Three questions before you tell a client's story

Expert content is strongest with a concrete case: “someone came in with this, we tried that, here is what happened.” The viewer recognises themselves and the message sticks. The catch: the person in that story is your client, and what you are telling is not yours.

“Identifiable” is broader than you think

Leaving out the name is not enough. Age, city, occupation, complaint and timing together make a person recognisable to the people around them. The test is not your intent; it is whether the person can be singled out.

Dropping the name does not make it anonymous: “a 34-year-old teacher who came in last week” points at someone.

Three questions before you record

• Can I tell this without that detail? Age, city and occupation usually add nothing to the story.
• If this person saw the video, would they recognise themselves? More importantly, would the people around them?
• Do I have consent, is it written, and does it cover what is shared and where?

If you take consent, take it properly

A verbal “is it okay?” is not consent. Write down what is shared, on which channel, for how long, and make sure the person knows they can withdraw at any time. In healthcare there is an extra layer: promotional rules ban client testimonials outright, and consent does not lift that ban.

How to keep the story and lose the person

Tie the case to a pattern instead of an individual: “a pattern I see often”, “people who do this regularly tend to…”. The narrative power survives, the person disappears. It also reads better: a single case is an anecdote, a repeating pattern is expertise.