Writing Effective Customer Testimonials

Here's 2 testimonial formats that don't sound like bullsh*t: It’s tempting to showcase your most effusive reviews, but that’s a missed opportunity. We got this one last week: "I've been an entrepreneur for almost 30 years and this is the best thing I've ever done. Wish I did it 30 years ago.” I love reading testimonials like that! But I don't post them on our site. Why? Because they sound like bullsh*t. Think about it from your prospect’s perspective: If they read a review that says “This product is awesome!” will they think “Wow, this product must be awesome. Lemme grab my credit card…” (No. No, they will not.) Effective testimonials don’t just say “It's awesome,” they break through by addressing prospect’s specific goals and fears. Like this... 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝟮 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶��� 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿? Share quotes from people describing that exact outcome. For example: • “We cut production times by 30% while lowering defect rates, I didn’t think that was possible.” • “We quadrupled the engagement rates of our outreach campaigns, now we actually need to hire more salespeople.” • “We were able to achieve 100% FCA compliance without hiring additional people." 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽? Call it out and knock it down. Examples: • “Normally my sales reps hate new software and refuse to use it, but they love [product] and they’re 24% more productive after the first week.” • “I thought migration would be a huge hassle, but we were up and running in 2 hours, no engineering required.” • “Our CEO was watching this project closely, so I was nervous about working with software from a startup. But [product] not only did the job, it made my whole team look like rockstars." For both options, the key is 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺. The more directly you can address the reader’s exact desire or blocker, the more the quote will resonate with them – and the less it will sound like bullsh*t. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗽: What if your customers don’t give you the right words for your ideal testimonial? You can always reply to a happy customer and ask “Would you mind if we phrased your testimonial this way instead?” They’ll usually say yes. Who else needs to read this? Tag them 👇🏼 Are you a little smarter than you were 2 minutes ago? Follow me: Matt Lerner so you don't miss my future posts.

There’s a big difference between a good testimonial and a useful one. ☺️ “We love the team” is good. 💸 “This helped us launch twice as fast as our last vendor” is useful. One makes you feel warm. The other moves a deal forward. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially because I spend a lot of time on 45–60 minute customer interviews, mostly for case studies. But those calls often serve a second purpose: they’re the source of testimonials, ROI proof points, and other enablement assets for sales. And when a customer is generously giving you an hour of their time, you want to make sure you’re capturing how they feel and also what changed. That’s the difference between a surface-level quote and one that becomes a shortcut in a sales conversation. The trick is in how you listen. It’s not enough to ask, “Did you feel supported?” or “How’s the experience been?” Most customers don’t show up to the call thinking in ROI terms. They talk in feelings. - “It just works.” - “The experience was so smooth.” - “We feel really supported.” And those are great — they tell you something. But they don’t always give sales what they need. So part of the work is learning how to go deeper without making the customer feel interrogated. If someone says, “We feel supported,” I might gently ask: - “What’s an example of a moment where you felt that support really came through?” - “Was there a time something went wrong, and you were surprised by how it was handled?” If they say, “The platform’s really intuitive,” I’ll try: - “Can you remember how long it took your team to get comfortable using it?” - “Were there specific features that made that experience smoother than what you used before?” Sometimes the most powerful quotes come from these follow-ups. The first answer is what they remember. The second is what they realized. And that’s where the insight lives.

Plot twist: Your top performer isn't even on payroll. While you're grinding through cold calls and perfecting pitch decks, your actual sales superstars are sitting in your customer base, and most companies completely ignore them. Think about it: Who's more convincing? ❌ You explaining why your product is amazing ✅ A customer explaining how it transformed their business Here's the playbook that's turning customers into commission-free closers: 🎯 Turn success into content: Skip the generic thank-you note. Get that win in front of eyeballs; case studies, LinkedIn posts, video testimonials. Success is contagious. 🎤 Hand them the microphone: A 2-minute customer video explaining their transformation beats your entire sales deck. Let them tell the story in their words. 🔄 Build the referral machine: Make customer intros part of every quarterly check-in. The best reps I know cut their sales cycles in half with warm introductions. 💬 Steal their language: Stop using marketing speak. Use the exact words your customers use to describe their problems and wins. That's what resonates with prospects. 🏆 Make them famous: Customer of the month. Slack shoutouts. Social media features. People love recognition, and others want to be next. The reality check: Your customers aren't just buying your product; they're betting their reputation on it. When they succeed, they become walking proof that you deliver. And in a world where everyone's selling, proof beats promises every time. Your customers already said yes once. Now make them want to repeat it for you. #sales #customersuccess

You don't need to "sell" your offer When your clients’ results speak for you. The fastest way to attract new leads? → Show them what’s possible through your client wins. But not all wins create the same impact. Here’s how to share client results that actually convert: 1️⃣ Go beyond the testimonial Don’t just say “They loved working with me.” → Highlight the before and after transformation. → Use real numbers, real emotions, real breakthroughs. Example: “Jess went from no strategy to 5 clients/month.” 2️⃣ Share the behind-the-scenes process Leads want to know HOW it happened. → Outline what you did together in a few bullet points. → Make it feel possible and repeatable. This builds trust and shows your method works. 3️⃣ Use storytelling, not just screenshots Instead of posting “client win 🎉” in a Canva graphic: → Share the client’s journey like a mini case study. → Use simple storytelling language they relate to. This pulls your dream client into the narrative. 4️⃣ Add soft CTAs to nurture Not every post needs to hard sell. → Try: “Curious how this could look for you?” → Or: “DM me ‘GROWTH’ and let’s chat about it.” This lowers pressure and increases connection. Remember: Your client results are your best marketing asset. Use them strategically and consistently to bring in warm leads. PS: What’s one client win you’re proud of right now? Drop it below 👇 I’d love to celebrate it with you.

Most companies never use their customer stories right. Why? Because they're collecting testimonials instead of transforming experiences. Look at a typical testimonial on most websites: "Great company, excellent service! Would recommend!" - Jane D. This isn't a story. It's a waste of valuable screen space. Your prospects don't want vague praise. They want to see themselves in your success stories. After analyzing hundreds of B2B websites, I've developed a simple framework that transforms lifeless testimonials into compelling stories: 1/ Start with the STRUGGLE ↳ What specific problem was your customer facing? Make it visceral. 2/ Show the SEARCH ↳ What solutions did they try before? Why didn't they work? 3/ Highlight the SHIFT ↳ What made them choose your solution? What was the moment of truth? 4/ Document the RESULTS ↳  Not just numbers - what changed in their day-to-day reality? 5/ Reveal the RIPPLE EFFECT ↳  How did this impact other areas of their business or life? Let me show you what difference it makes:

You Don’t Need Better Testimonials —  You Need Better Storytelling Your Testimonials Are Dying in Your Docs Most businesses are sitting on a goldmine of social proof. (And letting it rot) Here's the truth no one's telling you: Raw testimonials don't sell. Stories do. Here's how to transform dead feedback into living proof: 1. Find the Tension First → What kept your client awake at night? → Which "solutions" had already failed? → What made them finally reach out? 2. Build the Stakes → What would happen if nothing changed? → Which obstacles almost stopped them? → What convinced them to trust you? 3. Show the Transformation → What specific results emerged? → Which surprise benefits appeared? → How does their world look different now? Example: Before: "Great service, helped us grow our sales!" After: "We were burning through $40K/month on ads that didn't convert. Two agencies had failed us. Within 8 weeks of implementing the new framework, our cost per lead dropped 65% and our team stopped working weekends." See the difference? One is forgettable. The other makes prospects reach for their wallet. Your testimonials are story gold. Stop letting them gather dust. ♻️ Share if this shifted your thinking 🔔 Follow Mike Hays for more modern marketing psychology

You Say Your Customers Love You. Prove It. Here’s a not-so-secret truth about selling your business: It’s not just about what you say. It’s about what your customers say about you. When buyers dig into diligence, they don’t just review contracts and cash flow. They look for signs that customers are happy—and likely to stick around. Customer testimonials aren’t just fluff. They’re buyer conversion tools. Here’s how social proof maturity evolves across 4 stages: 🔻 Stage 1: Silent (Difficult to Sell) No public reviews. No testimonials. No quotes in proposals or decks. Buyers see risk: “What if the customers don’t actually like them?” ⭐ Fix it: • Reach out to 5–10 happy clients and ask for testimonials • Focus on results: “They helped us grow X%” beats “They’re great!” 🟠 Stage 2: Patchy (Sellable, But Soft) A few quotes exist—but they’re vague, outdated, or hard to find. No consistency across platforms. No strategy for showcasing customer satisfaction. ⭐ Fix it: • Refresh testimonials at least once a year • Add 2–3 customer success stories to your site and pitch materials 🟡 Stage 3: Trusted (Investor-Ready) Reviews are current, visible, and organized. The website includes case studies. 3rd-party reviews (G2, Google, LinkedIn) show buyer confidence. ⭐ Fix it: • Build a “Customer Voices” page—real names, real outcomes • Track and highlight metrics like NPS or CSAT if available 🟢 Stage 4: Advocate-Rich (Strategic Buyer Magnet) Customer love is everywhere—and undeniable. Video testimonials, media mentions, public case studies. Buyers view your customer base as not just stable—but a growth engine. ⭐ Fix it: • Automate testimonial collection (post-project, post-sale) • Encourage reviews on trusted platforms outside your site Bottom Line: 📉 No testimonials = buyer doubt 📈 Strong customer voices = higher confidence AND valuation If you don’t control your social proof, buyers will assume the worst—or discount the risk. Want to see if your customer love translates into deal leverage? → Download our Free Sellability Checklist (Spot easy wins that build buyer confidence—and pricing power.) #MergersAndAcquisitions #ExitPlanning #CustomerReviews #SocialProof #SellYourBusiness

Why your best customer testimonials are killing your sales. I know. Sounds insane. But after testing 147 testimonial videos, I discovered something that flipped everything I believed about social proof. Your happiest customers make the worst testimonials. Here's why: The psychological distance problem: When someone says "This changed my life! I went from zero to $1M in 6 months!" your prospect's brain does one thing: It creates distance. They think: "That's not me. I'll never be that person." The more successful your testimonial, the less believable it becomes. What actually converts: The struggle-to-progress ratio After analyzing conversion data across 200+ campaigns, I found the sweet spot: 70% Struggle / 30% Progress Not 100% success story. Not 100% problem. The perfect testimonial shows someone STILL IN THE FIGHT but finally seeing light. Real example that proves this: Accounting software client had two testimonial videos: Video A: CFO saved $500K, completely transformed their business Conversion rate: 1.7% Video B: Small business owner, still stressed, but "for the first time in 3 years, I slept through the night after closing the books" Conversion rate: 14.2% Same product. Same price. Different emotional distance. The 3 elements of high-converting testimonials: 1. Current struggle acknowledgment "I'm still figuring this out, but..." This says: I'm like you. 2. Specific micro-progress "Yesterday, I did X for the first time" This says: Progress is possible. 3. Emotional shift (not result) "I don't dread Mondays anymore" This says: Relief is real. Why this works: Your prospect isn't looking for a fairy tale. They're looking for hope. Hope lives in the space between struggle and progress. Not in the land of total transformation. The testimonial audit that changed everything: Go watch your testimonials with sound off. Do the people look relatable or alien? If they look too polished, too successful, too far removed from pain... You're creating distance, not desire. My highest-converting testimonial ever? A client who said: "I still hate cold calling. But Andrew's system made it suck 80% less. And that 20% was enough to save my business." Imperfect. Honest. Convertible. Because your prospects don't believe in miracles. They believe in marginal gains that matter. Stop showcasing your biggest wins. Start showing the smallest victories that changed everything.

Testimonial requests tend to sound like homework. “Would you mind filling out a quick review form?” “Could you write a few lines about your experience?” As Abe Lincoln once said - ain't nobody got time for that. Not when they’re drowning in QBR decks and budget asks. But here’s the good news: You’re ALREADY getting testimonials. You’re just not capturing them. How? Well, your best reviews happen mid-sentence...not in post-call surveys. Every week, your customers are saying: - “This saved us so much time.” - “I had no idea we could do that.” - “You’ve made my job way easier.” THAT'S your testimonial. Don’t ask for it later. Double back immediately. “Loved that feedback - any chance I can turn that into a short quote for our team? I’ll write it up for you to approve.” The answer is usually yes. Here’s a 3-part system CSMs can use: 1. Use Sybill to identify key praise moments. Tag the call. Clip the quote. Make it easy for marketing to use. Bonus points if it aligns to a launch, feature, or persona. 2. Send the follow-up within 24 hours. Keep it short: “Hey Samantha - loved what you said on today’s call. I drafted a quick version below. Let me know if you’re cool with it or want to tweak anything.” Now it’s opt-in. You removed homework from the equation. 3. Tie review asks to key milestones. Don’t wait until EBRs. Ask after: - a successful onboarding. - a new feature rollout. - a strong support save. - a surprise ROI win. All you're doing is reinforcing momentum. tl;dr = testimonial collection isn’t so much of a marketing play as it is a CS system. If your team’s sitting on dozens of glowing comments each month, but none of them make it into your website, your decks, or your content, you simply need to do a better job of capturing what's already coming your way. Fix that and the next case study writes itself.

How do you get away from generic testimonials that say things like, "She's great! I loved working with her!"? The best testimonials address real objections and speak to the transformation your clients experience. I send a questionnaire to every client at the end of each project, and it's completely changed the quality of testimonials I receive. Two real testimonials from recent clients show exactly what I mean: Testimonial #1: "Before working with Caitlin, we wondered whether we NEEDED to hire someone. Being on the other side, I can say with 100% confidence that it was a great investment of time and money! If I had tried to write the copy and create the design myself, there is no way it would look half as professional. The logo and designs she created are professional and distinctive and really help us stand out." Why this works: → It addresses the biggest objection I hear—"Can't I just do this myself?" This client literally wondered the same thing, then explains why hiring a pro made all the difference. Testimonial #2: "Hiring Caitlin is truly the best investment in my own company to date. Caitlin is an incredible listener, and I was astounded at how much she gleaned in such a short time, requiring very little lift on my part. She gently nudged where I needed it and left me with something that feels far more polished and much more reflective of my personality than what I was ever able to do on my own. I’m so proud of the result and can’t wait to see how it helps evolve my company in the future." Why this works: → It speaks to my unique process (deep listening, minimal time commitment) and the emotional outcome (pride in the result, true reflection of personality). She also references trying DIY in the past and being glad she chose to get help with the rebrand. Here's the questionnaire I send every client to capture testimonials like these: 👉 What hesitations did you have before hiring me? 👉 What made you decide to work with me? 👉 What did you like most about working with me? 👉 How do you think your new branding and website will impact your business? 👉 What would you say to someone who is thinking about working with me? BONUS question: 👉 Is there anyone you know who might benefit from my services? Would you be willing to refer them to me? I know it's easier to draft testimonials for clients and get their sign-off. But I'm genuinely curious how my clients would describe the experience without any prompting from me. In addition to getting a strong testimonial, it’s also an opportunity for real feedback I can learn from. What's your best tip for getting testimonials that actually sell for you?