Have you been meaning to create a video for your website, but have been putting it off because it’s a big job?
In some ways, depending on your expectations, time and budget, – creating a compelling sales video can be difficult and expensive.
But what if there was an entry level option that you could create relatively easily yourself (or stress-free with a using a professional) that has great selling power. Would you be interested?
If you are serious about getting the ball rolling with you video marketing campaign- but want to begin on an entry level, then testimonial videos are the genre for you.
The name itself explains exactly what they are – video testimonials from happy clients.
One of the best ways a company can tilt the scales to a sale is through ‘social proof’.
Social proof can come in a few different examples such as proven credentials, celebrity endorsements or accredited tests or case studies. But another often overlooked version is a sincere video testimonial.
Unless you are using a talented actor, most people can tell the sincerity in the mannerisms of a real-life testimonial. You can tell that they are not reading from a cue card or teleprompter. If the reviewer is a genuine happy customer, you can read it on their faces. When prospects see this, you gain trust. And trust is one of the biggest milestones you need to overcome with prospects when making a sale.
This is why I don’t recommend buying testimonials from services like fiverr.com – although often cheap, you can tell they are acting. In some cases you can see their eyes following a script, or even worse – their eyes darting to their top right corner of the sky every few moments (which is a dead giveaway that someone is lying). When you use unconvincing video reviews, the outcome is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Distrust.
If you are on a shoestring budget, don’t worry. A recorded Skype video message will do a great job – provided that the testimonial is dynamic. But rather than just having one customer review, I would recommend gathering a few together and editing them as one video – especially if some of the videos are long-winded. That way you can cut the best pieces out of each and make a more interesting and compelling video.
If Skype isn’t convenient, then use your iPhone – but really try to take a steady shot by resting your elbow on a bench or a chair. Or use a Go-Pro with a ‘gorilla grip’. All that matters is that the picture is reasonable quality.
If you want to take it to the next level, you can get a real professional look by setting up an area with a tripod, greenscreen and lighting. This does not need to be a professional setup. The green screen can be household fabric (with a matt finish) and the lights can be anything from desktop lamps to construction lighting. From there you can request that happy customers chat about their experiences with your company. Don’t be afraid to solicit the review for a small company discount or junket as many people are camera shy and need some encouragement.
As long as you have decent lighting, without any wrinkles or shininess on your greenscreen, you are good to go forward with the editing process – adding any background you like. This can either be done by yourself if you feel confident with learning some basic editing software. Or you can save money on your overall production costs and send the raw footage to an editor to give the content a professional finish.
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This wonderful medium of sales video is as easy as it gets. And with the great quality of video that comes built into smart phones these days, you have no excuse for whipping your phone out and asking your happy customers to give your company positive ‘shout-out’.