Let’s face it, testimonials are more important now than ever before. Take a moment to just think about it for a second. If you’re looking to buy food from a restaurant that you’ve never been to before then you’ll probably check out Yelp first. Why? Because former customers post pictures of their food and leave their honest opinion there. The reviews or testimonials you see will sway you either to purchase or choose another food option.
Now, put yourself in your customers’ shoes. As a business owner, potential customers are going to your website and social media platforms to help them decide if they’re going to buy from you. What they find can be the final decider on if they will or won’t buy, which is why testimonials are so important to your business. Let’s take a deeper dive into why testimonials are so important.
What Are Testimonials?
A testimonial is a more official review of your product, formed as either a written or recorded statement. Testimonials are positive records that support your product and services, boosting your reputation. These testimonials are usually conducted by your own customers as they are the best third party to have up close knowledge of your business practices.
Reason 1: They Build Trust
Your reputation is your biggest selling point. Testimonials can let other potential customers know how your product or service works before they spend their hard earned cash. If the product and customer service were fantastic based on the testimonial, then it’s more likely a new consumer will buy. This ultimately strengthens your brand and builds your credibility.
On the other hand, if several of your previous customers have complained about your product/service and/or the negative customer service they received, then you may notice the opposite effect. In addition, if you choose to ignore bad testimonials and don’t attempt to resolve them, then prospective customers will tend to shy away. Prospective customers will rely on testimonials to tell them the truth so you want to make it count.
Reason 2: They Start Conversations
People like to talk about their experience with a company and yours is no different. We’ve all been persuaded to buy from a company simply because one of our friends or family members talked it up. In fact, even the experiences of strangers can have an impact on our buying decision. That’s simply the power of a testimonial.
But guess what types of experiences people remember the most? If you guessed the negative ones, then you’re right! If a customer has a bad experience they’re going to tell practically everyone they know and it will likely even reach people they don’t know.
Therefore, if people are going to be creating a buzz about your business, then you’ll definitely want it to be the good kind. One survey stated that 92% of people said they read testimonials when considering a purchase and 72% said positive testimonials helped them trust a business significantly more. Positive conversations will gain you brand advocates, which can help you generate approximately 62% more revenue from every customer each time they visit your brand.
Reason 3: The Evoke an Emotional Response
Companies are made up of people but they aren’t an individual so to speak. As such, they may find it hard to connect to their customer base on that human level without being really obvious about the attempt. Fortunately, your past customers are individuals who are able to connect with their peers who are also interested in your product or service. Whether the goal is to tell a story or make an inspiring call to action, aiming for an emotional testimonial has a better chance of reaching the individual, not just the demographic.
Testimonials can reach the human factor that some companies have a hard time finding, not to mention providing an emotional appeal to the situation. Especially in a review testimonial video, By letting new customers see how others in their same situation made it through with satisfaction, they may be more persuaded to do business with you.
The Importance of Testimonials
Customers aren’t just looking for someone to solve their problems. They want to select the company that will do it better than the rest. Therefore, the conversations that people have about your business ultimately becomes a part of your marketing collateral and it adds a lot more weight than paid commercials and campaigns.
Word-of-mouth is and has always been one of the best selling points for any business, so use it to your advantage. Afterall, we’ve all seen how one unhappy customer can start a large conversation across the world thanks to the connectivity that social media provides. A large brand may be able to come back from a bad blow but a small business might have a hard time picking up the pieces.
