Customer testimonials can greatly benefit a business. Everyone wants positive affirmation when choosing between products and services, whether the choice revolves around a brand of running sneakers, a landscaping service, or a reliable banking company. Testimonials are a real, honest way of providing information to the mass market, which can help boost your brand image and generate leads online. Here’s why…
They Create Trust
If you’re unsure of trying a product or service for the first time, what’s your natural first step? You do your research, right? Maybe you browse the customer reviews on a product, or ask a friend or family member what they thought of a service. Why? Because you trust people like yourself, people with a face and voice. That’s not to say all organizations are shady and can’t be trusted. But a positive (or negative) review from someone you relate with will likely sway your opinion in a certain direction.
They’re Real
This point ties into the last one. People are real! They’re genuine, they say what they mean, they’re not afraid to give their feedback online and show how truly pleased they were with a product or service. Think about it: if someone raves about the service they received from your business, that realness will resonate with other online users, too. The next time one of these consumers needs that same service, they will think of your company as a result.
They Create Revenue
It’s true, testimonials can either help or hurt an organization, depending on the kind of feedback they provide. Keep in mind that it’s impossible to please everyone in the universe, so be prepared for consumers to voice a variety of opinions. That being said, customer testimonials – especially when posted on a social media platform online – have the potential to be seen by a wide audience. The same person raving about your services is telling their entire social network about it, and that kind of attention can go a long way. With the power of testimonials, you just might generate new leads and get found online by a whole new set of people.
To illustrate our point, here are a few examples of how we’ve treated testimonials for our clients through social and digital media:
East Coast Heating & Air Conditioning shares more about themselves and highlights customer response through a video piece seen on their website.
ProEx Physical Therapy features a Patient of the Week video as part of their “Testimonial Tuesday” campaign (shared on the ProEx Facebook page):
We created graphics for Studio 7 Fitness & Wellness as a visual supplement to their customer testimonials on social media:
Utilizing video and eye-catching graphics are great ways to capture audience attention. Above all, implementing a consistent strategy – such as the Pro Ex “Patient of the Week” – helps this all pay off.