5 Quick Tips For An Effective Customer Testimonial

Ask any technology solution provider where they find the bulk of new leads and the answer is usually the same: customer referrals. But how do you convince existing clients and accounts to help tell your story?

Any marketing manager who has tried to organize and publish a traditional case study (whether it's presented on a brochure or as a video) knows just how difficult and expensive that process can be. It's a big commitment of time, a resource that's precious on both sides. It's not unusual for some integrators or VARs to spend weeks developing one, only to run afoul of the customer's legal department or some other higher-up who would prefer to stay mum.

"What we used to do is take a look at the big wins and try to get something together. Originally, we treated it as a separate project. It created additional work, and many times we would get road-blocked," said Amber Lawhun, vice president of marketing and partner programs for Pinnacle Business Systems, a 55-person integrator that leapt 64 spots higher on the 2014 CRN Solution Provider 500 list (to reach No. 299).

After that happened one too many times, the Pinnacle team stepped back and rethought its process, Lawhun said. She was gracious enough to share these tips:

1. Get project managers on the case

Pinnacle's marketing team used to wait until after deployments or projects were complete before it would start searching for potential testimonial subjects. So, it could be weeks before a client was approached to offer feedback. Now it integrates collecting those insights—the good, the bad and the ugly—more tightly into ongoing relationship management. That way, if someone provides a great comment, it can be shared far more quickly.

2. Consider the source

Does someone have the authority to go on the record? Before following up on potential leads, Pinnacle's team looks carefully at the person's authority. "Are we talking to the right person, can they make the decision about this or does someone in legal need to pass this through an approval process?" Lawhun noted. If the checklist suggests Pinnacle will have to bend over backwards in order to use the feedback, it moves on to more promising leads.

3. Think social

What exactly do you want to promote? Great customer support? A seamless integration experience? An individual's technical chops? Why try to publish a 500-word case study or pay $5,000 for a video if you're trying to say just one thing? Sometimes sharing a testimonial can involve nothing more than sending out a quick Tweet on the company's Twitter channel and adding a post to its Facebook page. "I'm always thinking about our ongoing campaigns or where we might have a void in our engagement strategy… Something like this might just take an hour of time," she said. Plus, it might offer a way to make a specific person on the team look good, which is always great for morale.  

4. Never "pay" for feedback

How much would you trust a splashy endorsement if you discovered that the company behind it had to pay for the feedback? Pinnacle avoids the temptation to offer discounts on services just for the sake of a marketing campaign. "This is not the way we do business," Lawhun said.  

5. Be flexible about format.

The days of the two-sided case study, complete with "benefits" and splashy images are fading. Aside from quick social media outbursts, she suggests exploring short video commentaries that cost between $2,000 and $4,000 to produce or even infographics that roll up compelling statistics about your company: "Give them the story from a picture." If you want to go whole hog, create proposal to showcase some of the specific technologies that are particular specialties for your business, and ask the relevant vendors to share the bill.