How to (Actually) Get Testimonials
Without making them up…
Last week I (Leslie) opened a checklist of things I need to do for my “website refresh” and immediately spiraled. Updated case studies? Got that. New copy on what I actually do? Fine-ish. But testimonials? Absolute panic.
I really should not admit this publicly, but the ones on my site are more than a decade old ::cringe:: and I haven’t explicitly asked anyone for a new one since.
Should I comb old emails and Slack threads for a stray compliment? Invite past clients to write LinkedIn recs?
Or wouldn’t it be easiest if I just… made one up? Something from “Brittany T.” who definitely existed at a company I probably worked with pre-Covid.
As I was elbow deep in research of the most common millennial first names to potentially use for my fake testimonials, I decided on a better course of action.
I called Kaylin.
I assumed she would be in a similar anxiety swirl, but it turned out: she has this figured out! She was intentional about baking this into the process for all of her client work (and it’s a relatively light lift). Plus, she had some great advice on what to do when you have not been intentional.
Why testimonials matter (and why you don’t need 27)
If you are a service provider, people aren’t buying a product from you. You are the product. A handful of short, specific quotes do three things:
Give strangers social proof (“others trusted her; I can, too”).
Reveal what you’re actually great at (patterns in praise can reveal the strengths you didn’t realize you had).
Nudge you forward when you’re doubting—for the 47th time—why you decided to work for yourself in the first place (seeing your impact in someone else’s words is grounding).
These live on your services page, inside case studies, in a one-pager/short portfolio, and occasionally in cold outreach.
You don’t need a rolodex of praise.* Three to five recent-ish, true, slightly-imperfect quotes on your site or in your portfolio deck is enough. If a testimonial reads like a brochure, it won’t convince anyone. If it reads like a text message from a real human, you’re in business.
*But if your love language is words of affirmation, do keep screenshots and star emails of all the little nice things people say about you somewhere easily accessible!
Version 1: Bake testimonials into your process
Kaylin intentionally bakes asking for testimonials into her work process (so she isn’t, like me, scrambling after the work has already been completed).
When I chatted with Kaylin, she outlined her easy-to-follow, not-a-lot-of-work process.
1) Ask a thoughtful question, at the right moment.
Kaylin includes reflection questions for her clients in specific meetings: right before a milestone wrap up, or in a final coaching session. She asks something along the lines of:
“What’s shifted for you since we started?”
“What feels easier, clearer, faster, or better now?”
“Where did you feel the biggest impact or surprise?”
These questions shift the focus from the tactical work done to the value of the work (and bonus they help clients measure their growth and satisfaction).
Note: she gives her client a heads up that she’ll capture some of these reflections in a wrap up email and may draft a testimonial based on the conversation.
2) Take notes while they talk.
Whether typing or handwriting notes, capture verbatim phrases your client uses to talk about you and your work. Messy reflections and the specific words they use are helpful and authentic.
3) Draft the quote for them.
After the call, stitch their words into a short testimonial. It could be as short as the one powerful phrase they said about you, or as long as 4 sentences (but really, don’t go much longer). Light grammar edits are okay, but try hard not to change the soul of what they said.
4) Get Consent
Send your client a quick note to get their approval.
I appreciated hearing from you about the impact of our work together. I pulled a few verbatim sentences from our call and lightly edited them into a short testimonial. Does this feel true? May I share it in my portfolio?
That’s it. 15 combined minutes, 1 powerful testimonial. And you’ve reinforced for your client why you were a great investment along the way.
Version 2: If you didn’t bake it in, send this note
I, unlike Kaylin, have no thoughtful testimonial-gathering built into my process. So instead, she coached me to try this:
Make a list of 5-10 people you’ve worked with over the last few years, and send them a quick email saying this:
Hi [Name],
When I think back on the projects I am proudest of delivering and people I loved working with the most, I think of working with you.
I’m updating my business materials and would love to include a short testimonial highlighting our work together. I’m trying to highlight [2–3 things you’re known for, e.g., clarity under chaos, crisp strategy, collaborative leadership].
If you’re up for it, 2–3 sentences would be amazing. Prompts to make it easy:
What felt different or better by the end of our work?
What was the most valuable part of working together?
Who would you recommend me to, and why?
If you are busy (of course you are!), I can draft something and send it for your edits or straight approval.
Thank you!
[Your Name]
This approach starts with a little goodwill, gives two clear options (write or approve), and supplies prompts so specificity shows up, even if it’s been a while.
Guardrails
No fabricated names or quotes. (No matter how tempting.)
Light edits only, don’t inflate words or results.
Confirm how someone would like to be attributed: [Name], [Title], [Company]. Indicate role changes with “Former [Title] at [Company].”
Make sure to get approvals before posting.
You don’t need to conjure up fake client names (though, if you were curious… Jessica, Ashley, Mike, and Chris top the most-common name list for millennials).
You just need a little courage to ask for feedback. And a chosen colleague to give you some pointers and hold you accountable.
