How To Get the Perfect Testimonial for Your Q4 Ads

Have you ever noticed your favorite shows follow a similar format?

I’m watching Girls right now, and it’s pretty much Sex and the City for girls in their 20s.

4 characters navigating life and love.

Then I realized Golden Girls follows this format too.

And another favorite: Alpha Males. (Which is Sex and the City for men. In Spain.)

So I went to Claude with my observations and asked:

This format works because it covers most archetypes.

No matter who you are, you see yourself in one or a few of those characters.

You relate to the story. The struggles. And the transformation. 

You’re invested in the journey because it’s yours. Or your mom’s. Or your friend’s.

And that’s exactly the feeling you want to create when someone encounters your brand.

Testimonials don’t just tell the story of one client.

They weave a narrative about different use cases, customers, and outcomes.

They give your landing page life and your emails soul.

Each testimonial is a mirror for your client’s deepest desires.

Whether it’s the future they see for themselves or someone they care about.

So I’m sharing with you the best techniques I know to get perfect testimonials.

And how to present them for maximum impact. 

1. Ask a better question, get a better answer.

The wording of your question matters.

People instinctively repeat what they’re asked, often to buy time as they find their point.

Use this to your advantage.

Let’s say you’re doing a video interview. You want to get a clear before/after story to show how your product makes life better.

You could ask:

“How were you treating acne before using ClearFace?” 

They’ll likely respond with, “Before using ClearFace I…”

Then you follow up with:

“How are you feeling now that your skin has cleared up?”

“Now that my skin has cleared up, I feel…”

To take this idea even further, let’s say you want others to try the product. And you know someone has had a transformative experience.

You could ask:

“What would you say to someone who is thinking about trying ClearFace?”

You might get a variation back of:

“Try it! Buy it! Do it!”

All of which would make a compelling call to action in your next ad or product video.

2. Frame the testimonial with context

I once worked with a company that helped a client save $1 off his cost of goods sold. 

It was a breakthrough moment.

He had gone to China to negotiate with his supplier and shared this win with the other Amazon sellers on the sourcing trip.

What he didn’t share on camera was that he ordered 400,000 units a year.

That was a savings of $400,000 annually.

WAY better headline.

So when you get a testimonial that doesn’t pack the power you know it could have…

Contextualize it so others can understand the impact.

As if you were creating a headline for a newspaper.

3. Don’t Bury the Lead

Along those same lines, frame every testimonial you get with a headline. 

Sometimes, people take a while to get to their point.

Make it easy for people skimming your page to see the story, even if they don’t click the video or read the whole quote.

On that same note, lead with your strongest testimonials at the top.

Don’t assume people will scroll past the fold on your site or your socials.

4. Represent Different Perspectives

Today, we kick off Q4, the busiest shopping season of the year.

People are buying gifts in addition to their normal shopping behaviors.

So if you sell physical products, show a mix of people who could benefit from your product. It could make a great gift!

And if you sell services or SAAS, show testimonials from different team members.

If someone who does not hold the purse strings resonates with your services, they can refer you.

For example, this is how I speak to senior leadership and marketing teams on LinkedIn:

It shows a mix of how people can work with me, either to do their copywriting or lay out the marketing strategy and team management for campaigns.

Your Testimonial Cheatsheet

Here are some questions to ask your clients next time you wrap up a project:

- What was life like before you started working with us?
- How does it feel now that you’ve experienced [result]?
- What’s possible for you now because of this change? 
- What does this mean for your family/friends/customers?
- What would you say to someone who’s considering joining/buying?

If you sell services or offer SAAS trials, it’s also worth asking for feedback during your engagements.

That’s a great way to get testimonials about the process of working with you. 

Cheers!

Annabel 

P.S. Share this with someone who needs more social proof on their site! It’s one of the easiest ways to build trust, and a lot of people are shy about asking for them.

P.P.S. I’m taking on new clients. If you’re looking for marketing support, send me a message. Happy to chat about what you’re building and brainstorm ideas.