If your product pages, proposals and emails are still “AI copy” with generic benefits, you’re leaving money on the table. UK buyers spend hours each day online and almost an hour on YouTube alone; they skim, compare and look for proof. Evidence beats adjectives. Ofcom’s latest Online Nation figures show UK adults spend around 4.5 hours online daily, with YouTube use averaging 51 minutes a day. That is where people check if you’re credible, not just what you claim. ofcom.org.uk
At the same time, overall trust is fragile. Edelman’s 2025 Trust Barometer highlights a “crisis of grievance” and falling trust in institutions, reinforcing the need for clear, relevant proof rather than lofty promises. For brands, trust is earned through relevance and demonstrated action, not slogans. edelman.com
This article gives you a 48‑hour, evidence‑first playbook to turn one real customer conversation into four assets your team can deploy immediately: a one‑page case study, a 90‑second subtitled video, a product‑page “proof block”, and a 3‑email sequence. No code. No gimmicks. Just a repeatable process that small teams can run every fortnight.
The 48‑hour Evidence Pack: overview
Goal: convert one recorded customer conversation into four trust‑building assets by end of Day 2. You will need a recording (Teams/Zoom/phone), an AI transcription tool, a simple video editor, and your brand template.
Assets you’ll produce
- 1‑page case study with problem → approach → outcome and 1–2 quantified results.
- 90‑second video with captions, cut from the call or a quick follow‑up clip.
- Product‑page “proof block” (three bullets, a quote, a metric, and a logo if permitted).
- 3‑email sequence (story, proof, ‘how it works’) for sales follow‑up.
Evidence you’ll capture
- Verbatim quotes (with written permission to publish).
- Before/after metrics (baseline, time period, units).
- Process details (what you did and why it worked).
- Visuals (screenshots, artefacts, or product-in-use stills).
Hour‑by‑hour plan (Day 1–2)
Hour 0–2: Permission and setup
- Confirm recording consent and publication permission via email or form. Keep a copy with the project folder. UK ad rules also expect that testimonials are genuine and used with permission. asa.org.uk
- Agree what can be named (company, person, role) and what must be anonymised.
- Define the one problem this story proves you can solve.
Hour 2–6: Transcribe and distil
- Transcribe the call. Skim for moments where the customer states the problem, the turning point, and outcomes.
- Create a quote shortlist (3–5 lines) and a metric shortlist (2–3 numbers with timeframe).
- Draft a 150‑word narrative: “Before → Intervention → After” in the customer’s words.
Hour 6–10: Draft the case study
- Write a one‑pager with: context, challenge, what you did, results, and a pull‑quote. Add a call‑to‑action.
- Run a fact sweep: do all numbers match the source email or screenshot? If a claim could be read as factual, ensure you have evidence—testimonials alone are not substantiation. asa.org.uk
Hour 10–14: Build the 90‑second video
- Pick one storyline and 2–3 clips (10–25 seconds each). Add burned‑in captions and name/title intro.
- Export vertical and 16:9 versions. Aim for “watchable on mute”. Your audience spends real time on YouTube—optimise for that environment. ofcom.org.uk
Hour 14–18: Upgrade the product page
- Add a proof block near the top: three bullets (outcome, speed, reliability), one validated metric, one quote.
- Link to the full case study and embed the video.
Hour 18–24: Draft the 3‑email sequence
- Email 1 – Story: 80–120 words; link to the case study and video.
- Email 2 – Proof: lead with one quantified result and a short quote.
- Email 3 – How it works: three steps, “what happens next”, and a calendar link.
Day 2: Sign‑off, publish and distribute
- Send the draft assets to the customer for approval; store the written permission alongside your evidence pack.
- Publish the case study, update the product page, upload the video (with a plain, descriptive title), and schedule the emails.
- Post one clipped quote and one metric visual to LinkedIn with a link back to the case study.
Permissions, proof and guardrails (keep yourself safe)
Three simple rules keep UK SMEs out of trouble and build trust:
- Obtain and keep permission for any testimonial or quote; store contact details of the person who gave it. asa.org.uk
- Substantiate factual claims with documents or data; never rely on testimonials as evidence. asa.org.uk
- Be transparent about interests (for example, if the speaker is an investor or partner). asa.org.uk
These are advertising standards, not bureaucracy. They protect you and make your content more persuasive because it’s verifiable.
Tooling: what to use and how to choose
You do not need an enterprise stack. Choose lightweight tools that respect data and make the workflow fast.
Recording & transcription
- Use your meeting platform’s recording and transcription features or a transcription app that supports UK English.
- Procurement questions: Where is data stored? Can I delete files? Is there an audit trail?
Summarisation & drafting
- A general‑purpose AI writer is fine for first drafts; keep the customer’s words wherever possible.
- Turn long quotes into crisp pull‑quotes without altering meaning; keep original timestamps in your notes.
Lightweight video
- Use a browser editor for trimming and captions. Export square, vertical and 16:9.
- Add plain titles (“How Acme cut onboarding time by 42% in 6 weeks”)—no hype.
Asset management
- Create a shared folder per story: raw recording, transcript, permission email, evidence (screenshots, emails, KPIs), and final assets.
Note: If you record calls, always inform participants and gain consent before recording or using extracts in marketing. This is good practice and aligns with UK expectations on fair processing and transparency.
Quality bar: pass/fail checks you can run in 15 minutes
- Quote integrity: Is the quoted sentence exactly what was said? Do you have the timestamp?
- Metric clarity: Does every number have a unit, baseline and timeframe? Example: “42% reduction in onboarding time (8 → 4.6 hours) over 6 weeks”.
- Outcome relevance: If a buyer skimmed for 20 seconds, would they understand the “before → after” and who it applies to?
- Visual honesty: Screenshots blur sensitive data; no mock‑ups that could mislead.
- Permission trail: Is the authorisation email saved? Is the person identifiable as permitted?
- No overclaiming: If the quote implies a factual result, can you substantiate it with records? asa.org.uk
For additional checks, see our companion guide, The 9 AI Content Quality Tests UK SMEs Can Run This Week.
Costs, risks and how to keep control
| Item | Typical SME choice | Indicative cost | Risk to manage | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transcription (60–90 mins) | Built‑in meeting tool | Included in licence | Accuracy on names/figures | Spellcheck key terms; confirm numbers with the customer |
| Light video edit | Browser editor with captions | £0–£20 per video | Mis‑sync captions | Burned‑in captions; human watch‑through |
| Design polish | Brand template in slides/docs | £0 | Inconsistent logos/colours | Lock template; final reviewer signs off |
| Distribution | Email campaign + LinkedIn | Included | Low engagement | Test two subject lines; post one video cut‑down natively |
Because a single conversation feeds multiple assets, the effective cost per asset is low. The bigger “cost” is discipline: capturing permission and evidence on the day, then publishing quickly.
KPIs to track (evidence of impact)
- Time‑to‑first‑draft: under 6 hours from transcript to 1‑pager.
- Publish velocity: case study live within 48 hours of the call.
- Proof density: at least one validated metric and one named quote per case study.
- Product‑page uplift: +10–20% click‑through to enquiry when a proof block is added (measure before/after for 14 days).
- Video watch rate: 35%+ average completion for a 90‑second clip.
- Email reply rate: aim for 3–5% on the “how it works” email when sent to warm prospects.
Distribution playbook (do this in 90 minutes)
- Website: Publish the case study and link it from the product page proof block.
- Video: Upload to YouTube with a clear, literal title and a first comment linking to the case study. Remember your audience already spends time there. ofcom.org.uk
- LinkedIn: Post a 30‑second clip with one metric and a single sentence of context. Invite questions.
- Email: Send the 3‑part sequence to active opportunities; forward Email 1 to sales for one‑to‑one follow‑ups.
- Answers widget/FAQ: Add the proof snippets to your on‑site answers or FAQ tool so visitors see real outcomes. For a build example, see how we launched an AI answers widget in 21 days.
What to avoid (the four common failure modes)
- Generic “AI copy”. If the customer can’t recognise their own words, you’ve lost authenticity.
- No baseline. “We cut costs” is meaningless; always include where you started.
- Uncleared logos and names. If in doubt, anonymise and describe the sector/size instead.
- Overclaiming. If a claim looks factual, ensure you have documentary proof; testimonials alone don’t count. asa.org.uk
Make it a habit: the fortnightly cadence
Set a standing 60‑minute slot every other Friday:
- 15 mins — pick the next story and send the permission template.
- 25 mins — skim the transcript, shortlist quotes and metrics.
- 20 mins — draft the case study skeleton and proof block.
Over a quarter, you’ll ship six stories, build a library of quotes and results, and feed your website, email and social content without starting from scratch each time. For a broader content system, see Build a Zero‑Waste AI Content Engine and Zero‑click content that still converts.
Appendix: procurement questions for small teams
- Data handling: Where is audio/video stored? Can we set automatic deletion after 30 days?
- Access: Can we restrict transcripts to specific users or groups?
- Export: Can we export SRT/VTT captions and raw text without watermarks?
- Pricing: Is it per hour of audio, per export, or per seat?
- Evidence trail: How do we attach permission emails and screenshots to the asset record?
If you want help standing this up in one week, we can run a guided sprint and leave you with templates, an evidence policy and a repeatable cadence.
Further reading: Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 summary on time spent online and YouTube usage. ofcom.org.uk