1. Invite the right customer.
Start with someone who has had time to use the product.
Ask after delivery and enough real use, when the customer can recall a specific moment. Make the request personal, say how long the recording takes, and let them decline. Do not ask for a positive rating or lines to repeat.
Illustrative invite for a reusable-bottle brand:
“Would you record a short phone video about how our bottle fits into your day? Speak in your own words. If you’re comfortable with us showing it on our site, you can separately choose whether we may consider it for an ad. It’s okay to pass.”
2. Ask open questions.
A useful moment beats a memorized slogan.
Send two or three prompts before recording, then let the customer decide what is worth saying. Follow up on a concrete detail instead of asking them to repeat a tagline.
01
What were you looking for before you chose this product?
Listen for: The job the customer wanted done.
02
What happened when you first used it?
Listen for: A real moment, including anything that surprised them.
03
What is one detail you would tell a friend about?
Listen for: A feature they can show or explain specifically.
3. Record on a phone.
Clear sound and a calm setting are enough.
A single take of up to a minute gives the customer room to answer naturally. Ask them to play it back and retake it if the sound is hard to hear. A real setting can add context when the product is visible.
- Face a window or another soft light source.
- Choose a quiet spot and hold the phone at eye level.
- Show the product when a detail is easier to see than explain.
- Leave a short pause around each answer for a clean edit.
4. Get permission for each use.
Website and paid-ad use need separate choices.
Tell the customer where the video could appear, what edits you may make, how long ad use will last, and what you will pay if you select it. Record their choices before use. With Trueclip, the customer opts into ads separately; the brand pays them directly and uploads a receipt before activating the selected clip’s 12-month license.
Check the final claim and any compensation disclosure. For US ads, use the FTC’s endorsement guidance as the primary source.
5. Cut one clear point.
Preserve what the customer actually meant.
First make a clean version for the product page. For an ad, a shorter cut may work better: remove pauses and repetition, keep the words in context, and use accurate captions. Never join two statements in a way that changes the claim.
Illustrative 15-second edit plan; keep the customer’s natural order if it is clearer.
0–3 sec
The need
What was missing before?
3–10 sec
The experience
Show or describe actual use.
10–15 sec
The detail
End on one memorable fact.