Customer Testimonial Formats That Work

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?

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?

Most product pages with testimonials read like this 👇 • “Here’s what others say!” (scroll to bottom) • Glowing review • Maybe a photo • That’s it But you can flip testimonials into content: Try this format: 1. Use a testimonial as the headline, not a footer. → “I wore this on a 12-hour shift and didn’t sweat once” 2. Tell the story behind it. → Interview the customer. “Why’d you buy it? What were you worried about?” 3. Point to the problem it solved. → “We realized our old copy missed this entire pain point…” Link to the product after the transformation is clear. Don’t make testimonials passive. Make them narrative.