Testimonials

They can be great but they can also be confusing AF

There’s something on a lot of actor and voiceover websites that’s meant to build credibility…but often does the exact opposite. I see them and I think, “Who cares?” and not in a “I’m better than you and know what I’m talking about” way. Just in the actual, “WHO CARES?” type of way because I sincerely do NOT understand the context of 99% of the ones I see:

Testimonials.

Now before you panic, testimonials can absolutely help you. But only when they’re done right. And I rarely see them done right. Most testimonials I see on actor websites look like this:

“Great to work with! Highly recommend.”
- Ted *****

or

“Warm voice. Great delivery.”
- Client from indie project

or my personal favorite:

“Just what we were looking for!”
- Joe P.

And every time I see this, my brain immediately goes: Who the hell are these people?

Are they a producer? A CD? A marketing intern? Your cousin who helped you record your demo? (And here’s one for the millennial crowd, “Your mama?”)

Because without context, a testimonial is just… a compliment floating in space from an alien, for all we know. And compliments from strangers or (aliens alike) with no credentials don’t build trust, they just raise questions.

Why even have them then?

Testimonials are a form of social proof, which, we like! They help answer the question a potential client is quietly asking when they land on your website: “Can this person ACTUALLY do the job?” Good testimonials reduce risk and help the “vetting” process for a lot of people, especially those outside of the entertainment industry.

They tell a potential client:

• Other professionals hired this person

• The process was smooth

• The results were good

• This person is safe to work with

But when testimonials are vague or anonymous, they do the opposite.

They signal:

• uncertainty

• insecurity

• lack of permission to use a testimonial from someone

• lack of professional clients

• or worse… something made up

Even if that’s not true! It FEELS this way and I’m sorry, it just does.

The 3 big ones

The mistakes I see for testimonials mostly fall into these three categories. But here’s the good news! YOU CAN LITERALLY CHANGE IT SINCE IT’S YOUR WEBSITE.

1. No Context

“Great voice! Loved working with them!”

Okay… in what capacity? Commercial client? Animation director? Podcast producer?Without this context, the testimonial has no weight and therefore I do not give a shit.

Compare these two:

Weak:

“Jim was great to work with!” - Ted

Stronger:

“Jim delivered broadcast-quality audio within hours and nailed the tone we needed for our regional TV campaign.”
- Ted Smith, Creative Director, North Point Advertising

See the difference? One is a vague ass compliment. The other is proof. You can literally look up Ted, ask him about the work Jim did and have a conversation about it instead of guessing or hoping or wishing on mouse farts.

2. Anonymous Names

When I see:

Actual screen grab of a testimonial on a website I audited

I’m thinking… Did this person actually exist? I understand that sometimes companies require anonymity. But there are other ways around that aside from leaving out huge bits of contextualizing information.

But if you have to hide the person’s name, you should at least include their role or company type.

Example:

“Jim, great job! Very articlate, warm, clear voice. The delivery is spot on.”
- Senior Producer, National Healthcare Brand

Now the testimonial still has context.

3. Generic Praise

Some testimonials really do sound like they were written by someone’s mom.

“Wonderful voice! So professional!”

That’s nice.

But it doesn’t tell a client why they should hire you. The best testimonials highlight things buyers care about:

• Fast turnaround

• Easy direction

• Broadcast quality audio

• Ability to take notes

• Reliability

• Problem solving

For example:

“Jim gave us three strong options in one session and took direction instantly. The final read dropped perfectly into our spot.”
- Audio Producer, Streaming Campaign

Now that tells me something about how you work and what I can expect when I hire you.

What a strong testimonial actually looks like

A useful testimonial has three components:

1. WHO said it
(name, role, company)

2. WHAT they hired you for
(project type or context)

3. WHY it mattered
(the result or experience)

Example:

“Mandy delivered a confident, conversational read that perfectly matched our brand voice. The files were clean, labeled, and ready to drop into our campaign.”
- Sarah Klein, Producer, Digital Advertising Agency

Now the testimonial does its job. It reduces risk. THIS IS THE WHOLE POINT.

If you don’t have testimonials yet

Good news. You don’t need a hundred. (You don’t even need them if you don’t want to collect them. I don’t use them.) But if you’re gonna do it…

You need three to five strong ones. And they don’t have to come from huge brands.

They can come from:

• indie game developers

• podcast producers

• marketing agencies

• e-learning companies

• YouTube creators

Anyone who actually hired you. The key is context. And always appreciated, brevity.

So, how do you get them?

When asking for testimonials, make it easy. You can literally send this:

“If you’re open to it, I’d love a short testimonial for my website. Something about the project and your experience working together would be incredibly helpful.”

Or offer a prompt:

• What project did we work on?

• What stood out about the process?

• Would you hire me again?

People are much more likely to respond when you guide them. Testimonials should make a potential client feel safer hiring you. Not confused about who “Ted” is or if he’s hovering above us in a spacecraft.

If your testimonials are vague, anonymous, or generic… They might not be helping. And in some cases, they might actually be undermining your credibility. So go look at your website RIGHT NOW. Ask yourself: Would this convince me to hire me? If the answer is no… It’s time to fix your testimonials.

I am in the process of creating a series of videos auditing actor websites. If you’d like to submit your website to be audited on my TikTok channel, submit it to me here:

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🎙Same Script Challenge, MARCH 18th 730PM EST We will be working from ONE commercial script. You’ll learn about how to change it up, listen to other'’ interpretations, and find how to stand out in this competitive marketplace.
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🎙Accents + Characters, MARCH 26th 730PM EST In this class, we will focus on putting on accents for interactive characters. You don't have to be an "accent pro" to learn how to use your voice in this way! Let's play!
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🚨 FREE: Ask Us Anything, March 25th 730PM EST. Join Casting Director Peter Pamela Rose and myself for a fun Q and A!
Grab your spot here: https://www.actingbusinessbootcamp.com/ask-us-anything

And of course, enrollment for THE VOICEOVER ACTOR ROAD MAP is open. If you’re ready to kick your career in gear, then please, join me for business coaching!! I can’t wait to help you craft the career you want to have. (Reach out to me for a 15% off coupon)