Skill: leooooooow/testimonial-builder (version 1.1.0)

--- name: testimonial-builder description: Build a systematic process for collecting, vetting, and using customer testimonials across product pages, ads, and creator briefs. --- # Testimonial Builder: E-Commerce Social Proof Guide ## Quick Reference Decision Matrix | Decision | Strong | Acceptable | Weak | |----------|--------|------------|------| | **Source** | Verified purchases, video testimonials, diverse geographies | Review aggregators, email follow-ups | Fake reviews, paid testimonials, unverified | | **Length** | 2-3 sentences for ads; 4-5 for landing pages; 1-2 for badges | 3-4 sentences for ads; 5-6 for pages | One-word reviews, 300+ word essays | | **Specificity** | Concrete metrics ("saved $300/month"), specific use cases | Product features mentioned, problem solved | Generic praise ("great!"), no context | | **Placement** | Above fold on product page, retargeting ads, influencer briefs | Mixed placement, 2-3 channels | Only testimonials page, single channel | | **Vetting** | Scoring rubric, verify purchase history, require name/photo/video | Basic authenticity check, spot-check grammar | No verification, no quality standards | | **Format** | Video testimonials (highest converting), photo + quote + name | Text quote with name, verified badge | No identifier, unverified claims | | **Emotion** | Triumph over objection, surprising result, relief | General satisfaction, feature appreciation | Vague happiness, no emotional hook | --- ## Problems This Skill Solves 1. **No Systematic Collection Process** - Testimonials arrive randomly. Learn to actively harvest from customers at peak satisfaction moments (post-purchase, post-review, post-support). 2. **Generic Testimonials** - Praise like "amazing product" trains customers to ignore social proof. Extract specific, concrete outcomes that prove you understand customer problems. 3. **Testimonials Don't Match Sales Messages** - Collect without connecting to core value props and objection-handling. Source proof points that address "why to buy now" messaging. 4. **Low Conversion from Social Proof Placement** - Testimonials in wrong places or static. Learn placement strategies that put right testimonials in front of right customers at right decision moments. 5. **Scattered Tools and No Vetting Standards** - Mix Trustpilot, email, and social comments without quality standards. Use scoring rubric to objectively measure high-converting testimonials. 6. **Not Leveraging Video and Visual Proof** - Text testimonials convert at 40-60% the rate of video. Learn to encourage video submissions and repurpose across channels. 7. **Neglecting Creator Briefs** - Missing opportunity to give creators authentic customer proof for their own content. Format testimonials as creator briefs that influencers can cite. --- ## The Complete Testimonial Builder Workflow ### Step 1: Define Testimonial Goals and Product Positioning Map your core value prop and identify 3-5 biggest objections holding customers back. Define target segments and set collection goals (e.g., 15 testimonials per product, 40% video, 3+ segments). **Why it matters:** You can't source what you don't define. A testimonial addressing "Is it worth the premium price?" misses if you need "Is it easy to use?" proof. ### Step 2: Identify and Segment Testimonial Sources Diverse, credible proof points matter. Use verified purchase reviews, direct outreach to recent buyers (2-6 weeks post-purchase for peak satisfaction), video testimonials from 10-15% of best customers, social media mentions, and support interactions. **Why it matters:** A video from real customer carries 3-4x weight of generic text review. Testimonials from prospects' own segment are 5x more persuasive. ### Step 3: Design Outreach Templates and Collection Process Create email sequences (3-4 weeks post-purchase), video request templates with incentives ($15-25 gift card), in-product surveys, review site monitoring, and support escalation workflows. Unsolicited testimonials need no incentive; video testimonials get modest gift cards. **Why it matters:** Better outreach yields more testimonials and higher quality. Measure response rates (typically 15-25% email, 8-12% video). ### Step 4: Vet and Score Collected Testimonials Use 5-point scoring rubric across four dimensions: Authenticity (verified customer, natural language, specific details), Relevance (addresses value prop or key objection), Specificity (concrete metrics or outcomes), Emotional Resonance (triggers motivation). **Scoring Guide:** 16-20 points = Tier 1 (landing pages, main pages, retargeting); 12-15 = Tier 2 (email, social ads); 8-11 = Tier 3 (testimonial page); below 8 = don't use. ### Step 5: Rewrite and Format for Target Channels Landing pages: 4-5 sentences, front-load result, include name/title/photo. Ads: 2-3 sentences, emphasize transformation. Badges: 1-2 sentences, name only. Creator briefs: 3-4 sentences, problem solved, specific details. Email: 2-3 sentences, relatable problem, call-to-action. **Key principles:** Move specific result to first sentence, cut vague praise, add identifiers for credibility, match tone to platform, ensure testimonial answers specific objection. ### Step 6: Deploy Across Product Pages, Ads, and Creator Briefs **Product Pages:** Place Tier 1 above fold near headline (first 800px), group 3-4 by use case mid-page, place video after feature list. A/B test placements. **Paid Ads:** Lead with specific result, use customer names and photos, rotate testimonials weekly, test video as primary creative (3-5x higher CTR than text). **Creator Briefs:** Format as talking points influencers reference authentically. Include 2-3 key metrics, before/after proof points. Allow paraphrasing. **Email:** Include in welcome series, product recommendations, cart abandonment, post-purchase. **Other channels:** Social (1-2 per week), SMS (1-2 sentences), checkout pages (star ratings and quotes). ### Step 7: Track Performance and Iterate Record baseline conversion without testimonials, then measure lift. Track by type (video vs text), placement (above fold vs below), segment. Survey what helped customers decide. A/B test placements. Update quarterly, retiring lower performers. **Performance targets:** Product pages see 15-25% lift; video ads 3-5x engagement; email campaigns 8-15% higher conversion; creator briefs 20-40% higher engagement. --- ## Example 1: Vitamin C Serum Launch on TikTok Shop **Goal:** Launch premium serum targeting Gen Z/millennial women (18-35). Core positioning: "Visible results in 2 weeks, dermatologist-approved." Key objections: "Will it work for my skin?" "Worth $45?" "Will it irritate?" **Strategy:** Email 200 pre-order customers (40-50 testimonials expected). Video incentive $20 Sephora card. Partner with 8-10 micro-influencers. Mine Trustpilot weekly. **Vetting Examples:** Raw testimonial #1: "Love this serum! My skin is so much brighter now. Definitely recommend." - Authenticity 2/5, Relevance 3/5, Specificity 1/5, Emotion 1/5 = **7/20 (Tier 3)** Raw testimonial #2 (video): "I have super sensitive skin. I was terrified this would irritate my face. After 2 weeks, my skin is noticeably brighter and zero irritation. Using every morning for 3 weeks. Friends keep asking what I'm doing different. Worth every penny. — Priya S., marketing manager, SF" - Authenticity 5/5, Relevance 5/5, Specificity 5/5, Emotion 5/5 = **20/20 (Tier 1)** **Formatted for TikTok Shop:** "I have super sensitive skin and was terrified this would irritate. After 2 weeks, my skin is noticeably brighter with zero irritation. Using every morning for 3+ weeks—friends keep asking what I'm doing different. Honestly worth every penny. — Priya S., San Francisco ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐" **Deployment:** Week 1 - feature video on product page. Weeks 2-3 - TikTok ads. Week 3-4 - creator briefs to 5 influencers. Weeks 4-6 - rotate 2-3 additional Tier 1s. Month 2 - collect testimonials addressing price objection. **Targets:** Baseline 2.1% → Target 2.8-3.2% (33-50% lift). Video ad CTR: 4.2%. Creator engagement: 8-12%. --- ## Example 2: Vegetable Spiralizer on Amazon **Goal:** Optimize spiralizer ($34.99, 4.1 stars, 2,100+ reviews). Core positioning: "Restaurant cuts in 30 seconds, safer than knife, durable for daily use." Key objections: "Durability?" "Actually faster?" "Works with all vegetables?" **Strategy:** Mine Amazon reviews, reach out for video testimonials. Direct video outreach to customers with 3+ month history. QR code in packaging. Email recent buyers. **Vetting Examples:** Raw testimonial #1 (Amazon): "Love this! Best spiralizer ever. Highly recommend to everyone." - Authenticity 3/5, Relevance 2/5, Specificity 1/5, Emotion 2/5 = **8/20 (Tier 3)** Raw testimonial #2 (video): "I use this 4-5 times a week for meal prep—zucchini noodles, sweet potato bowls, stir-fry noodles. Using for 8 months, blades still sharp. About 10x faster than cutting by hand. Safety guard has saved my fingers more times than I count. Best $35 I've spent. — Marcus T." - Authenticity 5/5, Relevance 5/5, Specificity 5/5, Emotion 4/5 = **19/20 (Tier 1)** **Formatted for Amazon A+ Content:** "I use this 4-5 times per week for meal prep—zucchini noodles, sweet potato bowls, stir-fry noodles. Using for 8 months, blades still sharp as day one. About 10x faster than cutting by hand. Safety guard has saved my fingers countless times. Best $35 I've spent. — Marcus T., Dallas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐" **Deployment:** Week 1 - add to Amazon A+ content. Weeks 1-2 - Facebook ads to home cooks/meal prep. Week 2 - email testimonial to past customers. Week 3 - feature durability claim in Amazon Q&A. Week 4 - retargeting ads. Month 2 - rotate parent testimonials (safety angle). **Targets:** Amazon conversion 3.2% → 4.1% (28% lift). Facebook video CTR: 2.8% vs 1.2% text. Email: 18-22% higher CTR. --- ## Common Mistakes That Kill Testimonial ROI 1. **Using Only Generic 5-Star Reviews** - "Great product!" trains brains to ignore. Need star + specific benefit. A 4-star with details beats generic 5-star. 2. **Ignoring Video Testimonials** - Text converts at 40-60% of video rate. Video builds trust through facial expressions and tone. Offer $15-25 incentive, aim for 30-40% video format. 3. **Mismatching Tone to Platform** - Formal testimonials fail on TikTok. Casual fails on corporate sites. Create 3-4 versions (formal, conversational, playful, skeptical-to-believer). 4. **No Scoring Rubric** - Making gut calls about "good" testimonials is slow and inconsistent. 4-point system (authenticity, relevance, specificity, emotion) takes 60 seconds, dramatically improves quality. 5. **Fake or Obviously Incentivized Testimonials** - Customers spot fakes instantly. Never submit without disclosing incentives. Incentivize time (video recording), not positive feedback. 6. **Static Testimonials** - Collect once and never rotate. Testimonials age in paid ads. Rotate monthly, test different testimonials on different segments. 7. **Not Addressing Objections** - Your page says "Premium quality" but testimonials praise "great customer service." Feature testimonials that directly answer top 3 objections. 8. **Forgetting Customer Context** - A 65-year-old's testimonial might not resonate with 28-year-old, even same product. Show matching segment testimonials or highlight diversity. 9. **Neglecting Creator Briefs** - Not leveraging testimonials in influencer partnerships. Provide 2-3 customer testimonials and metrics. Creators amplify 3-5x better than generic pitches. 10. **Measuring Wrong Metrics** - Track "conversion rate impact" not "testimonials collected." Measure: baseline without, with testimonials, by type (video/text), by placement (above/below fold). --- ## Resources and Reference Files - **[references/output-template.md](references/output-template.md)** - Email templates for requests, outreach sequences, creator briefs. Customize in 15-20 minutes per template. - **[references/testimonial-scoring-guide.md](references/testimonial-scoring-guide.md)** - Detailed scoring rubric with examples scored across authenticity, relevance, specificity, emotion. Includes Tier 1, 2, 3 breakdowns. - **[references/platform-placement-guide.md](references/platform-placement-guide.md)** - Channel-by-channel strategy: optimal length, format, placement, performance targets for Amazon, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Facebook, email, social media. - **[assets/testimonial-quality-checklist.md](assets/testimonial-quality-checklist.md)** - Pre-deployment 30-40 item checklist ensuring authenticity, legal compliance, platform fit, and conversion optimization. --- **Skill Version:** 1.0 **Last Updated:** April 2026 **Audience:** E-commerce brands, product marketers, CRO specialists **Estimated Completion Time:** 40-60 hours (full implementation)


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