Run a testimonial competition judged as an ad

1. How it works

Customers compete to make the best raw, iPhone-style testimonial. Best means best as an ad: whichever entry gets the most conversions over 30 days wins.

It is said to be very good. But people tire of them, so you cannot run them very often: once or twice a year at most.

Where it fits among the other proof streams:

• For someone starting out, it comes first in the order to build them, because it gives a big influx (SOP 123 — Run the standing proof streams, section 3).
• Run the testimonial competitions between your other events (SOP 123, section 9).

2. The steps

• Set an announcement date and a deadline for submissions.
• Work out a remarkable award for the winner.
  • For example, 6 months of free service or product.
• Give them instructions on how to submit:
  • ask them to fill in a results template (you can come up with your own);
  • they attach their video and tag the community manager, and send the raw file by email to the address you set up for proof;
  • give them last time's winner (or your best one to date);
  • attach the six-point testimonial script (SOP 125 — Run the six-point testimonial script).
• Announce the competition through all your internal channels: email, group messages, community posts.
• Count down to the date.
• Make personal invitations, and follow up regularly with the top 50 or so people you want testimonials from.
  • Asking them to do it in the moment is said to get great results: right now, it takes 5 minutes, just take out your phone so you do not have to think about it. The rawer the better.
• Close the competition to submissions.
• Format the entries as ads, then run them.
• Set a calendar reminder thirty days out, to tally which ads performed best and name the winner.
• Make the award public.

3. What it adds to the one-page checklist

The competition is the first line of the one-page checklist of proof streams: a testimonial competition using the six-point script, captured as post screenshots and videos in email (SOP 123, section 10).

4. What this page does not decide for you

• What counts as a conversion. Not established on this page.
• What goes in the results template. Not established on this page.
• How much to spend running each entry as an ad. This page gives no figure for the ad spend behind each entry.

5. The checklist

Step	What you do
How often	Once or twice a year at most; people tire of them
How the winner is picked	Most conversions over 30 days, as an ad
Dates	An announcement date and a submission deadline
Prize	A remarkable award, for example 6 months of free service or product
Instructions	Results template; video attached, community manager tagged, raw file emailed; last winner or your best to date; the six-point script
Announce	Every internal channel: email, group messages, community posts; then count down
Invite	Personal invitations and follow-up to the top 50 or so; ask them to do it in the moment
Close	Stop taking submissions; format as ads; run them
Judge	A reminder thirty days out to count which ads did best
Finish	Announce the award publicly

6. What this page does not cover

The standing proof streams, and where the competition sits among them, are SOP 123 — Run the standing proof streams. The interview script entrants follow is SOP 125 — Run the six-point testimonial script. Proof capture at your own event is SOP 124 — Produce proof capture at an owned event. SOP 120 lists raw, iPhone-style testimonials as a kind of ad.

The law on contests, prizes and incentives for testimonials is not covered on this page.