Leverage testimonials in your healthcare marketing
In a recent article I spoke about social proof or testimonials in healthcare marketing strategy. I think we can agree that they have great power to sway people during the purchase decision. With that clearly in mind perhaps you should consider deploying them. I believe that you can deploy them across traditional and non traditional marketing channels.
Whilst video testimonials appear to be the most powerful, at least in online channels. I believe that in your news media advertising you should include a testimonial in the copy. Preferably with a picture of the happy referee. You should make it obvious and separate it slightly from the call to action. This allows it some prominence and the photo and slightly different typeset should draw the eye. I think the visual cue of the picture will add authenticity and encourage self identification for the viewer.
The deployment of media rich testimonials on your online healthcare marketing is relatively simple. So you should not stop at staid testimonial pages or testimonial boxes on your pages. You should include video testimonials, you should use them in several parts of your website. It stems back to what we are trying to achieve, we are trying to allay anxiety in the purchase decision. Therefore we could consider differing testimonials on different parts of your site. Testimonials that answer differing anxieties. A testimonial for your service and care on your home page.
A testimonial for the efficacy of the instruments you fitted on your instrument list page perhaps. Consider what fear you are trying to allay, what anxiety you are trying to reduce. In this manner we can deploy testimonials that are strategic in manner. The Video testimonials themselves need to be filmed with a good quality camcorder. However I differ with the beliefs of others when it comes to production values. I do not think they need Hollywood production values or scripting.
In fact if they are presented in that manner my belief is that they may well be seen as too slick and ignored as staged or worse fake. I do feel it is important to discuss the the outline structure of things that could be said with your willing Patient. However I think you then need to let the Patient say it in their own way and their own time. Leave the mistakes and the laughter in. I feel that this type of testimonial may be the most powerful. Simply because it is obviously honest and from the heart.
Regards
Geoff
What is your take on testimonials? Do you think high production values or not? If you are deploying testimonials I would love your feedback on how you think they are doing.
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