Most happy customers are glad to help. The reason they don’t record a testimonial is rarely that they don’t want to. It’s that the request arrived at the wrong moment, felt like homework, or never quite made it to the top of their list. Here is how to fix all three.
Ask at the right moment
The best time to ask is right after your customer has felt the result of your work, while they still remember what it was like before. Some moments that tend to work well:
- When they thank you or say something nice, by email, in a call or in a DM.
- When a project is delivered or a milestone is reached.
- A week or two after a product arrives, once they’ve actually used it.
- When they renew, upgrade or buy from you again.
- When they refer a friend to you. They are already telling your story.
Avoid asking straight after a sale, before anything has happened, or in the same message as an invoice.
Ask the right people
Ask customers whose story will mean something to the people you want to reach. A testimonial from someone who looks like your next customer, in the same industry or with the same problem, does more than a glowing one from someone who doesn’t.
Ask a wide range of customers, though, not only the ones you expect to rave. Picking only your happiest customers and keeping everyone else away from the request gives people a skewed picture, and the FTC has said that can break the law even though its review rule doesn’t name it. Our plain-English guide to the FTC rule covers this in more detail.
Make it easy to say yes
The fewer steps between “sure” and “sent”, the more testimonials you get.
- No account, no app. Every login or download you ask for loses people. With an Akteora collect link they tap, record in their browser and send.
- Say how long it takes. “Two minutes” is a favour. An open-ended request sounds like a project.
- Give them questions. A blank camera is intimidating. Two or three specific questions give them something to say. See our list of testimonial questions.
- Offer an alternative. Some people will never record a video but will happily leave a voice note or write a paragraph. Accept all three.
- Let them redo it. Knowing they can watch it back and try again takes the pressure off.
Message templates you can copy
Replace everything in brackets. The most important bracket is [specific result]: mentioning something real you did for them is what makes the message feel personal rather than automated.
By email
Subject: Quick favour, [first name]? Hi [first name], It's been great working with you on [project]. I'm glad [specific result] worked out. Would you be up for recording a short video about your experience? It takes about two minutes, works on your phone, and there's nothing to sign up for: [your link] If video isn't your thing, you can leave a voice note or write a few lines instead. And if now's not a good time, no problem at all. Thanks either way, [your name]
By text message
Hi [first name], it's [your name] from [business]. Really glad [specific result] went well! Would you record a quick video about it for our website? Two minutes on your phone, no app needed: [your link]. Totally fine if not!
When someone praises you in a DM or review
Thanks so much for the kind words! Would you mind saying that on a quick video for our website? It's just a link, takes a couple of minutes on your phone: [your link]
One gentle follow-up
If you hear nothing, follow up once, about a week later. After that, let it go. A second reminder rarely changes the answer and can sour a good relationship.
Hi [first name], just floating this back up in case it got buried. If you have two minutes this week, here's the link: [your link]. If not, no worries, and thanks again for being a great customer.
About incentives
You can thank people for their time, with a discount or a small gift card for example, but it has to be offered for an honest testimonial, whatever they say, never only for a positive one. When a testimonial was given in exchange for something, say so where you show it. Paying or rewarding people only for praise is banned outright under the FTC rule.
Ask in person, then send the link
The highest response rate comes from asking face to face or on a call, then sending the link straight afterwards while the “yes” is fresh. For physical products, a QR code on a card in the box works well too. Akteora gives every collect link a QR code you can download and print.
Quick checklist
- Ask soon after a real result, not before.
- Ask a range of customers, not just the happiest.
- Make the message personal and mention something specific.
- Say it takes two minutes and needs no app or account.
- Give two or three questions to answer.
- Accept video, voice or writing.
- Follow up once, then stop.
- Get their consent in writing, and keep a copy.
Akteora handles the last point for you: the consent wording on your link is stored word for word with every testimonial. Create your first collect link for free.