How to Make a Great Customer Story That Sells

Table of content
  1. Introduction
  2. Pick the Right Customer
  3. Nail the Narrative Structure
  4. Keep It Real
  5. Do More With Less
  6. Scale Smartly
  7. Need Inspiration?
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Jonathan Yohanes
2 months ago・5 min read

In a world where trust matters more than advertising, customer stories have become marketing gold. These aren’t just testimonials, they’re emotional, authentic narratives that show your product in action, solving real problems for real people.

Done right, customer story videos can do more than inspire. They drive conversions, accelerate sales cycles, and create lasting brand advocates.

So how do you craft a customer story that actually works?

Pick the Right Customer

The foundation of a great customer story is a great customer. But not just any happy client, you want someone who embodies your ideal customer, can articulate the transformation they experienced, and isn’t camera-shy.

  • Matches your target audience
  • Faced a real challenge
  • Saw measurable results
  • Comfortable and authentic on video

Nail the Narrative Structure

Every story needs a beginning, middle, and end. Your customer story should follow a structure that feels natural, not scripted, while guiding the viewer through the journey.

  • Intro: Who they are and what they do
  • The challenge: The problem they faced
  • Your solution: How you helped
  • The results: The transformation, with real metrics
  • Call to action: A clear next step for the viewer

Need help shaping your story? Use our proven framework to craft videos that follow this flow and drive results.

Keep It Real

Today’s audiences can spot inauthenticity from a mile away. That’s why the best customer story videos are unscripted or lightly guided with suggested answers rather than heavily scripted.

  • Use real language, not marketing jargon
  • Include visual cues that support the message
  • Capture genuine emotions and moments
  • Focus on customer-centric messaging that answers common objections

Let the customer tell the story, not your sales pitch.

Do More With Less

Customer stories are incredibly versatile. One shoot can power dozens of pieces of content.

Repurpose your videos for:

  • Social media (cutdowns for Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok)
  • Sales decks and proposals
  • Landing pages and email campaigns
  • Events and webinars

And with the right platform (like 90 Seconds), you can scale globally while maintaining consistent quality and brand voice.

Scale Smartly

Start with individual local customer stories and build up to regional and industry showcases, or even a hero customer story featuring multiple voices across markets.

This lets you:

  • Speak directly to different industries or regions
  • Maximize ROI from every shoot
  • Create a library of proof that works across the funnel

Need Inspiration?

One standout example is Typsy, an online learning platform for hospitality. In this story, Typsy shares how they use video to scale global education and empower hospitality teams worldwide. The video captures how they turned a passion for training into a scalable platform with real impact, and how video storytelling played a key role in that growth.

Another inspiring example is the Spirit of GIC video. This story celebrates the people and purpose behind GIC, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds. Captured across multiple locations, the video weaves together authentic voices from employees to reflect GIC’s values, culture, and long-term mission. It’s a great reminder that customer stories aren’t just about product wins—they can also build internal pride and external brand perception.

See how leading brands are telling real stories that connect and convert.

Watch Customer Stories Created by 90 Seconds

A great customer story doesn’t just tell people what you do, it shows them.

Ready to turn your happiest customers into your most powerful marketing engine?
Get started with customer story videos today.

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