How to mess up a perfectly good patient testimonial

Unnatural, scripted testimonials devalue the power of endorsements

We’ve all seen them: “real patients” carefully reciting the company line in TV spots for hospitals and medical practices. Some people may not even understand why the spots are so painful to watch, but experienced healthcare marketers know: you can’‘t manufacture a good patient testimonial.

When real people are forced to deliver scripted statements, campaign lines or technically-precise medical language, they become salespeople. Paid or not, they are marketers, selling your product or service to profit your organization. And in an age of social networks and word-of-mouth referrals, pushy salesmen and their hired opinions are not to be trusted.

That’s why your patient testimonials must be honest, unscripted and natural:

• Let your customers tell their stories in their own words. Let them be emotional; emphatic, angry, happy, scared or relieved. Emotions define the human condition; they’re a common truth we can all relate to and share.
• If a patient interview edges into a dark place that makes someone on your team squirm, all the better. Balancing the positive and negative sides of the story can add credibility for the patient. It can also demonstrate that your hospital or practice is prepared to deal with setbacks and challenges – further proof that your organization is the right place for critical care needs.
• Today’s savvy and skeptical consumers are suspicious of paid messages and unsubstantiated claims. Instead they turn to their friends, family and unbiased reviewers for referrals. Word-of-mouth recommendations boost their confidence and exert powerful influence over their care decisions.

Never before have patient testimonials carried so much weight in influencing healthcare decisions. Make sure you keep it real: forget the script and let patients tell the real story.