When it comes to getting video testimonials there is a right way to do things and the wrong way. Shooting a video testimonial is easy, getting a good video testimonial that not only looks professional but instills trust and confidence in your potential prospects to get excited about your services and take action is more challenging.

Let’s take a look at a bad testimonial and a good testimonial to see the difference it could make.

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Bad Client Testimonial:

Why It’s Bad:

Sound

Poor sound quality. Background noise is not filtered out, assume sound is obtained through mic in camera.

Boring

The video goes for two minutes yet only contains a person talking the whole way through. There are no break away shots.

Lack of Branding

At the end of the video there is only a blue background with the text of the personal trainer’s website. Even a simple logo would have been better than straight text.

Good Client Testimonial

Why It’s Good:

Sound

Firstly it has a nice background track that goes with the Happy Hound brand. The voice from the business owner is loud and crisp.

Edits

The editing of the video makes it interesting throughout showing shots of the animals in the day care as well as various customers.

Branding

There is a nice and simple Google logo that appears at the end of the video which finishes off the video nicely to remind the viewer who this testimonial is for, who’s responsible for the great success of this company.

Humor

Humor is always good, it’s hard to mentally argue with a proposition when something is funny. Check out the dog typing at :54.

Narrative

The first and second video both use a narrative testimonial format. The narrative can be likened to a story that would go like this:

Note: this is based off the Hero’s Journey

1. A call to adventure, which the hero has to accept or decline
2. A road of trials, regarding which the hero succeeds or fails
3. Achieving the goal or “boon,” which often results in important self-knowledge
4. A return to the ordinary world, again as to which the hero can succeed or fail
5. Application of the boon, in which what the hero has gained can be used to improve the world

In a business testimonial this would translate to:

1. A discomfort/problem: the client faces a challenge/obstacle or hardship in her business. She has direct problems such as lower than expected sales but also indirect problems such as loss of morale for staff and uncertainty about the future.
2. Searches for solution: the client finds your solutions and puts her trust in your company to deliver a result.
3. Measurable results achieved: your company delivers results to her business by executing solution proposed in the previous step and achieving measurable results which fix her discomfort/problem.
4. A new routine: as a result of what has been achieved by your company, the testimonial, no longer weighed down by the problem/discomfort can focus on other things and gets benefits she never expected.
5. Some time on..  (optional): the testimonial is now reaching higher targets and has reached a new level thanks to your company. This can be anything from planning to open new outlets, or the new problem of too many orders!