You hear them all the time in radio commercials. Customers raving about a select business or service. However, not all radio commercial testimonials are created equal. The old rule of “any exposure is good exposure” does not apply here. If you heard someone talking about a service you were contemplating using, and it came across as very “forced” or “fake” – It may taint your idea of the service. It may even make you feel as though they were trying to “cover up” something… otherwise… why would they have “fake” customers talking about them? Even if that is not the case, that is the perception of the consumer. However, when a radio commercial testimonial is delivered in a genuine and sincere tone – it can be super successful! Here are the three keys to a successful radio testimonial.
The first key that you should have on your radio testimonials are real people. It sounds obvious, but more times than not testimonials are bogged down with bad voice actors reading from scripts written by the business owner in only the way a business owner would describe their business. The average customer does not walk into a store and say “wow, you have the best selection and the lowest prices around – with deals starting at 9.99 – that’s amazing!!”. You know your business better than your customers – so you talk in “owner speak”. If you want your testimonials to sound real AND connect. They need to come from the way your customers talk. How do you know what they are saying… Ask them! Whey they talk about your business they may describe it in ways you never thought of.
The second key to a successful radio testimonial is not TELLING people what to say. Too often, I have clients bring me REAL customers who want to talk about their business. Then I see them walk into the studio with a script in hand! Newsflash! They are not talking about your business at this point, they are reading from a script you gave them, and might an I add… this is the worst type of testimonial. At least an actor can make an attempt at sounding real. Joe Blow with a script in his and is going to butcher what you want him to say about your business like you wouldn’t believe! No scripts when it comes to testimonials… Just questions… Questions that the people who are being recorded do know in advance!
The third successful radio testimonial key is – Keep it, customers, only. No one wants to hear your children talk about “daddy’s store” or your wife make some stupid off-handed remark about her husband or vice verse. People want to hear what other people just like them thought about your business – period! Keep the children talking and spouse jokes for the Christmas party presentations.