Two-thirds of people say they are more likely to purchase a product or service after watching a testimonial video. Speaks volumes to what video testimonials can do for your senior living community's occupancy rates, right?
But like anything else in your sales and marketing strategy, a halfhearted or unfocused effort just isn't going to produce the results that video testimonials could. Or should. So on that note, let's take a look at three simple tips for creating great resident testimonial videos and start driving move-ins for your community.
As you probably already know, everyone isn’t naturally comfortable on camera. Some might take to it like a fish to water while others will try to avoid it like a trip to the dentist. Of course, when it comes to creating an effective testimonial video, you are looking for the former rather than the latter in a resident.
Ideally, you want to find someone that's talkative, attends all of your community events, and conveys a genuine enthusiasm about your facilities, staff, and their fellow residents. Further, it's best to create different testimonials for different scenarios. In other words, you want to find a newer resident that can speak to the transition process as well as a long-term resident who can wax poetic about their quality of life and living experience in your community.
Put yourself in the audience's shoes for a moment. If you're watching a testimonial video from your community, does it really matter how eloquent and commanding the on-camera resident is if the background looks like a mess? Probably not.
In other words, you want to film with a neat, clean background that doesn't distract the viewer from the resident's message. That's not to say your filming area must be sterile and bland, though. In fact, you want it to look authentic and "lived in," just not distractingly so. As a best practice, try finding a couple of areas that are quiet and tidy, preferably with natural light, that you can quickly use to film your testimonials.
The more you practice, the more a resident will feel comfortable providing the video testimonial. Therefore, be sure to go over the questions with the resident beforehand, do a trial run or two, and ensure the star of the show feels prepared and comfortable.
However, going back to my previous point, try to avoid rehearsing so much that the testimonial feels overly rehearsed and manufactured. As we always say here at OneDay, the audience wants to see the human side of you and your messaging, even when it involves little flubs and missteps. Authenticity beats perfection all day, every day when you’re trying to build trust with a prospect.