How To Use Testimonials In Your Campaign

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.

The secret to powerful testimonials? 👇 Understanding the 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆! To truly master the art of testimonials, you must: ↳ 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 to demonstrate clear before-and-after scenarios. ↳ Dive into the 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 to make the impact more relatable. ↳ Highlight 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 that set your service apart. [Check out the infographic for more details!] 1. What was your initial problem? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Sets the stage for the testimonial by identifying the challenge faced. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Encourage detailed descriptions to underline the value of your solution. 2. How did the frustration feel? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Emphasizes the emotional relief your service provided. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Prompt for vivid emotional details to paint a clearer before and after picture. 3. What makes our service unique? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Distinguishes your service from others and highlights special features. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Guide clients to mention specific aspects that they found most beneficial. 4. When did you notice our service worked? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Captures the 'aha' moment of your service’s effectiveness. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Ask for a specific instance or turning point to make the story compelling. 5. How is your life better now? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Shows the practical and lasting benefits of your service. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Request both tangible and intangible examples of improvements. 6. How do you feel about your business now? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Reflects the transformation in their business and mindset. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Encourage comparison to their state before using your service for greater impact. 7. What would you tell a friend about us? ↳ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸: Elicits a natural and genuine endorsement. ↳ 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Suggest framing their response as if they were having a casual conversation. Go beyond surface-level praise! 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 of transformation and satisfaction. What strategies have you found most effective for gathering testimonials? #cocreate #marketing #entrepreneurship #business #digitalmarketing #innovation #strategy _____ Found this helpful? Help others by sharing it 📤. Follow me Marco Franzoni for similar insights!

Most testimonials don’t actually build trust. Here’s why. A lot of the time, they’re just kind of... there. Dropped in randomly. No context. No real thought behind them. They look like a checkbox, not a trust builder. But when done right, testimonials can be one of the most powerful conversion tools on your website. Here’s the formula I think about: 👉 Great testimonials = credibility + relevance + impact. Credibility: This comes from logos people recognize, companies with authority, or well-known personal brands. On your homepage: where all kinds of people land, lead with your most credible testimonials. Not just ones tied to one niche or industry. Relevance: Match the testimonial to your reader. Same industry. Same job title. Same product use case. Use your product pages, use case pages, and even your sales decks to serve up testimonials that feel personalized and tailored. Impact It’s not just what’s said… it’s how it’s said. Video > Text. But not everyone watches videos. The best setup we’ve found: → A short, impactful video (even just a looping gif preview) → A strong text excerpt next to it → Name, title, logo → Bonus points for metrics + a link to the full case study. Way more believable than a big block of anonymous text. Most websites treat testimonials like decoration. But if you use them right, they can be one of your strongest conversion levers. Here’s a video example for more clarity. How are you using testimonials right now, and where could they hit harder?