Steal My Testimonial Template!

In my last post, I laid out 5 easy ways to start getting more testimonials, and I promised you that I'd give you my template for asking people to say all kinds of nice things about you / your services / your products.

So, today I've got that template for you.

It's a simple, 5-question email that you can use as a template and simply adjusting whatever you need to to fit your needs.

Before you use this template…

This template is actually email #2 in your testimonial-gathering process – the first one is whatever email / communication you use to make the initial ask.

So we're assuming at this point that you've asked someone if they're willing to give you a testimonial, and they've said yes.

To make getting the “yes” easier, my initial ask always includes mention of the template. I say something like this:

“Would you be willing to give a testimonial for the copywriting work I've done for you? I have a simple 5-question “feedback testimonial template” I can send over so you won't have to think of what to say from scratch.”

I generally get an enthusiastic yes from this, because telling someone you're going to make it easier for them tends to get a positive reaction.

Once they say yes, I send them this email:

Subject Line: Feedback questions enclosed! :)

Hey [NAME],

Thank you for saying “yes” to a feedback testimonial. I really appreciate it. :)

The kind of testimonials I'm trying to create are ones that will take people who are already considering working with me, but might have a few reservations before taking the plunge. What we're looking for is to show them what the experience was like for you, so they can get more comfortable about what to expect. :)

Sometimes writing a testimonial and finding the right words can be hard, so I created an easy way to do it. I have 5 simple questions you can answer in whatever way you want, without thinking of “the right way to say it”.

What I'll do after that is pull different parts of what you write and construct a testimonial out of that copy.

So, the 5 questions are below! Again, don't worry about saying the “right things” – I'm not looking for flashy marketing-speak. Just say what you would say naturally, with your mother in the room. (Or, somebody else's mother, if you kinda can't stand yours.)

#1 – Did you have any fears/concerns before deciding to work with me? Did the things you were worried about come true, and if not, what happened instead?

#2 – What has been a satisfying part of working with me (and why?)

#3 – If you were to casually recommend me to a close personal friend who was looking for this kind of service, what would you say to them?

#4 – What are three words you would use to describe me / working with me? (And if you'd like, you can say why you chose those words.)

#5 – Have you ever worked with another person for this kind of service? If you have, how has working with me been different?

Thank you so much for taking the time to send over your answers! You are the absolute best. :)

What to do with your testimonial response:

Once you get your response, immediately email the person back with big ol' THANK YOU.

Then you'll look through all of their responses and pick out the phrases that you like the best, and assemble them into a paragraph or two (or longer if you want).

Here's why this works so well:

Because your people will be replying with more natural answers, they'll just “speak” like they normally would and say what they really mean, without a whole lot of exaggeration or that awkward sales-y voice people sometimes get when they're giving testimonials.

They'll say some pretty candid stuff, too – things that wouldn't come out if they were trying to come up with the perfect way to say things.

Once you pull the best bits out of all of their feedback answers, you can get something like this, which I recently got from a current client who I'm writing website copy for:

“I've worked with a copywriter before, but I've never worked with anyone who gets as involved as you have, who seems genuinely interested – you see me not only as a client but also as a person. I don't feel like I'm not just a source of revenue who needs to be managed.

At the end of our last call I was in tears. Tears of relief that I had finally connected with someone who understood my process, who was willing to help me figure out what I want to say and then say it in the best way possible.”

– Simone Kaplan, PictureBookPeople.com

…and this, from a client I ghostwrite for:

“Kris is a master at copywriting (and I suspect has a degree in behavioral psychology from a top notch marketing school). She’s prompt, upfront, and creative – I'm always pleased with what Kris comes up with, and she adapts her style to fit the needs of my projects.

Kris will give you high-quality work in a timely fashion and be pleasant to work with too. If Kris was your neighbor, you'd get jam on your doorstep from time to time.”

That's way better than, “Kris is amazing! I've never had such great copy before!”, or something that's written from that sales-y point of view.

You can get amazing testimonials with this template.

Feel free to use this template and start sourcing testimonials today – and send me an email when you get your first response! I'd love to give you a high-five for making it happen.

Take care,