ROC Weekly Marketing Minute

Using Video Testimonials to Share Success Stories of Your Rehab Facility

Testimonials are one of the most effective methods of attracting clients. They share first-hand feedback on your program, company, staff, and facility. As video content dominates the internet, leveraging video testimonials can be incredibly effective for your marketing approach.

Video testimonials can help you share the story of what it is like to enter and complete your program. The story provides your audience with authentic word-of-mouth proof of your program’s success and can encourage them to think about how it may also benefit them.

Choosing one of your most successful clients is helpful when recording a testimonial video. Think about the people that you have a strong relationship with and who have experienced continued success with your program.

How to record a great story

Your testimonial video should focus on “the why.” Your participant can share the story of their experiences before coming to your rehab facility, why they decided to come, what the program was like for them, how their life changed, and what their life is like now. This is what ultimately will connect with your audience.

Instead of listing the features of your program, be sure to focus on the benefits. Encourage your participant to speak about how your program helped them overcome their addictions and what their life is like as a result.

When prompting your participant, avoid yes-or-no questions, as these don’t encourage story-telling. Your story should aim to create an emotional connection with the viewer and convey the personal insight of your alumnus.

While you can prompt your participant to speak about certain topics, be sure to let them share their story in their own way. The testimonial should be a conversation, rather than a question-and-answer session. Let them discuss their challenges, obstacles, and feeling before your program. By having them describe their pain points, you can better connect with people that are currently experiencing the same things.

Listen carefully to what your participant is sharing so that you can encourage further detail about important points or ask for clarification if needed.

During all phases of the conversation, ensure you are recording. You don’t want to miss out and not record something important or ask your participant to share an insight again. By continuously recording, you can also help your participant forget the camera is even there, which can help them feel more relaxed and comfortable.

While the recording process shouldn’t be scripted, it is important to incorporate a few elements to help the flow of your video:

• Introduction: Have your participant introduce themselves and share a brief description of their experience with your rehab facility.

• Content: The main content of your testimonial video includes the story of your participant and how your rehab benefitted them. Be sure to focus on tangible results in this section that viewers can relate to and want for themselves. Consider what prospective clients might want to know about your program and try to integrate that information.

• Conclusion: The conclusion can recap how the program helped your client and how they were satisfied with the results.

Tips to create an effective testimonial video

Here is a list of tips you can follow for an effective testimonial video:

Use real clients and let them tell their story

Viewers will see through a fabricated testimonial. Previous clients are your best opportunity to share insights about your facility and they will appear more genuine and authentic when doing so.

Find an awesome location

To find the best spot to record your video, consider the background, lighting, and atmosphere of the location. Ensure the one you choose is quiet and free of distractions.

Keep it natural and comfortable

Be sure to focus on recording the natural responses from your participant to help make your video believable. While preparing for the video is important, you don’t want to write a script to follow, as this will seem forced. Let them use their own words and share their story their way. To help them be more comfortable, consider having drinks and snacks available, and be sure to greet them and brief them about the process before you get started. You can also inform them to dress comfortably; no need for a formal dress or suit and tie.

Plan the structure of the video

Just as you would prepare an outline for a paper, outline the segments you hope to include in your video to help be more effective while recording. This will also help you remember to include all the important aspects when you edit the final version of the video.

Help your interviewee prepare

Before you record the testimonial, you can send your participant a list of questions or topics you are planning to address so they can think about what they are going to say. You can email this list to your participant a week in advance to give them time to think about their contributions and ask questions if needed.

Consider mobile

Most people will watch your testimonial video on their mobile device, so be sure to consider this for both the length of your video and the formatting of the final version.

How to make your testimonial video look professional

Here is a list of approaches you can use to help make your video more professional:

• Use transitions: Including transitions between clips is a great way to increase the production value of your video. Keep them subtle for the best results.

• Use graphics and text: Adding graphics, text overlay, or other visual elements can help keep your viewers engaged, provide more information when needed, and add branding elements to the video.

• Use different camera angles: Using a few different angles can help add variety and make your video more engaging. When editing, ensure there are seamless transitions.

• Use B-roll footage: Incorporate different scenes and visuals in your video. This can help you create variety and supplement the message you are sharing.

• Keep it short: Viewer attention spans are short. You want to ensure that you keep your video below three minutes. In this time, aim to cover about four or five points. If your participant has lots to say, consider dividing the footage up into a few different clips. You can then use one interview to create numerous pieces of material to use across your marketing channels.

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