When it comes to advertising creative…regardless of the type of media…we have bet it all on one simple notion: Testimonials Work!
Cutting through the advertising clutter has always been…and will always be a tremendous challenge in the marketing spectrum.
How you do that communicates a lot about your brand and the connection you’re attempting to create with prospective customers.
Enter the Advertising Testimonial.
It’s true. Testimonials work.
“But Testimonials sound so hokey and rehearsed,” you say.
I get it.
They certainly can.
But if done well…if sincerity rings through with praise of your business from the voice of another…well, then Testimonials accomplish many great things. Here are four things that you need to know about these brand-building gems:
Subtle Persuasion
It’s a simple fact. If you talk glowingly about yourself, you are far less believable to someone than if another person speaks highly of you. This is true in general, but certainly within the marketing realm. “Of course,” thinks the consumer. “They are going to say how great they are!” But a customer…say, a customer who has a long history of utilizing your product or service, comes along and delivers a glowing snippet of their experience with you? Well, that’s another story altogether.
The key here is the customer delivering a genuine testimonial. It should not be canned. It should not sound rehearsed. Just real people talking about real experiences.
One industry that BrandVision Marketing has utilized testimonials with great success is the Legal Category. Specifically, the personal injury sector.
Our goal for this particular client was to generate 30 new case files each month. One of our primary strategies was the use of Advertising Testimonials. We would get the client talking about their experiences with the firm and be able to paint a ‘real’ sincere picture of those; and do so in a way that truly spoke to others in a similar situation. These were turned into TV ads. In fact, there were a few of those ads that I knew, when aired, would guarantee at least 30 new files. They were genuine and painted the perfect picture that resonated with others, prompting them to call. That sincerity sparked strong persuasion in getting the desired results.
Consumers Know They Are Bad Decision-Makers
Hearing another real person talking about their own experiences with a company aids greatly in the decision-making process for many, if not most, consumers. The truth is: most consumers are not good at making decisions. At least, most consumers lack strong confidence in making decisions.
Enter the Testimonial.
Testimonials give the consumer an ‘out’ regarding the decision-making process. I’ve always maintained that the branding concept helps alleviate much of the decision-making process for consumers. Testimonials do the same. A consumer hears about another’s experiences with a brand. That message either resonates or falls flat prompting action or a shift to the ‘maybe’ column for another day.
Testimonials Help Regardless of Your Category
Mortgage companies…Community Banks…Credit Unions…Personal Injury Attorneys and many more. BrandVision Marketing has created many testimonials for many categories, and they have all accomplished their goals. In fact, it’s easy to go out on a limb and say: If you have customers and seek more customers, there isn’t a category in existence that could not claim some reward from the use of Advertising Testimonials.
Testimonials Should Address a Prospect’s Objection
A strong component of a Testimonial’s success is its ability to address specific objections from a customer. Before beginning any testimonial campaign, we look at the various objections used by consumers to shelf a decision. When focused on addressing a specific objection within a specific testimonial, you are truly selling strongly through your customer. Maybe it’s just an urgency you wish to relay. Easy. “I can’t believe I waited six-months to call XYZ! I should have called a long time ago!” That message may address a procrastinator’s desire…and with greater confidence…even more strongly than a hard deadline or other call-to-action.
The bottom line: Testimonials are a key element in creating a strong marketing program. We have done it for years. Need help crafting a campaign surrounding Testimonials? Give us a call: 865.531.5874 or email us at info@brandvisionmarketing.com.
By Scott Trueblood, of BrandVision Marketing. BrandVision Marketing is a full-service marketing agency based in Knoxville, TN.
BrandVision Insights 