Specifics over feelings
The most-quoted testimonials are always the ones with numbers, timelines, and a clear before-and-after. "We were taking 6 weeks to turn around quotes; now we're at 4 days" lands harder than "they made our process better." The interview job is to pull specifics, not to chase emotional language.
The 3-act structure that always works
Act 1: what was the situation before. Act 2: what changed. Act 3: what's measurable now. Most failed testimonial videos skip act 1, jump straight to act 3, and lose the contrast that makes the story compelling. Spend the first third of the interview on the "before" state, even if it feels slow.
Who to put on camera
The right customer for a testimonial is rarely the one who was easiest to schedule. The right customer is the one whose story has clear numbers and clear emotional stakes. Don't default to the most senior person; default to the person who was closest to the problem.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistake is cutting the testimonial too short. A 30-second testimonial almost always feels like a quote. A 90 to 120 second testimonial has room to set up the problem, walk through the solution, and land on results. The longer cut is more effective for sales follow-up; the shorter cut works for social, but only as a teaser to the longer version.
What gets the customer to open up
Two things. First, show the customer drafts of the questions in advance so they can think (don't show them the questions on the day; that produces memorized answers). Second, let them know the video isn't going live tomorrow. Customers who feel rushed give cautious answers. Customers who feel like they have time give specific answers.