Top Secrets to Writing Testimonials for Business

It is essential that a business is authentic, trustworthy, and reliable, so having some form of testimonial is necessary to promote the success of a company. The digital convenience of the internet and social media has made it easier for customers to make educated choices based on these testimonials. Customer testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating at 89% which makes them a great marketing tool for both business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) sales. 

Because testimonials are so effective, finding the right one for your business can be tricky as not all testimonials are the same. One company may find that quote testimonials are great while another may need a blog post testimonial. 

In this article, we will discuss what a testimonial is, the different types, and how you can properly and strategically write one for your company. 

testimonials for business

What is a Testimonial?

A testimonial can be a formal statement or a public tribute to someone’s character, qualifications, or conduct. In regard to a business or company, a testimonial is feedback that a customer has provided based on their positive experience. Research shows that 72% of customers won’t take action until they read reviews, so companies can use and promote this information to provide legitimacy for their products or services and increase sales. 

Why are Testimonials Important for a Business?

Testimonials, especially ones from other customers, build trust and provide useful information to new customers or other businesses that might be considering shopping with them. They don’t always have to be from traditional consumers, though. Testimonials are from both B2C and B2B. Since businesses know that customers have a lot of options when it comes to buying a product or using a service, they need assurance that their time and money are being put to good use. 

This is why testimonials are so useful. A business can boast to customers about how good their products or services are, but it doesn’t tend to feel genuine unless it comes from a third party that has used that service, but has no other affiliation. 

An effective testimonial goes beyond a simple positive review. They are a way to target a specific audience and provide a story for a new customer on what your company is and stands for. This can be done through the use of many types of testimonials. Below, we will take a deeper dive into the type of testimonial that would be best for your business. 

What are the Types of Testimonials 

It doesn’t matter what type of business or company you have because all businesses benefit from having customer testimonials. The type of testimonial, however, will determine what kind of customer your business is hoping to gain. It will also determine how you want to display your testimonials. These factors are important to remember because customers use various mediums to look for customer testimonials. Some will see it on a business’ website, others will view it on a blog, social media platform, or television. Below are six frequently used testimonials for businesses. 

Quote Testimonials

Quote testimonials are the most common type of a customer review and the easiest to integrate onto a website or social media platform. This type of testimonial has been used for decades. A quote testimonial is the specific statement made from a customer that references their positive association with the company or business. These are a great way to advertise the success of your company. New customers are willing to trust the saying of a previous, happy customer rather than an employee. 

Social Testimonials 

Some testimonials, such as social testimonials, provide a way for customers to give their feedback about a company on a tech platform. Social media is a great way to attract new consumers and this can be done through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube and can take on many formats. For example, if someone used Netflix and loved it, they could write a tweet, tag Netflix’s account, and recommend other users to watch the streaming service, as well. This testimonial is great because of its ease and casual way of informing new people about a brand or business. 

Peer Testimonials

Remember when we discussed how testimonials can affect who you want to target? This is how peer testimonials tie into that. When you’re searching for a company, you will most likely want to find one that aligns with your own ethics and beliefs. With peer testimonials, it gives potential customers an idea of a company through the eyes of someone who thinks and believes the way they do. We trust our peers, so we’re more likely to buy what they do. 

Interview Testimonials

Companies need to know how they’re doing and why people make their purchases. To do this, they need to interview their customers. An easy way to learn about your customer is through the use of a survey

Surveys can be long or short, but each question gives an opportunity for a customer to give a great description of their feedback. Companies can use this information and either, gather data insights to use as a reference or use the quotes as an advertisement for their products. It can be important to remember, when customers are filling out interviews, not to lead. Also, interview testimonials make for great video and audio testimonials. 

Case Study Testimonials 

A great way to advertise the success of a B2B company relation is to use a case study testimonial. Case study testimonials tend to give a more in-depth, insightful look. Data, quotes, and examples of services are displayed when case study testimonials are used giving a lot of information to potential clients or customers. These tend to be viewed as more trustworthy because it involves less subjective thought and more factual information. A great way to advertise a case study testimonial would be on a company website. 

Blog Post Testimonial

Blog posts are a great, long-form way to advertise a testimonial for your company. While quotes, and social testimonials are great, they also lack description. In a blog post, you are able to identify what, why, and how a company has created a great experience. The negatives for this type of testimonial is that they are long and typically, for testimonials, it is best to keep it short and to the point. 

testimonials for business

What does a Sample Testimonial Look Like?

We will give two examples of what a testimonial might look like. The first will be a customer quote testimonial, as it is the most common, and the second will be a company’s own testimonial. Both will be about “Brand ABC”. 

A customer quote testimonial:

“After months of searching for a grocery delivery service, we found Brand ABC and will never go back. They offered free shipping after 6 pm, 20% off our 5th delivery, and promotions for members. We’ve never had a wrong order and as working parents, that saves us time, money, and stress. We can’t recommend Brand ABC enough!”

A company testimonial:

“As a grocery delivery service, it is important to us that getting groceries saves you time, money, and stress–at least, that’s what our customers tell us after they try out our free shipping after 6 pm, 20% off your 5th delivery, and promotions for members!”

The reason these customer and company testimonials are successful is because they follow three simple tips for creating good testimonials. 

  • Simple
  • Factual
  • Connective

Below, we will go further into tips that will improve your testimonials, but these three guidelines will make for great testimonials. 

testimonials for business

What are Tips for Writing a Testimonial Letter?

Writing a testimonial for your company sounds easy, but there are a number of things that can turn potential customers away. Below, we will go through a few tips that can make your testimonial letters appealing for all businesses. 

Keep It Short 

When writing a testimonial, you will want to make sure it is short and concise so that people browsing a website or social media platform can see it. It needs to be easy to read and feel personable. This is what makes peer testimonials so successful; they are a short recommendation you would give a friend. 

Provide Evidence

Along with keeping the testimonial short, you will need to provide evidence. This is so important because it backs up why your company is superior to others. It is ideal for a customer to provide evidence in their feedback, but if they don’t, it helps legitimize your success if there is data to prove it. 

Get Ahead of Objections

This one may not seem too obvious, but getting ahead of any objections that may come from potential clients is a fantastic way to prove your company is reputable. Surveys are a great way to answer unanswered questions that a customer might have. 

Share 

When you have a few testimonials from customers, share them! Social media is a great way for clients and customers to view your success and it’s free!

testimonials for business 

How do you Write a Testimonial for Business?

When you have decided what kind of testimonial you want to write for your company, the next logical step is to write it! A good place to start is by developing SMART goals. We have broken the process down of writing a testimonial into four easy steps. With the testimonial tips and these simple steps, you will be writing fantastic testimonials in no time. 

  • Develop your company’s message.
  • Ask your customers questions.
  • Curate quotes including their names. 
  • Decide how and where you want to share.

It’s that simple. Turning your positive customer feedback into great advertisements will ensure your company’s success! 

For more information like this, head to SEO Design Chicago’s marketing blog page to gather insight on how to build a successful business today!

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