain how the Topographer is invaluable to them in their practice - the underlying message being that if you're serious about fitting contact lenses you MUST have a Topographer.

Of course, the testimonials wouldn't be effective on their own You can see the resulting promotional film here. They had to be presented professionally and accompanied by shots that prove to the viewer that No 7 know what they are talking about, and are a serious company to deal with.

You will also see how language is important. These films have been produced with a specific audience in mind - practicing opticians - so it's Ok for us to use industry jargon that probable means very little to most people. What it does highlight is that the video producer has to fully understand each industry that s/he produces material for. A lot of my time is spent getting to know a company and it's products/services before the script can be written, and before any filming can take place. It's crucial that I know what I'm talking about so that I can ask the right questions and get the right answers to use as a testimonial

I've not managed to accumulate any data proving that sales are increased, but the anecdotal evidence is clear.  A video testimonial will help to persuade people to make a decision, when considered alongside other marketing material - but then what does any advertising or promotion do?

It's a particularly useful technique for selling courses/conferences etc when people can see clips of what the day looks like along with testimonials from previous users, and as stated in the blog - products.

Andrew Clarke from the speakers academy runs speaking courses and has a number of video testimonials for the courses.  Out of 10 people on a course that I attended, 2 of them admitted to being swayed to making the decision to attend because of the power of the video.

My own clients who have come via the New Edge website have commented more on the strength of the video testimonials on the site than on the video demonstrations when quizzed about why they chose New Edge as a supplier

So ... video testimonials - filmed correctly, and presented professionally - really do work as an effective marketing tool for products, seminars and conferneces.

Richard Flewitt
Business Video Producer
New Edge
Projecting Added Value

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Why should corporate communications be a 'turn-off'

Mention the phrases corporate communication or corporate video in a conversation and people switch off, fall alseep, or even actually decide to do some work - anything they can think of to avoid having to watch.  The head of corporate communications from a major high stree bank recently told me that they had decided to use less video to communicate with staff because the staff weren’t watching.

 I wonder why……Could it be that the videos they are producing are formulaic, dull and lifeless - or could it be that the bank is insisting on maintaining their corporate identity - even to an internal audience who are probably surrounded and suffocated by that identity all day, every day.I’d like to wager one thing.  The same audience who don’t want to watch the corporate video are rushing home to catch the latest episode of their favourite TV programme.

So what’s the really simple answer to succesful employee engagement - make business communications more like factual television, which has to  play to a large an audience as possible without excluding, patronising, or discriminating - Info-tainment is the trendy description.  A business communication can be entertaining and fun while also educating or informing.

Successfiul television employs simple language and avoids jargon.   So relax - give your corporate identity a rest, and talk to staff like you’d talk to your friend or neighbour.  Entertain them, engage them on different levels - dare I even say have fun!! 

Crucially, talk to them in a language that they understand.  Here are examples of a good and a bad communication.

 Richard Flewitt
business video producer
    www.new-edge.tv