Customer testimonials had grasped more importance today. Years ago, brands could deviate your eyes from any negative press. It’s a very different story now. A person with a smartphone, having Internet connection with a social media page has his audience.
Customer testimonials are reviews from contented buyers that states the value of a product or service. The reviews are sometimes paid recommendations from influencers for marketing. But more often they are given by full filled customers by himself or upon a company’s request.
There are different types of testimonials. Some of them are listed below:
Quote testimonials:
These kinds of testimonials are one of the oldest and easiest ways, regardless of industry. Quotes are now run-of-the-mill on homepages, product pages and other commercial intent pages. Quotes help the people by providing confidence that the purchase they’re thinking of making is the right decision.
The quote testimonials, which is found in modern times, is a quote along with a picture of the person providing the testimonial. Images increases visual beauty and can be more easily captured.
Social Media Testimonials:
The way of expressing through social media has transformed. All the daily routines to their favorite brand is shared through their social media pages. A benefit that social media testimonial has over others is that the person you’re reading about is a click away. You can easily click through and see the person. As a result, this type of testimonials is very appealing and relatable for the prospects.
Influencer Testimonials:
This another way of the customer testimonial which brings in the help of an influencer. The method is easy, all you have to do is to reach out to your industry authorities and ask if they’d like to try your product or service. Try to seek the attention of influencers in your industry, with whom your audience is much familiar with.
Audio Testimonials:
This kind of customer testimonial is found as a cost effective a cost-effective variant of a video testimonial. The total requirements needed for audio testimonials is a recording software, a quiet room, and a microphone. One of the benefits of audio testimonials is the effective distribution and consumption by the customers. They are capable of showing wonders if executed productively.
Video Testimonials:
It is no surprise that customer testimonial videos are the fastest emerging marketing channel for businesses. It is the most terrifying combination to market a product or service. Video attracts not only visual but also auditory senses and tells an appealing story of a brand that inspires the viewers. You can request your customers to record a video on any device, with a short testimonial video, sharing what they enjoy most about your brand.
Brands like Orabrush were able to go viral overnight with the power of video to market their products. As Neil Patel said, “If a picture’s worth a thousand words, then video is priceless.”
Blog Post Testimonials (Reviews):
These kinds of customer testimonials are alike case studies. The difference is that, blog post allows the company to tell the story of its customers from its own point of view. It is a way of displaying customer testimonials informatively. Bloggers can dive into a customer’s story and post certain details within the journey of the customer.
Examples of customer testimonials across various industries
Best customer Testimonial examples for Healthcare & Life Sciences Sector:
1. McKesson
Testimonial used: Quote (Case-study approach)
By making use of the case-study approach, McKesson has developed an exceptional template for testimonials. McKesson had utilized several testimonials of their customers and made it in the form of a story in a single template.
Best Testimonial Examples for Manufacturing Sector:
1. Siemens – SIRIUS ACT
Testimonial used: Video
Siemens had created a video testimonial that has multiple quotes and a description that gives the readers a context. They also incorporated testimonials from officials of various departments that served the readers to have an idea of what worked well for a certain user.
2. Cisco Advanced Malware Protection
Testimonial used: Third-Party (Influencer)
The influencer testimonials are provided with more credibility to the client as it gets demonstrated by a research firm or an industry expert. Cisco, accompanied with the help of a research service provider, TechValidate, led a survey that acquired some of the best customer testimonials.
Best Testimonial Examples for Technology & Services Sector:
1. Chargebee
Testimonial used: Quote
Chargebee has successfully made brand supporters out of their clients. The testimonial, given by the CEO himself, briefly conveys what Chargebee has done for them and what it can do for all such similar companies.
2. Leadcomm Performance Security
Testimonial used: Quote (with a picture)
To validate the testimonial, it is better to include a picture of the particular authority. Leadcomm has proved that. A step ahead can be taken and try linking the customer’s website and the speaker profile.
Best Testimonial Examples for Logistics Sector:
1. Cardinal Logistics
Testimonial used: Quote
The finest method of this testimonial is avoiding the use of generic comments. Right from the beginning their customer, Red Bull, has given an explanation of the entire experience. It has included even in at the worst adverse, Cardinal Logistics was capable of delivering the result. Through this way a clear bond can be developed within the clients and will have faith in your operations amid adverse situations.
2. C.H. Robinson
Testimonial used: Quote (Case-study approach)
The company has concentrated more on adding quantifiable results. It is one of the better ways to try quantifying the results that are provided to the clients.
Top Testimonial Examples for Real Estate & Travel Sector:
1. CWT
Testimonial used: Blog Post
The peculiar feature of a blog post testimonial is that it allows the company to structure the testimonial from its own perspective. CWT worked well with that by gathering the best testimonials and describing the experience of each customer from their own point of view. Likewise, they have rightly established each story with tangible results.
Strategies for getting customer testimonials
1. Take a look into your Facebook Reviews
The first thing to do is to check out the sites where people have already given you reviews.
Your current Facebook business page is an easiest platform. If you’re running a local business your reviews are probably found there that you haven’t noticed.
Facebook testimonials are found to be detailed. It is a zone that makes an absolute way to pinpoint what your business is.
2. Peep into your LinkedIn Recommendations
LinkedIn is an ocean of recommendations and reviews.
The only thing to do is ask people to offer recommendations to you. Existing recommendations can also be used in whole or just snippets for the publicity of your services.
A problem arises is that it is not possible to get reviews on your company profile as recommendations are only available for individuals. But the solution is to encourage all the employees of the company to be active on LinkedIn.
This may steer the employees getting recommendations from customers they work with on behalf of your company individually. You can utilize these recommendations on the company website, either on a testimonials page or a page dedicated to your employees with their permission.
3. Ask for YouTube Video Reviews
Boost your customers to upload videos to their own YouTube account. Let them comfortably disclose stories about their success and cite your brand.
Request them to send their links and upload these videos to your channel and create a playlist of customer reviews. You can also write notes and include them as testimonials. You can also take videos of your customers at your store. Having a popular YouTube channel will make people happy to be featured on it in exchange for their thoughts.
As it is the easiest and conveying medium for marketing, videos are one of the great ways to receive feedback from your customers.
4. Seek Local Search Directories
Owning a local business? Yet does not know the importance of local search directories?
Having great reviews on Google Business Profiles, Yahoo Local Business, and Yelp try sharing them on your testimonials page. Sites like these allow members of their networks to write reviews about local businesses. This can be done by copy pasting the reviews, taking screenshots, or using a WordPress plugin to show Google reviews on your website.
If you haven’t found any reviews there then this is the exact way to recommend people leave you a review. It will not only remain in your site, but it’ll also be available in searches. People are more conscious about Google’s ratings to decide which merchants to visit. Gaining a good amount of reviews can make your business high in the search results.
5. Concern yourself about niche review sites
It is important to have concern on getting reviews on niche review sites that your target audience visits.
Sites like Google, Yahoo, and Yelp engage in different kinds of local businesses, there might be others that cater to your specific industry.
Numerous people receive their first impression of your services from these sites. It is better to focus on creating a brilliant reputation there, then copying the reviews to your site.
6. Reward Customers Who Review
It is a better way to offer a clear incentive for posting a review if possible. This would make the customers happy to give you a review. You could offer coupons, special deals, or even a discount on the next purchase with proof of a review.
The terms and conditions of the site must be reviewed through which you want to give incentives. If you are ready to reward your customers who review, it’s a good idea to reveal that in the testimonial.
7. Setup Google Alerts and Social Mentions
Create daily email notifications through Google Alerts and Social Mention. There are situations where unsolicited customer reviews are written about your company on sites like personal blogs and forums.
When they’re written on other sites, people are able to express whatever they want, while you will not have any control on what they are going to write about you.
Create email notifications. Select a few terms like name, business name, brand, and specific products. Once you receive these reviews, you can enquire people who have mentioned your brand if you could disclose their comments or story on your testimonials page.
Conclusion
Customer Testimonials have been reliable and approved advertising measures for years. Making use of it in a proper manner will give you considerable impact. Somehow, it is necessary that the advertising medium and the brand are a good match. Otherwise, the most pivotal essence of the testimonial destroys its credibility.
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