The Ultimate Guide to Customer Testimonials (and How to Actually Get Them)

Your customers love you. Or at least, they say they do. But turning that warm fuzzy feedback into actual, public testimonials? That takes work. This guide shows you how to do it, even if you're B2B, bad at asking, or tired of getting ghosted.

Why Testimonials Matter (Yes, Even in B2B)

Let’s cut to the chase. You need customer testimonials.
Even if you:

• Think your work should speak for itself
• Sell to businesses, not consumers
• Feel awkward asking for praise

Because when people are choosing between you and your competitors, testimonials do the talking. They:

• Build trust
• Offer proof
• Humanize your brand
• Improve conversion rates

And if you're investing in SEO or ads to drive traffic to your website, but there's no social proof? That’s a leaky funnel, friend.

Where Testimonials Actually Work Best

We’re B2B too, so we get it: social media isn’t where your buyers are hanging out looking for vendors. But these are:

✅ Google Business Reviews

These show up in search results and map listings. People see them before they even get to your website.
Set up or optimize yours here →

✅ Trustpilot

A great third-party platform that builds legitimacy, especially for ecommerce or product-based businesses.
Start collecting here →

✅ Your Website

Don’t bury testimonials. Feature them:

• On your homepage
• Near product or service pages
• At key conversion points (contact forms, checkout, quote pages)

✅ Case Studies

Level up from testimonials by turning happy customers into full stories. We’ll cover that too.

Why You're Not Getting Testimonials Now (And How to Fix It)

Here’s what we hear all the time:

“Our clients love us, but they never leave reviews.”
“I don’t want to nag.”
“I’m not sure how to ask.”
“We’ve tried, but it didn’t work.”

Let’s break down why this happens, and how to fix it.

Obstacle 1: You’re Asking Too Late (or Not at All)

Most businesses wait until after the engagement is complete, the invoice is paid, and the customer’s moved on.

Fix:
Ask during the high point, when the customer is most excited or satisfied.

• After onboarding
• Right after a successful delivery
• Following a solved problem or big milestone

📬 Sample Ask (Email or In-Person):

“Hey [First Name], I really enjoyed working with you on [project/product]. If you're open to it, I’d love a quick review about your experience. It really helps other businesses feel confident choosing us too. Here’s the link: [review link], no pressure, and thank you either way!”

Obstacle 2: You're Not Making It Easy Enough

If your review process requires effort, accounts, or confusion, people bail.

Fix:
Make it as easy as humanly possible:

• Direct link to your Google or Trustpilot review page
• No login required, if possible
• Keep the ask short and focused

🔗 How to Get Your Google Review Link:

Go to Google Business Profile Manager, select your business, click “Ask for reviews,” and copy the link.

Obstacle 3: Your Clients Are Businesses, Not Individuals

B2B clients may not be the final decision-makers, or they may need legal/marketing sign-off before sharing anything.

Fix:

• Ask the person you worked with first
• Offer pre-written blurbs they can tweak
• Be flexible, let them use initials, titles, or anonymous formats if needed

Obstacle 4: You’re Not Following Up

The first ask gets buried. The second one gets forgotten. Then you give up.

Fix:
Build a light follow-up flow:

• First request after success moment
• Reminder 3–5 days later
• One final nudge a week after that

Use tools like:

• Mailchimp or MailerLite
• CRM automations (e.g., HubSpot or Zoho)
• Manual templates in Gmail + calendar reminders

Turning Testimonials into Lead-Converting Gold

Once you’ve got a testimonial, don’t let it rot in a folder. Put it to work.

✅ Add to Your Website

Create a testimonials section or place them strategically on:

• Home page
• Service pages
• Product detail pages
• Contact and quote forms

✅ Use in Email Campaigns

Testimonials boost open and click rates when paired with a relevant CTA.

✅ Add to Sales Materials

Case studies and testimonials in PDFs, pitch decks, and proposals show that others trust you, which makes it easier for new leads to do the same.

Building Testimonials Into Your Workflow

Make it part of your standard operating procedure:

• Add a “testimonial ask” task to your onboarding/offboarding checklist
• Include testimonial language in your contracts or feedback surveys
• Train your customer service team to spot “thank you” moments and tag them for follow-up

If it’s systemized, it gets done.

Want to Go Bigger? Turn a Testimonial into a Case Study

If someone gives a glowing review, ask if they’re open to a case study.

Case Study Structure:

1. The problem they were facing
2. Why they chose your business
3. What you did for them
4. The results they saw
5. A direct quote to finish it off

Bonus: they’re great for SEO and long-form trust-building.

What’s Worked Best for Us (Because We’re B2B Too)

Social media hasn’t been our strongest channel. Our customers aren’t hanging out on Instagram waiting to see our latest warehouse pic.

But here’s what has worked:

• Google reviews, short, visible, and trusted
• Trustpilot, especially for ecommerce sales and B2B product credibility
• Manually asking during peak moments, not after everything’s wrapped up
• Making it ridiculously easy, direct links, pre-written blurbs, and no guilt

And most importantly: consistency. It’s not about asking one client. It’s about building it into your rhythm so reviews keep coming in month after month.

Templates to Steal Right Now

⭐ Google Review Request Template (Email)

Subject: Quick favor, would you mind leaving a review?

Hi [Name],

Thanks again for [working with us / your recent order / the successful project]!

If you’re happy with the experience, we’d really appreciate a quick Google review. It helps us reach more great clients like you.

You can leave a review here: [Insert Google review link]

Thanks in advance, and let us know if we can do anything else to help.

⭐ Trustpilot Review Request Template (Email)

Subject: Can we feature your feedback?

Hi [Name],

We’re always working to improve our service, and your feedback means the world to us.

If you have a moment, we’d love a short review on Trustpilot. Just click here: [Insert Trustpilot link]

Thank you again, your input helps more businesses trust us too.

Final Thoughts: Ask Early, Ask Often, and Make It Easy

Testimonials aren’t just fluff. They’re proof. And if you’re in B2B, they’re one of the few “sales tools” that never feel pushy.

Here’s the simple playbook:

• Ask at the right time
• Make it easy
• Follow up
• Share what you get
• Repeat forever

Done right, they become one of your most powerful growth tools, and cost you nothing but the courage to ask.

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