Testimonial examples, and why each one works
Twelve sample testimonials sorted by the job they do on a page, with what makes each one persuade and how to get ones like them.
Published , updated
A good testimonial does one job: it answers the question a visitor is asking at that moment. The twelve below are grouped by the job they do, with a note on why each works.
Examples that name a result
“We used to spend two days on every quote. With the new templates it takes about two hours, and we send three times as many.”
Operations manager, joinery firm
“Our no-shows dropped from nine a month to two after the reminder texts went live.”
Practice manager, dental clinic
Why they work: each has a number and a before and after. A visitor can picture the same change in their own business. "It saved us time" says the same thing and persuades nobody.
Examples that answer a doubt
“I was worried about switching in the middle of our busy season. They moved everything over on a Sunday night and we opened on Monday as if nothing had happened.”
Owner, bike shop
“I assumed it would be too expensive for a company of four. The starter plan covers everything we use.”
Founder, design studio
Why they work: each opens with the worry the next visitor has. Read the doubts your customers mention before they buy, then look for the customer who had the same one and was proved wrong.
Short examples
“Booked on Tuesday, fixed by Thursday.”
Homeowner
“The only supplier who has never missed a delivery date.”
Café owner
“I recommend them to every new client I take on.”
Accountant
Why they work: a short testimonial carries one fact and nothing else. These suit a carousel or a spot beside a button, where nobody reads a paragraph. Short is not the same as vague: "Great service!" is short and says nothing. Short testimonial examples has thirty more, sorted by the doubt each one answers.
Examples that compare
“We had tried two other agencies. This was the first one that told us what would not work before taking our money.”
Marketing lead, software company
“My old accountant sent a bill for every phone call. Here I pay one fee and ring whenever I need to.”
Sole trader
Why they work: the visitor is comparing you with someone else too. A customer who has already made that comparison does it for them. Keep the other company unnamed.
Examples about a problem put right
“The first delivery arrived damaged. They replaced it the next morning, without my having to ask twice.”
Restaurant owner
Why it works: every visitor wonders what happens when something goes wrong. A testimonial that admits a problem and shows how it was handled is more believable than ten perfect ones.
Examples that tell a longer story
“I had put off redoing the website for three years because the last agency disappeared halfway through. This time I had a plan in the first week, a weekly call, and a finished site a few days early. Enquiries through the contact form have roughly doubled since.”
Director, landscaping company
“As a new manager I did not know what I did not know. The course gave me a way to run one-to-ones that my team now asks for. Two of them have since been promoted.”
Team lead, logistics company
Why they work: a longer testimonial has room for the situation, the experience and the result. Give it space of its own: a slider shows one at a time, and a wall lets the long and the short sit together.
What weak testimonials have in common
- No detail. "Amazing company, highly recommend" could be about anyone.
- No person. A quote with no name, role or town reads as if the business wrote it.
- All the same. Ten testimonials that say "great service" make one point ten times. Ten that answer different doubts make ten.
Who said it matters as much as what
Show as much about the speaker as they agree to: a name, a role and a company for a business customer; a first name and a town for a private one. A photo helps. Whatever you show, ask first.
How to get testimonials like these
You cannot write them, but you can ask for them. A specific question brings a specific answer:
- "What were you unsure about before you bought?" brings an answer about a doubt.
- "What changed after you started?" brings a result.
- "What would you tell a friend who was considering us?" brings a recommendation.
Testimonial questions to ask your customers has more of them, sorted by the kind of answer they bring. How to ask a customer for a testimonial covers when to ask and has messages you can copy, and testimonial templates help a customer who does not know where to start.
When you have a few, build a widget to show them on your site.