How to harness the power of attendee testimonials

Social proof is a crucial aspect of influencing today’s event-goers. Seeing positive experiences from previous attendees can sway undecided consumers, offering them tangible proof of the value, enjoyment, and impact of your event. For live event marketers, testimonials can be a vital tool to boost ticket sales and build credibility without stretching the budget.

Why social proof is so influential

People often look to the opinions of others to make purchasing decisions—especially when it comes to experiences. Attendee testimonials provide potential ticket buyers with relatable insights, helping them envision their own positive experience at your event. This type of content, from sincere feedback to vivid visuals, fosters trust, reassurance, and a sense of community around your event or venue.

Collecting Testimonials on a Budget

Collecting powerful testimonials doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. There are cost-effective approaches that can help you acquire compelling content:

• Behind-the-scenes experiences: Offer a few attendees the chance to go behind the scenes as part of a feedback incentive. This doesn’t require a large outlay and makes attendees feel valued and excited to share their thoughts.
• Branded Freebies or Photo Ops: Fun, small giveaways like branded merchandise or a unique photo booth can inspire attendees to capture moments they’ll share and attribute to your event.
• Interactive Feedback Stations: At your event, set up a feedback booth where attendees can record or write testimonials in exchange for a small reward.

These strategies keep testimonial-gathering budget-friendly while also scaling effortlessly for larger events.

Top Tools to Collect, Manage, and Showcase Testimonials

Here’s a list of tools—from video platforms to versatile testimonial aggregators—that make gathering and presenting social proof straightforward, effective, and visually engaging.

Video platforms

Vocal Video‍

Tailored for video testimonials, Vocal Video allows you to send out branded testimonial requests that attendees can record on any device.

Why it’s great: Simplifies collection and editing, making it easy to obtain professional-quality video testimonials without complex setups.

Vidyard‍

Vidyard enables short, engaging video testimonials via custom links, with seamless CRM integration.

Why it’s great: A convenient way to gather feedback, track interactions, and gauge testimonial performance.

Zoom‍

Use Zoom for scheduled testimonial recording sessions or post-event wrap-ups, tapping into its familiarity for ease of use.

Why it's great: Versatile and accessible, allowing real-time feedback that’s easy to repurpose across platforms.
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Text-based testimonial generators

Testimonial.to‍

This tool collects video, text, or audio testimonials via a customizable link, with easy embedding on your website.

Why it's great: Highly flexible and perfect for gathering diverse testimonial types, integrating smoothly with your marketing channels.

Endorsal‍

With automated follow-ups and reminders, Endorsal helps streamline testimonial gathering through your CRM.

Why it's great: Saves time through automation and creates a steady stream of testimonials without manual follow-up.

Typeform

‍Typeform’s interactive surveys gather in-depth written feedback, encouraging attendees to share event highlights.

Why it's great: Its format draws out thoughtful responses, ideal for more nuanced feedback and marketing quotes.

All-in-one testimonial & review platforms

‍Trustpilot‍

Known for verified reviews, Trustpilot also works for events, letting attendees post credible, formal feedback.

Why it's great: Adds authority with third-party verification, helping build trust for bigger events or recurring series.

GatherUp

‍Collects and organizes reviews from multiple channels and prompts attendees post-event for feedback.

Why it's great: Consolidates testimonials from various sources, showcasing them across your website and even in search results.

Birdeye

Captures reviews across email, text, and social platforms, integrating smoothly with Google and Facebook.

Why it's great: Effective for multi-channel reach, ensuring testimonials show up in key locations for maximum impact.

Social media tools for testimonials

Instagram stories & highlights

Use Stories to capture real-time testimonials and save them to a “Testimonials” Highlight on your profile.

Why it's great: Visually appealing and immediately accessible for potential attendees on a familiar platform.

Facebook Recommendations

Encourage attendees to post reviews on your Facebook page’s “Recommendations” section.
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Why it's great: Leverages Facebook’s trust factor for credible testimonials easily repurposed for other channels.

Canva

‍Canva transforms text testimonials into branded graphics, combining attendee quotes with event images.

Why it's great: Perfect for professional-looking visuals that make testimonials shareable and eye-catching across platforms.

Managing and Showcasing Testimonials

To keep testimonials organized, consider grouping them by event type, theme, or sentiment. Use tagging or folders within your tools for easy access when you need a specific type of testimonial. For larger events, set up a simple database in Google Sheets or Airtable to keep track of sources, dates, and permissions for usage.

These testimonial tools and strategies allow event marketers to cost-effectively capture, curate, and present impactful social proof, helping boost attendance and solidify brand credibility.

Conclusion

In today’s crowded event landscape, attendee testimonials are more than just feedback—they’re powerful assets that amplify your brand’s authenticity and appeal. When potential event-goers see real people sharing memorable experiences, it creates a compelling narrative that no ad can replicate. By using the right tools and approaches, even on a modest budget, you can capture the enthusiasm of past attendees and turn it into persuasive social proof.

Remember, the key to a successful testimonial strategy is consistency. Keep gathering fresh feedback, organizing it for easy access, and showcasing it across your marketing channels. With these tools and strategies in place, you’re well-equipped to build a dynamic collection of testimonials that will continuously engage audiences, drive ticket sales, and enhance your event’s reputation. Every testimonial is a story, and with the right approach, these stories will build the credibility and excitement needed to attract your next crowd.