How to write a testimonial

When a vendor asks you to say something nice about them to put on their website, you have a rare opportunity to give a unique gift to help their business with social proof. It’ll strengthen your relationship, which may result in (even better) service, favorable renewal terms, and certainly an even more cordial rapport. If you’re a smaller business, the exposure certainly can’t hurt.

The ideal testimonial conveys information that a company can’t credibly say itself. Here’s some advice on how to do it.

Be relatable

The most valuable testimonial comes from someone in a similar position to the buyer. The title attached to your name helps, but even better if you can convey a tidbit or two that establishes common ground. Examples include mentioning end-of-quarter pressures if you’re in sales or finance, or the challenges of establishing credible metrics if you’re a product marketer.

Be heartfelt

How does the vendor make you feel? Excited? Relieved? Proud? Your emotional response previews what the reader may feel. You’re speaking in your own voice, not your company’s, so you can let down your guard a bit. (Of course, you’re still representing your company, so probably don’t complain about your internal processes or people.)

Be specific

If the vendor went above and beyond—quick response, amazing insight, covered for a mistake they didn’t make—call that out. Detail about what exactly they did is more effective than broad platitudes.

Be measurable

When you can attach a quantifiable outcome to the work, that’s absolute gold. Metrics like how much time you saved or how much sales pipeline the work drove proves the value of the work in a way that no other marketing assets can.

Be brief

A short testimonial is more likely to be fully read and understood. Try to keep it to no more than three sentences.

Give options

Can’t narrow it down? Give several quotes! The vendor probably wants a variety of topics and angles covered, so if you give them a choice, they can select what will fit best amongst the others.

Signal openness to edits

If you’re OK with them making some tweaks to what you say to fit their goals, say so, and request they send you the final version for your approval. Sometimes, otherwise great quotes never make it to the website due to something being just a bit off that could be easily corrected.

Offer a case study

If you’re a super-fan, offer to be the subject of a case study. These tend not to take much of your time, usually a short interview plus reviewing a draft, because they already have the context of the work they’ve done for you. Case studies are the holy grail of marketing content, and your vendor will deeply appreciate both the fact that you offered and the esteem you’re showing for their business.

FAQs

What makes an effective testimonial?

Effective testimonials combine specific details about outcomes with authentic emotional responses and relatable context. Include measurable results when possible and focus on information the company can't credibly say about itself.

How long should a testimonial be?

Keep testimonials to 3 concise sentences to ensure they're fully read and understood. Brief testimonials are more impactful and easier for a vendor to use.

Why use examples in testimonials?

Examples provide structure and inspiration while helping you understand what makes testimonials compelling and credible. They show you how to balance specificity with relatability for maximum impact.