97% of B2B customers cited testimonials and peer recommendations as the most reliable type of content (DemandGen Report).
It makes sense, right? Most of us freely admit referrals are the best type of marketing. Customer testimonials and peer recommendations are just that. Referrals. I'd argue they are referrals on steroids. According to a 2014 BrightLocal Survey, 88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family. These are just two of 10 statistics I've included below supporting the strategic use of client testimonial video in your visual marketing content strategy.
So, how do we capture client testimonials and peer recommendations in the architecture, design, engineering, and construction industries and deliver them in a way your audience wants to consume them? Client Testimonial Videos.
4 Key Reasons Why Client Testimonial Videos Work
1. Client testimonial videos give your audience an emotional connection with your client and their story about your recent project. This connection opens the door for trust and authenticity for those that don’t know you.
2. Client testimonial videos are one of the most powerful sales tools in that you have real people vouching for you. This bypasses the skepticism most prospects have when interviewing people they don’t know and immediately builds trust.
3. It’s never been easier or more affordable to create client testimonial videos. You can even do it yourself with the phone in your pocket. Other options include hiring a freelancer like me or a full fledged video production company. On average, the cost to hire someone to produce a client testimonial video is typically between $3,500 and $15,000 depending on the scope of the project. If your client testimonial video helps you land one new client or project, I’m guessing it pays for itself.
4. Your competition is not doing it. Nearly every architecture and design firm includes architectural photography in their content marketing strategy, but very few use client testimonial videos to dive deeper into the backstory of the project by shining a spotlight on their customer and hearing them tell your audience about their experience with you on the project. Decision makers spend 70 to 80% of the selection process online before inviting firms to interview or submit RFPs for an upcoming project. Having three or more recent client testimonials for each market segment you serve, increases your chances of attracting new clients and winning projects significantly. Here’s why...
82% of consumer internet traffic will be video by 2021. (Cisco Report) 100 million people watch videos online every day.
4X as many consumers would rather watch a video than read to learn about a product or service.
97% of B2B customers cited testimonials and peer recommendations as the most reliable type of content. (DemandGen)
88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family.
Using customer testimonials regularly can generate approximately 62% more revenue.
Websites using testimonials saw a 45% increase in traffic compared to those who didn’t
4X as many consumers would rather watch a video than read to learn about a product or service.
Video is shared 20 times more often than any other content formats in the LinkedIn feeds. (LinkedIn)
88% of consumers trust online testimonials and reviews as much as recommendations from friends or family.
80% of marketers confirmed that video helped increase sales. (Wyzowl)
Is client testimonial video part of your content marketing strategy? How are you capturing your client's experience with you on a project and sharing that with the world? Contact me and let's set up a day and time to discuss this further. I'm more than happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also easily see my real-time availability and schedule time with me at https://calendly.com/michael-368
Michael Firsich is an architectural photographer, videographer, and creator of visual marketing content for online and print media. His studio specializes in storytelling through the visual arts of photography and video for architects, designers, and other industry related companies. Click here to see more examples of his video production on his Vimeo Showcase page.
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