How to Get Better Client Testimonials: 7 Questions to Ask Your Clients
When I first started my design business, I would shyly ask my clients for a testimonial at the end of their website design project.
Many of them wanted a little guidance…
"Is there anything in particular you want me to write about?" they would ask.
"Anything you'd like!" I would answer.
Before becoming a website designer, I trained as a coach. (That's a whole other story, which I will post about in the future!) My coach training taught me not to be directive in a coaching session. And since being directive doesn't come naturally to me anyway, I carried that into other areas of my business.
Including asking for testimonials.
I would get lots of testimonials that sounded something like this:
"I really enjoyed working with Marta."
"Marta was a great website designer."
"I would highly recommend Marta."
There's absolutely nothing wrong with these testimonials. They're lovely to receive. But they're probably not going to help a potential client decide if you're the right person for them.
And there's another problem: the blank page.
Looking at a blank page feels overwhelming. Where do I even start? So... We. Don't.
The answer to the blank page problem (or the blank testimonial, in this case) is to guide your client through the process.
So how do we do that?
By asking questions, in particular, specific questions because specific questions lead to more specific answers.
In this post
Why strong testimonials matter
What makes a client testimonial effective
Why specific testimonials are more compelling
7 questions to ask your clients for better testimonials
How to collect testimonials
Why Strong Testimonials Matter
Testimonials are an important form of social proof. They help potential clients recognize themselves in a previous client's situation and see what changed as a result of working with you.
That's when a testimonial can make someone think:
"That's exactly what I need."
What Makes a Good Client Testimonial?
The best testimonials tell a mini story and are much more specific.
They give us a glimpse of where your client was before working with you, what the experience was like, and what changed for them.
Compare this:
"Marta was wonderful to work with. I highly recommend her."
With this:
"Before working with Marta, I had been putting off my website for almost two years because I couldn't figure out how to explain what I did. The process helped me get clear on my message, and I finally have a website that feels like me and that I'm excited to send people to."
Both are positive.
But the second paints a more detailed picture and gives a potential client something much more powerful to connect with.
The secret to getting more specific testimonials is asking more specific questions.
(Just like with your website copy, specificity makes all the difference!)
7 Questions to Ask Your Clients for Better Testimonials
These are the questions I include in the feedback form I send clients at the end of our work together.
Tip: Before you ask these 7 questions, start with the easy, no friction questions, like the person's name, email, and location (if applicable).
Feel free to borrow any or all of them. Just replace [SERVICE/EXPERIENCE] with whatever makes sense for your business.
1. What was going on for you that made you contact me about [SERVICE/EXPERIENCE]?
This gives you the before. What was your client struggling with, looking for, or hoping to change when they found you?
2. What did you enjoy most about your [SERVICE/EXPERIENCE] with me?
This helps uncover what stood out about the experience of actually working with you, not just the final result.
3. What are your top three proudest achievements from our [SERVICE/EXPERIENCE]?
This shifts the focus toward tangible results and transformation.
4. What was your biggest AHA moment during our [SERVICE/EXPERIENCE]?
Sometimes the most valuable outcome isn't something you can easily quantify. This question can uncover the mindset shifts, realizations, or moments of clarity that happened along the way.
5. How would you describe this experience to a fellow business owner who was considering working with me?
I love this question because it encourages clients to talk about your work in their own words, often in exactly the kind of language a potential client needs to hear.
6. I always strive to make this a 10/10 experience, but I know there's always room for improvement. Is there anything you feel would be helpful to add or change moving forward?
Technically, this one isn't about getting a great testimonial. It's about becoming better at what you do.
I want to know what worked, but I also want to know what could have worked better. That feedback can be just as valuable.
7. Would you be willing to write a testimonial for me?
I follow that question with:
"I can also piece together what you wrote above if you prefer. If not, please go ahead and use the space below."
This takes the pressure off.
Your client doesn't have to stare at an empty box wondering how to summarize an entire experience into a perfectly written paragraph, or worse, ask AI to write it for them! They've already done most of the work by answering the questions above.
I also ask them how they would like their name to appear (full name, initials, anonymous) and if they would allow me to use a picture of them. Of course, a full name and picture add credibility, but it's obviously more important to honor what our clients feel most comfortable with.
How to Collect Testimonials
There's no single right way to collect testimonials. The best method often depends on your client, your service, and how much detail you're hoping to get. Here's a breakdown of the four ways you can ask for feedback and a testimonial.
Feedback form
Personally, I send out a Google Form, which is free and easy for the client to fill out. I like this method because it's low-pressure: clients can answer in their own time, take a break halfway through if they need to, and go back and edit their answers before submitting.
The downside is that written answers are sometimes shorter than what you'd get in a conversation, since there's no back-and-forth to draw more detail out. Another downside is that you have no guarantee your client will fill out the form. People are busy, and these things can fall through the cracks.
You can also send the questions through an email. This works well if you already have an ongoing email relationship with your client and don't want to introduce a new tool or form into the process.
It can feel a little more personal than a form, but it also means the questions and answers can get lost in a busy inbox: both yours and theirs. If you go this route, it helps to send it as a clear, standalone email (rather than tacking it onto the end of another message) so it doesn't get buried.
On a call
You can ask your clients these questions on an end-of-engagement call, whatever that might be for your service.
This is a great method when a client is comfortable with it, because you get to ask natural follow-up questions in the moment ("What do you mean by that?" or "Can you say more about that AHA moment?"). Those follow-ups often surface the most specific and memorable content.
The trade-off is that it requires more coordination (scheduling a call, taking notes or recording), and not every client wants to hop on a call just to answer a few questions.
Video
You can also ask them for a video testimonial — some people might feel comfortable with this, some might not.
Video testimonials tend to feel the most authentic and trustworthy to potential clients, since there's no editing between the client's words and what people see. But they're also the biggest ask: not every client wants to be on camera, and even willing clients may need a few prompts, essentially, questions 1-5.
Key takeaways
Great testimonials tell a mini story, not just offer praise.
Specific questions lead to more specific, meaningful answers.
Look for the before, experience, and after in your client's responses.
Choose a collection method that fits your relationship with the client and the time you both have.
Once you've asked the right questions, you'll often have more than enough material to work with, even if your client never writes a polished testimonial themselves. In an upcoming post, I'll share exactly how to turn those answers into a testimonial you're excited to use.
