Recently, we’ve worked on a handful of testimonial radio spots for various clients, so we thought it might be a good time to share our thoughts on the subject
The Cambridge online dictionary defines a testimonial as a statement about the character or qualities of something or someone. And, chances are, whatever you’re trying to advertise has some qualities that your members like.
Otherwise, you wouldn’t be around.
If you subscribe to the idea that what your provide helps people, then having people telling people about it makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?
We really like the style of testimonial that has an announcer interspersed with testimonial sound bytes or uses an announcer as a lead-in/lead-out. There are a couple of key advantages:
(1) Even if we’re using voice actors to do the testimonial parts, we aim to make them sound sincere and authentic. They really have to sound believable. That way, the announcer can do the “selling” while the sound bytes tell a story.
(2) Combining an announcer and a testimonial voice helps with the pace of a radio or TV spot – the interplay keeps things moving and holds the listener’s interest. The choice of music bed is a factor there as well.
If you use actual recordings of members or staff, there is the additional advantage of the buzz that is created when “so-and-so’s” friends hear them on the radio. You’ll always get positive feedback from that. The drawback with using those kinds of sound bytes is that you have to conduct interview sessions to get the sound bytes, and the quality of the recording has to be pretty good, at the very least.
One other thing about testimonials is that, to be really effective, there should be a series. Some can be general branding. Others can be for a specific product or service. There should be common elements – music bed, announcer voice – in each of them, but hearing the message from multiple sources reinforces the credibility of each.
To sum it up, testimonials are a great way to have your customers help you tell your story and build your brand.
