Key Takeaways
1. A great testimonial needs specificity, real results, and authenticity, not just vague praise. "This company is great" doesn't move anyone, but a testimonial that names the specific problem solved and the tangible outcome achieved is what actually builds trust, and testimonials that hit these elements can boost conversions by around 34%.
2. Timing and psychology matter more than the wording of the ask itself. Asking right after a positive interaction, like a completed purchase or a compliment given in conversation, works far better than a random request, and factors like existing relationship trust, mirroring the customer's tone, and offering something back all make people more willing to say yes.
3. Testimonials and referrals reinforce each other rather than being separate asks. A customer who's already happy enough to give a strong testimonial is often primed to refer a friend too, and vice versa, so businesses can use testimonials as resources for referrers or fold testimonial requests directly into an existing referral program to strengthen both at once.
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90% of people are way more likely to believe what your customers have to say about your company than anything you could come up with on your own. Top-notch marketers know this and use it to their advantage as much as possible.
From referrals to reviews, if you can control the narrative around your company, you’re well on your way to exponential growth. One way to do that is to gather testimonials from happy customers.
Getting your hands on these golden nuggets is easier said than done, so let’s take a deep dive into what makes a great testimonial, and how you can ask for ones that make a big impact.
What Makes a Great Testimonial?
When your clients have lots of good things to say about you, they’re primed and ready to give you a killer testimonial. This statement or recommendation explaining their experience is a dream come true for marketers because it lets you brag about your company while building trust, credibility, and social proof.
However, if someone just says “This company is pretty cool!” that won’t get the best results. A truly exceptional testimonial will have some combination of the following elements:
- Specificity - How exactly did you solve their problem or improve their life? Details make testimonials relatable and believable
- Results - Highlight the benefits your company gave the customer, from increased sales, to improved efficiency, and beyond. The more tangible evidence it provides, the better
- Authenticity - There’s nothing easier to spot than a made-up testimonial. Any promotional language or fakeness will be clocked and turn potential customers away
When users can bake these elements into their testimonials, companies can see a 34% boost in conversions.
The Art of the Ask
If it were as simple as saying please, everyone’s business would be inundated with countless glowing testimonials. It takes craft and skill to ask for testimonials in a way that keeps your current customers happy and gives you the best chance at success.
As with any social interaction, there have been tons of studies done by psychologists to get to the core of a persuasive ask. They’ve managed to find a list of factors that help make even the most difficult requests feel convincing.
- Start With Relationship - If you want to influence someone in one way or another, you’ll want to build a base of trust and connection. The more engaged you are with your customers, and the longer you’ve worked with them, the easier it will be to convince them to write a testimonial
- Speak Their Language - Take time to understand your target audience and meet them where they are. If they use a formal tone when speaking with you, mirror that. Alternatively, if they regularly send you gifs of wacky cats, give it a try
- Enter With Confidence - If you believe it, they’ll believe it. You know these folks have nice things to say about your team, and you know their word could have a huge impact, so bring that energy to the conversation
- Offer Reciprocity - Tit for Tat. This is where a well-curated reward for testimonials can go a long way
- Build Up Credibility - You’re far more likely to get people’s trust and win them over when they think of you as an authority. If your business has consistently delivered good work, strived to innovate, and worked to become a thought leader, you’ll have your customers’ hearts
Coming into a conversation with these factors in mind will give you a huge leg up when it comes to getting testimonials from your customers.
When Do You Ask For Testimonials?
No matter how convincing you are, going in for a testimonial at the wrong time is a one-way ticket to a sub-par statement. The goal is to strike when the iron is hot. If customers are already thinking - or even talking - about how much they love your company, they’ll have no problem crafting a stellar testimonial.
A few excellent times to broach the topic are when:
- You’ve made a sale or finished a service
- The customer has had time to see the value of a past purchase (think a week or two post-purchase)
- You spot them praising you on social media
- They drop a compliment or two in a conversation with you online or in person
The more touchpoints you pepper with requests for mini testimonials, the more feedback you’ll receive. This builds your pool of glowing comments to pull from while making deeper connections with your users.
Best Practices For Getting a Testimonial
It can be nerve-wracking to ask for a testimonial from someone, especially when you aren’t entirely sure how to get the conversation going. Here are some of my top tips for crafting a request that works every time.
Tip One: Make it Personal
As helpful as templates can be, if your customers feel like a random box you’re checking off your list they are not going to feel like writing up a testimonial for you. Take time to personalize your request by using specific details about the person you’re asking, and make sure they know exactly why you’re looking for their input in particular.
Tip Two: Make It Simple
The easier it is for your customers to write a testimonial, the more likely they are to do it. You can simplify the process for them by
- Sending a sample testimonial for them to reference
- Offering prompts and open-ended questions
- Creating a template they can fill in
These help eliminate any writer's block or anxiety for your customers and make it easy to say yes.
Tip Three: Know What to Ask
Some questions are going to get better results than others. Whenever I want excellent testimonials that boost conversions, here are some things I ask.
- What big issues were you dealing with that led you to our company?
- How did our (product/service) help you address that issue?
- Do you have any specific stats and results we can see?
- If someone was unsure about our company, what would you say to them?
- Is there anything you’d like to add?
These kinds of open-ended questions are sure to get you a convincing testimonial and help folks know what information you’re after.
Tip Four: Mix it Up
Different people are going to feel more comfortable expressing themselves in different mediums. Maybe one of your customers is better at talking out their ideas than having to write them down. Or someone might only have the time to throw together a quick social-media-sized text.
Giving them the option not only makes them more likely to send something in, it also gets them excited about the process.
Tip Five: Make It Worth It
85% of customers name incentives as a major motivator when they give feedback to companies. You’re going to make your marketing pop with these testimonials, it doesn’t hurt to send a little positive energy back down the line.
This could mean offering a discount, free merch, or exclusive VIP treatment. Whatever you choose, make sure it's something that will be exciting for your audience. This can be yet another reason they love to rave about your company!
Testimonials and Referrals: Sides of the Same Coin
The great thing about breaking the barrier and asking for a testimonial is that it opens the door for collecting other forms of social proof and word-of-mouth marketing. If someone is already referring your company to a friend, they’ll probably be super excited to offer a testimonial, and vice versa.
Both referrals and testimonials can be most effective when collected from customers who
- Have told you repeatedly how much they love your company
- Made a purchase recently
- Have worked with your company for a long time
- Regularly leave positive comments and reviews online
- You’ve helped with a specific issue
What’s more, these two asks can feed into each other in the long run.
If a customer can articulate their love of your company through a testimonial, they’ll be that much more successful when it comes to getting referrals. You can take testimonials and give them to referrers as a resource, helping you bring in more new customers.
On the other hand, if someone has been bringing in lots of referrals, they have already learned how to explain how wonderful your brand is! Harness that passion and turn it into a well-crafted testimonial.
Savvy marketers can even fold testimonials into their existing referral program, offering bonus rewards for those who can provide the perfect snippet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why are testimonials important?
Testimonials build trust, credibility, and social proof. 92% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase. Products with reviews have a 270% higher conversion rate. Testimonials are one of the most powerful forms of marketing because they come from real customers, not the company.
2. What makes a great testimonial?
Specificity (concrete details), results (tangible outcomes), and authenticity (real, not promotional). Vague testimonials don't convert. Specific, result-oriented testimonials do.
3. When should I ask for a testimonial?
Ask after a positive interaction—after a sale, after a service is completed, after they've had time to see results (1-2 weeks), or when they've praised you on social media. Timing matters as much as the ask itself.
4. How do I make it easy for customers to give testimonials?
Use a simple form with 3-4 prompts, provide a sample template, offer different mediums (written, video, audio), and make the process as frictionless as possible. Every extra step cuts participation.
5. Should I offer incentives for testimonials?
Yes—85% of customers say incentives motivate them to give feedback. Offer discounts, gift cards, or exclusive VIP treatment. Both cash (discounts) and non-monetary (recognition) incentives work.
6. How are testimonials and referrals connected?
They're two sides of the same coin. Customers who give testimonials are more likely to refer, and customers who refer are more likely to give testimonials. The testimonial-referral flywheel amplifies both.
7. What questions should I ask for a testimonial?
Ask: What problem were you facing? How did we solve it? What specific results have you seen? What would you tell someone considering us? Anything else to add? These guide customers toward specific, result-oriented answers.
8. How long should a testimonial be?
Quality over quantity. A powerful 3-5 sentence testimonial is more effective than a rambling paragraph. Aim for 50-100 words that capture specificity, results, and authenticity.
The Bottom Line
A great testimonial goes beyond a simple positive review. It’s authentic, specific, and meets potential customers where they’re at. If you’re going to score truly impactful testimonials, you have to understand what gets your current user base excited, and what they want to talk about.
When you approach satisfied customers like people and engage with them beyond asking for praise, not only will you get great success stories from them, you’ll deepen your relationship with them and build brand loyalty.
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