Customer Testimonials That Drive Word of Mouth

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.

Most B2B companies get word-of-mouth terribly wrong. “Can you leave us a review?” “Mind hopping on a quick reference call?” “Would you do us a favor and share your story?” They’re built around doing favors. Here’s the problem: Customers don’t want to be treated like a task rabbit. They don't dream about being in your case study. They dream about getting promoted, looking smart in front of their boss, and building their reputation. What if advocacy wasn’t about how they can help you—but how you can help them? Just look at how SickKids Hospital solved this. They needed kids to report their pain levels daily—but the kids were exhausted and inconsistent. So they got rid of paper journals and built Pain Squad, a gamified app where kids became detectives hunting down pain. Suddenly, the kids felt inspired, not obligated. It was a chance to solve their problem and be the hero. The result? They consistently reported their pain, leveled up, earned badges, and even received messages from TV actors playing cops It worked because it felt meaningful. Now imagine doing this for your customers. → Instead of “Can you do a case study for us?”—frame it as a success story they can share with their boss to showcase their amazing work. → Instead of “Can you hop on a reference call?”—position them as trusted advisors and offer to introduce them to prospects as networking opportunities. → Instead of “Can you leave a testimonial?”—reframe the ask as turning their quotes into expert tips or quick-win videos they can post on LinkedIn to build their reputation. Stop asking, “Can you help us?”. Start asking, “How can we help you?”.

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!

I figured out how to get stronger testimonials and what to do with them. By spending 10+ hours last week studying how experts use them. Here are 9 things I learned: 👉 1. Don't limit them to your sales page. Testimonials and customer stories should appear EVERYWHERE you are. Including your: • Content • Newsletter/Emails • LinkedIn profile Use them at every step of a buyer's journey. 👉 2. Get stories from customers who: • Switched from a competitor to you • Had a successful implementation of your product or service • Upgraded to a higher tier of your offering • Were skeptical at first, but you won them over 👉 3. Make a specific ask when asking for a customer story. "We're hoping you can speak to X, Y, and Z." 👉 4. Don't use the word "case study" when you ask. Instead say "customer story" or "Can we feature you?" 👉 5. When you interview a customer, ask: • Open ended questions • "How did that feel" • "Can you give me an example of that" 👉 6. Get multiple testimonials from each customer. Different ones for different win moments they've had with you. 👉 7. Make it easier for customers to give you testimonials. The biggest roadblock is people don't know what to say. Give them questions or a template to help. 👉 8. Have a system for how you collect, store, and use testimonials. It doesn't have to be complicated, but you need a plan. 👉 9. Alex Hormozi's take on testimonials: "Your proof will sell more than your offer and will do more selling than any promise." I'm guessing he knows a thing or two about that. Want more tips like these? This week on LinkedIn I'll reveal: • How I've built a 6-figure business on a $99 product • An unusual way I use AI to help with content • A new way of thinking about email unsubscribes 👉 Follow me 🔔 Hit the bell at the top of my profile to turn on notifications so you don't miss those posts Thanks for your interest!

The Secret to Creating Testimonials That Speak to Buyers! Testimonials can make or break your business.  They need to speak directly to potential clients. Here’s how to create testimonials that convert. Know who you want the testimonials to reach. Understand their pain points and objections. Make sure your testimonials tackle common concerns. “Will this really work for me?” “Is it worth the investment?” “How will this solve my problem?” Have clients talk about overcoming challenges.  Show how your service solved their problems.  This builds trust and credibility. Create a narrative that walks through the entire experience. From the initial problem to the final result.  Make it relatable and engaging. Include scenarios where your service exceeded expectations. Be specific. The more detailed, the better. Put these testimonials where potential clients are engaged. On your website, social media, and email campaigns. Testimonials that address objections and tell a story convert better. They build trust and show real results. Ask for Specifics: When requesting testimonials, ask for detailed feedback. Use Video: Video testimonials are more impactful and engaging. Keep It Authentic: Authenticity resonates more than perfection. Great testimonials are your best sales tool.  They speak directly to your buyers’ needs. Stop using generic testimonials. Start crafting stories that convert. What’s your biggest challenge with testimonials?

A customer leaves a glowing review - unsolicited, unpaid. It’s gold. Yet, most brands do… nothing? Daniel Cmejla asked a client: “Are people leaving reviews?” “Yeah.” “What happens after?” “…Nothing.” That’s a problem. When someone takes the time to leave a glowing review—𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥—they’re signaling something important: 👉 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵. And that’s the perfect moment to act - turn that review into so much more. Here’s the 5-step play Daniel and Taylor shared: 𝟭. 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 Not all reviews are created equal. Unprompted praise = high intent. That person’s in an advocacy mindset. Treat it like a lead, because it is. 𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 Timing matters. Right after the review is when they’re most excited. That’s when you make the ask—before the momentum fades. 𝟯. 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿 Start with a thank-you, then invite them to share more. → A social post → A 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 → A seat on your 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 Each step builds trust with future buyers—and deepens the relationship with the customer. 𝟰. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 Ask yourself: 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦? Use that insight to identify other customers with the same role, use case, or product journey. Advocacy can scale if you know what you're looking for. 𝟱. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 What moment in your product leads to high retention? That “Aha!” moment is also when they’re emotionally primed to say yes to sharing their story. Beautiful advocacy roadmap to use... and just a taste of the tactics they shared - link to the full interview in the comments 👇 Now I of course personally got really excited when Taylor Bogar said: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳.” ...because it’s so actionable! If you're getting customer reviews, don't let them sit. Ask them to upgrade it to a video. Time to turn your reviews into assets!