How to ask for Testimonials from Clients?

Why do you need Client Testimonials?

Consumers have increasingly lost faith in conventional business communication methods of marketing, advertising, and sales, in which the company boasts about its products or services. They like hearing from the customers about how they feel about the product/service rather than the company or producer itself.

According to a survey done in 2023, 55% of customers lack trust in companies, while a striking 79% rely on online reviews as much as they do on recommendations from friends or family.

The best source for winning the customers' trust still remains “Word of Mouth.”

Testimonials are great social proof for happy customers and the biggest sign of trust and reliability. Testimonials add the personal touch that traditional marketing methods lack, and they humanize your overall brand. 

With that in place, you will build trust amongst new people and get more conversions. Let your loyal customers be your biggest sales pitch! Now, let’s see how you can ask for testimonials from your customers/clients. 

Step-by-step plan to get Testimonials from Clients/Customers

What kind of testimonial do you want from them?

The first step is to be clear with your ask. Customers, especially happy customers, are happy to help and give testimonials. But a lot of times, they are not aware of what they can do to help the business. 

You have to decide whether you want a written testimonial, a video testimonial, a social media post testimonial, an online review, etc. Written testimonials are great for website content or printed materials, as they are easy to display and share and don’t load the website.

Video testimonials, on the other hand, are more engaging and powerful. They convey more emotions and authenticity. Next, online reviews are impactful for building credibility on review platforms and influencing potential customers. 

Social Media Post Testimonials are quickly shareable and can reach a broad audience, fostering engagement and trust. Based on that, you can decide which works best for your audience and business! 

Lastly, there are many ways by which your social media posts, online reviews, and website testimonials can be linked. You can also combine some of these methods. For example, look at how Gift A Melody has combined video and text testimonials, which look natural, attractive, and trustworthy at the same time. 

Make a list of your most successful customers 

Customers who have had a good experience with your product or service are most likely to give you good feedback more easily. Happy customers are eager to share their positive experiences to express gratitude for the value they received.

Success fosters a desire to reciprocate. Hence, satisfied customers are often more willing to help a business that aids their achievements.

So, make a list in ascending order of what you think were your best success stories with customers. Include the customers with whom you have good personal relationships at the top of that list. 

When to ask for a testimonial? Get the timings right!

Timing is crucial when requesting a testimonial. It's most effective to ask when a customer is most likely to provide positive feedback, typically right after a satisfying experience.

For example, a mortgage broker who has successfully secured a loan for a client is at the perfect juncture to request a testimonial. Similarly, an online course provider should seek feedback from students immediately after they've completed their course and received certification.

In the realm of SaaS businesses, the ideal moment for a testimonial is right after a support agent has resolved a technical issue for a customer. This is when clients are most willing to share positive experiences. The key is to engage with clients promptly following a successful service interaction.

Delaying the request can not only diminish the vividness and immediacy of the positive experience but may also result in customers not leaving a review at all. Over time, the details and emotions of a positive encounter can become blurred, and without their initial enthusiasm, customers may simply choose not to provide feedback.

Capturing a customer's immediate satisfaction is therefore essential for a testimonial that is both authentic and influential.

Take the example of Gift a Melody. They successfully obtained a testimonial right after delivering a product. This feedback vividly captured the customer's enthusiasm and satisfaction, emotions that might have been lost if the request for a testimonial had been delayed.

Method of communication 

You can reach out to your customers or clients via various methods, including mail, voice calls, video calls, etc. However, the effectiveness of these methods may vary depending on your customer behavior. 

People usually are less responsive to emails and other online communications, as they lack the important personal element. Please be mindful of the fact that you’re asking for a favour.  

Hence, for small businesses, I recommend that they reach out manually to the client and request testimonials. 

For mid- to large-scale enterprises, prioritize personal outreach, at least with top clients. You can definitely opt for automated mail for broader reach. But make sure to do as much personalized communication as possible to ensure a sincere appeal for testimonials. 

Why would they say yes?

Customers are more inclined to say yes to providing a testimonial when they feel valued and appreciated. Incentives like discounts or special benefits can of course, motivate them, but the core lies in fostering a meaningful, positive relationship. 

Customers are more likely to reciprocate with a testimonial when there's a personal connection, where they feel their input matters and is appreciated. People are more than willing to favor their friends and connections more than others. 

It's also about acknowledging their importance beyond just the transactional aspect and emphasizing the value of their voice in shaping the business's success. 

Make it easy for them.

Simplify the process by offering convenience and support! For special clients, consider sending a team to record, ensuring a professional touch. Share a script or template to guide them and offer tips or sample videos for inspiration.

You can also conduct a Zoom call where you pose questions, creating a comfortable environment for them to share their experience. 

Best Questions to Ask During Video Testimonials

Keep it concise and straightforward. To ease their recording, suggest teleprompter apps that can assist in delivering their testimonial seamlessly and confidently. Just ensure that whatever you do must save them time and effort so it’s easy for them to help!

Make them look good!!!

Today, everyone is driven by social incentives, especially with the existence of apps like LinkedIn and Instagram. You make your customers look good by elevating their personal brand and showcasing their testimonials prominently. 

Tagging them on social media posts expressing gratitude for their valuable feedback highlights their association with your business, and enhancing their visibility can also help.

However, be mindful of it, as that could also backfire sometimes if a customer prefers privacy! So do ask for their consent (better, if written) before doing any of that!

Lastly, for business customers, testimonials also provide a platform to promote their brand. Highlighting their positive experiences boosts their reputation and fosters a collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship. Acknowledging their input publicly demonstrates appreciation and adds credibility to their endorsement, ultimately benefiting both parties.

See how Very Good Copy displays its clients’ profiles and designations, giving visibility to their personal brands.

Reminders & Follow-ups

After you have taken all the right steps to ask for a testimonial and have been professional and nice about it, it’s your duty to follow up and gently remind those from whom you have requested the testimonial.

People usually don’t mind doing favors, but it’s not their top priority. With the busyness that occupies everyone, even the most well-intended people can procrastinate.

Hence, it doesn’t harm to follow up! However, the approach should remain professional. Avoiding pestering or undue pressure, ensuring your ask remains respectful and considerate.

How to pitch your customers for a Testimonial

Consider this a flow of conversation that you can apply in whatever medium you communicate.  

Step 1: Warm up the client/customer

• Greetings & appreciation for their partnership 

(Build Personal Connection)

• Recall positive interactions or projects
  You can also talk about any good memories or conversations you had together. For example, in a client interaction, I remember the client telling me some issues with his wife’s health. So that was the first question I asked him when we spoke again. That displayed genuine care and also established a deeper layer in the relationship.
• Value of Feedback

Emphasize the significance of their feedback. Be a little vulnerable and tell them that you need their help and how their help could make a genuine difference! Make them feel important about themselves and your partnership with them.

Step 2 - The Ask

• Politely Request for Testimonial

You can say something like, “I hope you don’t mind doing me a favor. Can you help me with your testimony on…” or “We are doing testimonials on __. Do you mind sharing your experience?”

• Guidelines for Testimonial

(Provide specific questions or guidelines for their testimonial) 

• Benefits of Testimonials

(Explain how testimonials benefit both parties) 

• Assurance of Privacy

(Ensure their privacy or anonymity if needed) 

Step 3 - Support Provision

• Make it convenient for them
  Based on the request you make from them, ensure the highest level of convenience and additional support to make this process easier for them and cost them as little time or effort as possible. 
• Incentives (if applicable)

Offer incentives for providing testimonials 

• Visual Aids or Examples

(Share examples of effective testimonials or showcase testimonial pages)

Step 4 - Reminders

• Follow-up Communication

Even helpful people sometimes procrastinate, so it’s important to consistently remind them! 

• Be professional about it!
  In these situations, it’s easy to come across as desperate or pushy. So just be mindful of that!

Step 5 - Gratitude & Appreciation

• Express sincere gratitude for their time and willingness 

How do you ask for a Video Testimonial from a Client? 

Video testimonials take the most effort, as the client will have to record themselves. People can also feel camera-conscious or uncomfortable. Hence, this process involves a lot of resistance.

So, I suggest that you start by expressing gratitude for their partnership and maybe talk about a standout project or interaction. Then, politely ask if they'd consider sharing their positive experience on video, ensuring it's convenient for them and offering support with guidelines or questions. 

Emphasize the value of their story in helping others and assure them of any privacy preferences. Provide flexibility in recording—whether through a professional setup, smartphone, or virtual call—and express appreciation for their time and contribution.

Testimonial Video Tips Guaranteed to Grow Your Business

How do you request a Social Media Shoutout Testimonial? 

When asking for a social media testimonial or review from a client, after following the above-mentioned steps of catching up with them and introducing your request, highlight the ease of leaving a review on their preferred platform and offer guidance or prompts if helpful.

Maybe ask them if they would need a template or script or any other help. Clarify all their doubts and share examples. Lastly, share the link with them and ask them to let you know when the work is done. Don’t forget to thank them for their help! 

How do you ask for a written testimonial from a Client for your website? 

Written testimonials are fairly easy and do not take much effort. So, the first step of interaction with your client should be greeting them and reminding them of your rapport with them. 

Then, simply tell them that you’d appreciate their testimonial on your website so potential customers can see it. Discuss how much their testimonial means to you. At the same time, ensure their comfort by respecting their privacy preferences. 

You should also ask for permission from your customer or client to use their testimonials on your own social media and promotional materials. Testimonials serve as powerful social proof, offering potential customers genuine insights into others' experiences with a product or service. Social media sharing also increases visibility and has a word-of-mouth effect.

If they are comfortable with your request, you can ask for a feedback email or a text message (or anything you can document and save as proof), emphasizing their experience, what they liked about the services/products, and also if there’s anything they’d suggest to improve. 

If you have received the testimonial and you want to edit it, it’s always a good idea to share the testimony with the person who’s written it for review and approval. They may want to change some words or correct grammatical mistakes. It could be anything! 

Thank them sincerely for their time and willingness to contribute. Lastly, quote something from their feedback and ask if you can post that quote on your website. Once you receive their consent, you can post their testimonial. 

How do you request a Google Review from a client or customer?

Google allows Google business profiles and online listings to send a shareable link by which your customers/clients can add their reviews and give ratings to your business. Simply go to your business profile, make sure you’re logged in, and in the reviews section, click on “Get more reviews.”

That will open a new window from where you can copy the link and share it with your customers. 

If you find all this work too much of a hassle, you can also consider Testimonial Donut, a platform allows you to collect testimonials (video and text) and aggregate testimonials and shoutouts from a range of online sources (Google, X.com, LinkedIn, Capterra, Reddit, ProductHunt, Instagram) for you to easily showcase on your website without having to write any code yourself. Check it out here. 

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