One of the things we plan to do on a regular basis in the community is spotlight strategies/tactics specific members have implemented that we think it would be valuable for other members to know about. We’ve been reviewing the Web sites of all symposium attendees in advance of the event, and in that process, came across the video below on the main education page of the National Wood Flooring Association’s (NWFA) Web site. It is an excellent example of nearly everything we advocate when we urge organizations to make social proof a much bigger part of their marketing efforts. (Click on the image and it will take you to the NWFA page with the video.)
A few comments, in no particular order, about why we like this so much:
- This is clearly an actual member talking and he is clearly identified by name and company.
- He clearly addresses the benefits and the value he has received from NWFA training, and he does it in a way that feels entirely natural and believable.
- It’s front and center on NWFA’s main education page – which is exactly the kind of place where you want strong social proof.
- A relevant training option is referenced and linked to in the context of the video. This is something that the few organizations that use social proof well almost always miss – connecting a strong testimonial like this to a specific training offering. (Bonus: When you click, there is actually a video that effectively promotes the referenced offering.)
- While NWFA clearly invested in having this professionally done, this type of video does not have to cost a lot. The most important elements – a real member talking in a believable way about value and links to related offerings – could be put together with any good digital video camera, a room with decent lighting, and a commonly available video editing program like iMovie.
It would be hard to exaggerate how much more powerful a video like this is than the lackluster descriptive text found on most catalog pages. This is much more likely to connect with a potential learner at both an emotional and a logical level and lead to action.
Kudos to NWFA for this effort. (Stephanie and Brett – I encourage you to add any comments you have.) And, if others in the community are using video or other formats for social proof, please comment and share links.