Every company needs good reviews from their customers to boost conversion rates, beat out the competition, build a stronger online reputation, and beef up marketing materials. But detailed, articulate reviews are especially important for service businesses, where you’re being judged not only on the quality of your work, but on intangibles like timeliness, communication skills, friendliness, and more.
As we’ll explain below, we believe video reviews are the best way to capture testimonials from happy clients, and to communicate that you have the whole package potential clients are looking for.
At Vocal Video, we're dedicated to helping businesses ask for, collect, edit, and share video reviews. Our software is specifically designed to make the entire process as easy as possible for everyone involved. By giving clients an almost effortless process to provide a review, you reduce friction and get more responses.
We designed our video testimonial recording platform to make it easy and fast for clients to record video reviews on your behalf. In this article, we will discuss how to use Vocal Video's tools and templates to request and record client video reviews.
Specifically, we'll describe how to:
- Use our proven 3-step customizable email sequence for requesting testimonials.
- Use video collection templates with custom branding, questions, and a shareable link.
- Follow a step-by-step process to record and collect video testimonials from customers, using preset questions to guide them in what to say.
- Receive automatically edited video reviews, and then use our optional editing tools to create professional customer testimonials.
- Share and embed video reviews wherever you need them.
- Create galleries of videos and pull quotes to feature on your website and landing pages.
Get access to all Vocal Video's testimonial templates and recording materials by creating a free account, and send out requests to your clients within minutes.
Why Video Reviews Have a Greater Impact Than Written Reviews
Asking clients for a written online review, a star-rating, or getting them to post on review sites (Yelp, Google, or Trustpilot, for example) may seem like an easier route than asking for a video review. But if the process is hassle-free for them, the results from customer videos are much more powerful.
In fact, video reviews deliver higher conversion rates than written testimonials.
A vast majority of marketing teams report over 10% campaign improvements by adding this type of social proof to their websites or landing pages.
When potential customers watch real people testify about their positive experiences with your product or service, it's a much more compelling way to get them interested than just reading a written review.
Plus, you can collect multiple written reviews with every video review. With Vocal Video’s automatically-generated video transcripts, you'll still have easy access to text to use in written reviews alongside great footage for video reviews. But your clients won’t have to spend their time and effort writing it all out.
Another added benefit is that videos can be easier to provide than written reviews. Writing can seem like a difficult task for some of your clients, and they may fail to write a review altogether or simply write the bare minimum, making the review less useful for your marketing campaign. A stress-free alternative is to ask them a few questions, and then use Vocal Video’s software to record their answers and turn them into a well-crafted customer testimonial. It’s as easy and comfortable as making a regular video call.
With Vocal Video, clients use their own device to easily create recordings. This eliminates the need for dealing with complicated scheduling and long in-person video shoots, improving the customer experience.
Our platform is designed to allow both enterprise and small business owners to easily request, record, and collect video testimonials without having to record a review in person. Creating authentic, conversational reviews only takes a few minutes and provides the necessary social proof to attract new customers.
Video testimonials are especially effective for service companies because they show real people giving their positive feedback. Service companies require great attention to detail and can live-or-die by the success of a range of intangibles, such as the quality of their customer service and their responsiveness. Video makes it much easier to capture authentic reports of the quality of your service, giving you an edge over your competition.
Here’s an example of the type of service video review our recording process produces:
Drawing on our years of experience in collecting video testimonials, product reviews, business reviews, and more, we've developed a proven process that starts with a review request email. Below we’ll show you the email templates you can use as a guide to get started.
Check out our example testimonial page for more video reviews and get an idea of how easy it is to create customer reviews and client testimonials through Vocal Video.
How to Ask for a Review with Vocal Video's Email Templates
Each of our 45+ customer testimonial templates comes with a 3-step sample email sequence to make it easier for you to ask for client reviews.
Every email in the sequence can be edited to meet your needs. These requests can even be tailored to request written testimonials, if that is all you’re looking for.
The three steps in the sequence are:
Email #1: The Pre-Ask
This email is intended to gauge if your customer would be open to making a video testimonial for you. The email text emphasizes and explains:
- The simplicity of capturing the review.
- How it will only take 5-10 minutes of their time.
- The recording can be done from their phone or laptop.
Email #1: The Pre-Ask
Subject:
We'd love to share your story
We're really impressed with your work with [your organization name], and we'd love to be able to share your story with our community in a short testimonial video.
Would you be able to record a video about your experience with [your organization name] in the next two weeks? We're collecting video with a tool called Vocal Video, so it should be very easy and only take 5-10 minutes. The recording can be done from your phone or laptop.
Please let me know and I'll send the link and the questions right over.
Thanks so much!
A catchy and compelling subject line for this initial email is paramount. You want to make sure your customer actually opens it and reads your request. It’s also important to use the customer’s name in every email, to make it feel like a more personal request, and to add a phone number and email so they can reach out to ask any questions they may have.
Specifying a deadline, such as within the next 10 days, can be useful when asking customers to provide a testimonial — it gives them a date to aim for and they understand what you expect from them.
Email #2: The Invitation
In this email, you will find a link to the Video Collector where your customer can record and submit their video review.
Email #2: The Invitation
Subject:
Your video testimonial
Thanks so much for agreeing to record a video testimonial! We really appreciate it.
Here are the details on recording a video - it should take 5-10 minutes altogether. Just click here to record your video: https://vocalvideo.com/c/vocal-video-impact-of-video-testimonials
The 3 questions that we'd like you to answer are:
1. Could you describe a time that [your organization name] helped you?
2. How would you describe [your organization name] in three words?
3. What is something about [your organization name] that makes it unique?
Here are a couple of tips:
1) Pick a quiet and well lit place
2) Avoid having windows or a light source in the background of your shot since that will create glare
3) Look directly at the camera
3) Relax and be yourself - you'll do great!
Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks again!
In addition, a brief description of the video recording process is provided to assure customers that it's straightforward.
You should also provide them with the questions they need to answer, and some advice on how and where to record for optimal results. Customers can feel more confident recording their positive reviews if they have time to plan their responses in advance.
Email #3: The Reminder
At the end of the email sequence, there’s a follow-up email for customers who have not yet recorded their video review.
It provides a gentle reminder that Vocal Video makes the recording process easy, and the Video Collector link is shared again.
Email #3: The Reminder
Subject:
Quick reminder - video
I just wanted to bump this to the top of your inbox to see when you might be able to carve out 5-10 mins to record a short video.
Here's the link to record your video - you can record any time it’s convenient for you from your phone or laptop: https://vocalvideo.com/c/vocal-video-impact-of-video-testimonials
By using our 3-step review request templates, you can boost the efficiency of your video review requests, while keeping your customer relationships intact.
Click here to read more about the 3-step email sequences included in our video testimonial templates.
Use Video Collector Templates: Customize Your Brand & Questions
Vocal Video has created 45+ templates to simplify the process of collecting video reviews from your customers.
The Video Collector is a personalized and branded landing page that customers are directed to via a link in your testimonial request emails so they can submit their video testimonials.
Respondents can easily record video testimonials on any device — no extra apps or software needed.
We have various templates to fit multiple needs — like those of customers, employees, nonprofits, partners & investors, and more. Simply find the template that best matches your purpose and click to get started.
Every template is associated with a 5-step Video Collector builder which guides you in adding your business name, logo, branding, and questions that need to be answered by your happy customers.
The Video Collector builder prompts users to add various elements, as you can see in the image above. This includes:
- Your branding (logo and colors).
- A welcome note (optional welcome video, incentives, and your contact information).
- Three sample questions (that you can adapt as needed).
- Attribution (placeholders for name and role of your satisfied customer).
- A customizable thank you message.
By viewing the preview to the right of the Video Collector builder, you'll see exactly how it will appear to your respondents.
Offer Incentives to Boost Response Rates
To get loyal customers to leave a testimonial, consider using the incentive suggested by Vocal Video in our customer review templates.
Your clients can enter our complimentary contest, or you can set up something special for them, such as gift cards, donations, discounts on your products, or anything else you think they'd appreciate in return for a good review (or even a negative review).
Watch our five-minute video for full details on building a video collector.
Once you’ve added your branding and made all the changes you want to the suggested welcome messages, questions, incentive, and thank you message, you simply click to conclude.
Vocal Video then automatically generates a shareable link for you to send to your client.
You can send the link by email, text message (SMS), on messaging platforms, or post the link on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.
A Stress-Free and Focused Recording Process for More Responses
To maximize response rates, the experience of recording a video testimonial needs to be as frictionless as you said it would be in your review email request. If the process of using your video recording software is too difficult or requires customers to download an app or use a certain device, they may abandon the task altogether.
With Vocal Video, the people you've sent a recording link to will be directed straight to your landing page, where they can record the video testimonial by reading each question and pressing record to answer it.
To keep the recording process as simple as possible, customers are only asked one question at a time. Users can also review their recordings and re-record them when they’re not satisfied with their answer. This process means you receive higher-quality footage.
The Vocal Video recording process should not take more than 10 minutes and is tailored to make customers feel comfortable enough to share their positive experiences. The drop-off rate of this process is generally low due to its quick and easy nature.
Automated Editing and a Full Built-In Video Editing Suite
Vocal Video automates the video editing process so all the video reviews you receive are professionally styled and ready to post across the web automatically. Not only is this process more time-efficient, but it also guarantees your video is eye-catching and can easily be shared to attract new customers.
All Vocal Videos are pre-edited to include:
- Title slides
- Cards with questions
- Branding
- Logos
- Colors
- Motion graphics and animated transitions
- Background music
- A call-to-action (CTA)
- Captions
- A transcript (beneficial for SEO)
An Integrated Video Editing Suite to Add Finishing Touches
Vocal Video not only provides pre-edited video testimonials for use on social media, websites, review pages, or landing pages but also has special video editing tools to give the videos an extra shine.
This can help make videos more eye-catching and appealing to potential customers.
Our drag and drop tools are user-friendly, so you don't need any advanced video knowledge to be able to create awesome visuals. With these tools, you can:
- Cut down video responses.
- Rearrange scenes to maximize their effect.
- Put together a compilation video, or highlight reel, from various client reviews.
- Alter the background music and adjust the sound volume.
- And more…
Share Video Reviews Across the Web & Display Them Beautifully
Vocal Video makes it easy to get your message out and attract new customers with our share links and embed codes. These features let you quickly post a link to your Vocal Video landing page or embed positive reviews on websites, review pages, and across any of your marketing campaigns.
Read more detailed information on how to use our share links and embed codes.
Our gallery tool enables users to showcase their video reviews in an eye-catching way. Users can choose from a variety of styles including carousels, walls of love, grids, slideshows, and cards — each with customizable layouts and themes to suit any taste.
Find out more about how to use the gallery tool in our guide.
Vocal Video Makes It Easy to Record Client Video Reviews, Boosting Response Rates
Vocal Video's email and video templates make it easy for customers to record video testimonials. Our convenient, asynchronous process helps you tap into the power of social proof, using existing customer feedback to draw in new customers.
Clients are much more likely to agree to providing a video review when they realize that it only takes a few minutes of their time, and they have the freedom to do it from wherever they choose.
Create a free Vocal Video account to access our video testimonial templates, and start sending email requests for video reviews from your customers.