Do you live for making your customers happy? If so, I bet they have some good things to say about their experiences with your products or services.

Make the most of all the effort you've expended: Create a testimonial video!

These marketing videos are perfect for the decision stage of the buyer's journey,  when prospects are aware of their problem and want to solve it—and they're looking for information that will help them make up their minds. (Fully 82% of people conduct research online prior to making a purchase decision.)

An effective testimonial video can be the final push that sends them through your sales funnel.

In this article, you'll learn about some technical considerations and tips to make this type of marketing video, including interview-planning, camera-setting, sound, lighting, and so on.

1. Your secret weapon is the questionnaire

The first step is to jot down some questions you'll ask your clients/interviewees. Here are some ideas:

• What was the issue you wanted to solve?
• Why did you consider this product?
• Was there an obstacle that might have prevented you from buying this product?
• How has the product improved your business?
• What do you like most about it?
• Would you recommend the product? If so, why?
• Is there anything else you want to add?

Your questionnaire will serve as a guide during the day of shooting. Send it to your client ahead of time so she knows what to expect that day.

2. Look for the perfect scenario

Your main aim is to give some context to the message you want to convey with your video.

Shooting indoors gives you more control over the environment (light, traffic, noise, etc.). However, it tends to be more expensive.

Indoor locations could be a studio, lobby, conference room, or even a bar. An office space is usually a comfortable location, as you can see in this example:

To shoot outdoors may be a better choice if you are on a tight budget. On the downside, the environment may become an issue. You should also think ahead and avoid any privacy and security troubles; think about equipment storage, for instance.

Examples of outdoor locations are the front of an office building, a sidewalk, or any other location related to the topic of your video.

3. Set up your shoot

Choose the right microphone

Shotgun, bidirectional (if you need to record the voices of both the interviewee and interviewer), and lavalier mics are better choices when shooting indoors because they're more directional.

If you're shooting outdoors, you need to reduce the wind effect and other noises by placing a windscreen made of acoustic foam rubber, a "zeppelin," over the mic.

Set up your lighting

Lighting is the key for high-quality visuals. If you're shooting indoors, consider the classic three-point lighting setup:

• The key light is the brightest light and the most important. It's usually placed to one side, and high up.
• The fill light supports the first light, illuminating the parts of the frame that would be in shadows if you used only one key light.
• The hair or backlight helps separate subjects from the background by lighting their backs.

When shooting outdoors, you should pay attention to harshly bright and dark zones on your subject's face. Use a scrim to diffuse light and minimize that effect. You can also soften the sunlight by attaching a diffuser to a light stand. In addition, a white bounce board could be also used to add dimensions to the subject's face.

Position your cameras

If you have one camera, use the traditional medium shot for the interview. Then, you should do the interview again in a closer shot to capture emotional moments or relevant quotes. When editing, you'll choose the right shot for each part of the interview.