Question · Creative & UGC
How do I get natural video testimonials from customers who aren't comfortable on camera?
Answered by Nathan Frater ·
The short answer
Don't ask them to perform a testimonial. Get them to do a product demo instead: mic them up, film them using the product where they normally would, and have someone ask questions like it's an ordinary chat.
People talk far more naturally about doing a task than about themselves. Ask someone to say nice things about you on camera and they stiffen up. Ask them to show you how they use the thing they bought and they relax into it.
Keep the setup small. No studio. Invite a few customers for a coffee or a chat, then ask if you can grab a quick off-the-cuff conversation on a phone with a clip mic. Think street-style interview, just you having a chat to a customer. A visible mic can even work as a visual hook in the edit. And if someone would rather not be filmed, that’s fine. Put the mic down.
For the questions, I use a reverse testimonial framework. Instead of asking what they love, ask what their concerns were before they bought and what they were weighing up. People open up about their own doubts, and the candid “I wasn’t sure about you at first” answer is the one you want.
Mic up one of your own team as well. If the customer goes quiet, your person can keep the conversation going, and you can keep the camera on them while you still hear the customer.