Customer Testimonials That Boost Brand Credibility

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?

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

Most brands have no clue how to make a static ad work. They slap together a product shot, write “better energy,” and wonder why nothing converts. Here’s the problem: they’ve never seen a golden review. A golden review is the kind of customer feedback that writes the copy for you. It gives you the hook, the pain point, the transformation, even the CTA. We found one recently for Huel that hit all the major selling blocks like it was trained in direct response. First line? “My diet was OK before Huel… but a lot of crap food and missed breakfasts.” That’s a clean pain point right there. Feels real. Relatable. Doesn’t try too hard. Then comes the solution. “Now I replace the missed breakfast and crap lunches with Huel (it’s literally two thirds of my ‘food’ now).” That’s commitment. Believability. Then the review keeps layering on benefits like a trained closer. “I don’t feel snacky like I did. Energy levels up. Concentration much more focused. I feel better generally.” He even throws in a bonus, muscle tone improvement from the same gym routine. And if that wasn’t enough, it goes straight into comparison copy: “I had Joylent for a bit… but Huel gets its carbs from oats and personally I like the look of their recipe much more.” Translation: your competitor sucks, here’s why this is better. Then come the objections. Mixing issues? “I use a blender—it’s no trouble.” Digestion problems? “Expect some flatulence in the first week… but that passes quickly.” This review has everything. Pain. Solution. Benefits. Comparison. Objection handling. Call to action. It’s not a script. But it could be. This is the kind of language your audience actually uses. The kind of detail that can 3x your ad hit rate when you plug it into a static, or learn how to scriptwrite from it. But most brands don’t go looking for these. They get lost on their own product page. Here’s how to actually find golden reviews: Stop looking at just your site reviews. Go deeper. Reddit threads, blog articles, YouTube comments, Amazon reviews (even of competitors), Quora posts. Anywhere someone rants, raves, or gets real about their experience. Because when someone says something like: “I just feel better, faster, content, it’s hard to explain.” That’s copy gold. And it probably converts like crazy.