Personally, you are no doubt aware of the considerable influenceconsumer reviewshave on ourpurchasing decisions. Who hasn't chosen a hotel or a new dishwasher based onratings and comments from other internet users?
Whilecustomer recommendationsare recognized as an effective sales technique in B2C, they are also apowerful marketing tool in B2B, although still underutilized. However, professionals who are satisfied with your products or services are the bestambassadors for your company. Find out how to implement acustomer testimonial strategytoreassure and convert your prospects, while improving your visibility on the Internet.
Developed by American psychologist Robert Cialdini in his seminal work Influence and Manipulation, the concept ofsocial proofcan be summarized as follows: "When in doubt, individuals tend to rely on the opinion of the group." According to thispsycho-sociological principle, we adopt the behavior or point of view of our peers when we don't know what to do or think. This is why an empty restaurant will seem suspicious, while a busy establishment will inspire more confidence!
Social proof has long been used in B2C marketing, particularly throughword of mouth.Online reviewsare simply the digital version of this age-old sales technique, which remains as effective as ever. In a context of growing consumer mistrust of brands and advertising,customer testimonialsappear all the more as asource of objective, credible, and authentic information.
According to an IFOP study,9 out of 10 French people consult reviews from previous buyersbefore ordering a product or service. Chances are you're one of them! Positive feedbackreassures potential customersand encourages them to move forward with their purchase. Customer testimonials on a websitecan increase conversion rates by a factor of 3, and by a factor of 4.5 when there are more than 50 reviews (sources: Reevoo and Bazarvoice).
Customer reviews are just as important in the B2B sector, if not more so. This is because purchasing processes are longer than in B2C and require more thought in order to avoid mistakes that could have serious repercussions.B2B prospects, who are putting their professional reputation and often a substantial budget on the line, seekreassuranceto allay theirfears of making a bad investment. Customer feedback will give them the confidence they need to feel secure in their choices and make a calm decision.
As a long-term marketing tool, customer testimonials are used atevery stage of the purchasing process:
According to several consulting firms,84% of executives are influenced by customer testimonials in their B2B purchasing process, and peer recommendations are theprimary deciding factor. However, currently only one in five B2B companies incorporates customer reviews into their marketing strategy! Implementing this process therefore represents a significantcompetitive advantageand a powerful growth driver for your business... Provided you follow certain rules, which we will detail below.
A customer testimonial only carries weight if it comes from a real and trustworthy person. Anonymous comments or those that only include the witness's initials should therefore be avoided. A powerful recommendation must include all theinformation needed to identify the author: full name, job title, company name and logo, website URL, link to LinkedIn profile, etc. Although optional,a photo is a plus, as it attracts attention and reinforces the credibility of the message.
Therecipe for a good customer testimonialhas three essential ingredients: similarity, problem, and solution.
Be careful not to go overboard: a flood of praise can actually arouse suspicion among your visitors and scare them away. A convincing recommendation must provideuseful and objective informationto give potential customers real added value.
In addition to traditional comments, there are several types of customer testimonials that can be used inwritten, audio, or video format. For example, you canwrite a blog postinspired by a customer review that you include in the text. This is also an excellent opportunity to work on your search engine positioning to generate qualified traffic. Another possibility isto conduct an interviewin the form of an article, video, or podcast. This is a win-win strategy for both you and your customer, who will be promoted and benefit from greater visibility.
A good way to highlight a customer review in B2B is tocreate a case study. In it, you will outline the details of the project, from start to finish: description and analysis of the customer's needs, development of specifications, project stages, equipment and techniques used, objectives achieved, etc. This type of content is very effective inconvincing and reassuring prospectsfacing a similar problem. Like blog articles,case studieshelpimprove your SEOand can alsogenerate leadsif they can be downloaded in exchange for an email address.
For maximum effectiveness, use your customer testimonials acrossall your communication channels:
On yourwebsite, be sure to place recommendations in strategic locations to provide an optimal customer experience. Highlight a few positive reviews on thehome page, which is usually the most visited page. You can also create a dedicatedtestimonial page, or include feedback related to the product or service described on each sales page.
The human brain tends to focus more on the negative than the positive. We never talk about trains that arrive on time, and good news sells less than bad news! Thiscognitive biasmeans that an unhappy customer will spontaneously express their dissatisfaction, while someone who had a good experience will not necessarily think to tell you about it.
You should therefore get into the habit ofasking customers for their opinion, ideally at akey moment in the business relationship: presentation of project results, contract renewal, annual satisfaction survey, etc. Whether byemail, phone, or face-to-face, it is important to clearly state the reason and purpose of your request to maximize your chances of getting a response. Don't just ask your contact if they are satisfied, as you risk getting a vague comment that will have much less impact. You needto guide the testimonial by asking relevant questionsabout the service provided: quality, deadlines, responsiveness, interpersonal skills, expertise, etc.
To make things easier, it is convenient to use asolution for collecting customer testimonials. The internet is full of consumer review sites designed for B2C (Tripadvisor, Avis Vérifiés, Truspilot, Google My Business, etc.), and e-commerce gives pride of place to buyer comments. However, the B2B sector is lagging behind in this respect.
The Autour de l'Image agency has chosenTrustfolio, the leading trusted third party for authenticating and promoting customer testimonials in B2B. This Lyon-based start-up offers an optimized recommendation process thanks to a range of features:
Your company has adedicated Trustfolio profilethat appears on the first page of Google and attracts up to 200 unique visitors per month, allowing you toboost your visibility. Your website's conversion rate increases by up to 41%, and half of your testimonial customers refer a prospect, whichboosts your sales... and your revenue!
