What I’ve learned about getting authentic client testimonials

Here's what I've learned about getting a great client testimonial.

1. Don't have Marketing write it.
2. Have Marketing get it.

Testimonials only work (drive leads further down the funnel) when they sound to prospects like a real person is talking. So: let the real clients talk.

Get a warm intro to a willing client stakeholder from the account manager, or customer success lead, or CEO/founder, but do the actual 20-minute Zoom call without any of those folks on the line. Solo is a great way to hear exactly how people talk about your company in real life, without inhibitions, without the opportunity to derail it into a discussion of other account matters, and without the shorthand clients might use with a team member they talk to all the time.

Start by making sure the client knows how the testimonial will be used be marketing, and that they'll have full approval and a chance to make any changes they like.

I plan 4-5 questions max, giving me room to follow any exciting threads. The big one of course is "What do you like best about working with us/our product?" That's where the real gold tends to be.

But, don't forget to leave some time to also ask the client what they'd like to see improved. It's a courtesy, it builds trust, and it can be highly useful information for both marketing and other teams.

I always end the call with an offer to write the testimonial for the client based on the great things they've just said to me, so they don't have to start with a blank page or spend the time writing it themselves. No one turns that offer down!

Then I use the AI transcript to edit together actual phrases and sentiments into a short testimonial statement. Send it to the client for review and approval and, lickety-split, an authentic-sounding testimonial (because it is, in fact, real) to use across marketing materials and propel new leads to their own "yes, this is the right answer for us" moment.