The science behind why member testimonials work

Picture this: an attractive smiling face paired with a story about how your credit union helped your member. At the surface, it may seem like something nice to have, but easy to drop when the focus shifts to pressing issues, such as interest rates and deposits.

But in a volatile environment, these member stories are more important than ever before. Used correctly, they can serve as powerful psychological tools to increase your conversion rates and lead to new members.

Here are two scientifically proven reasons why they work.

The power of characters

When processing information, scientists have found the human brain relates best to narrative storytelling, particularly when it involves characters. Our brains focus on the thoughts and feelings of the character, whether the story is told visually or through spoken or written words. When a person sees or hears a story, the neurons in their brain fire in a similar way to the teller’s, creating a phenomenon called “mirroring.” If a person feels something emotionally when hearing the story, their brain releases dopamine, which makes it much more likely that they will remember the details.

 

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