How to get testimonials that don't sound like bullshi*t

If your testimonials say “This product is great” or “I love it,” delete that weak sauce, and try this…

Here's 5 solid examples plus 6 questions to ask to ask customers to get the perfect quotes.

Wait... what’s wrong with a testimonial saying your product is great? That’s good right?

Good to your ear, maybe. But skeptical prospects will dismiss generic claims: "Of course they found one customer who likes their product, and put it in their marketing." But they will trust a testimonial they can relate to - one that speaks directly to their current state of mind.

How to craft testimonials that don’t sound like bullish*t

In order for social proof to work its magic, it needs to connect directly with prospects hopes and fears.

That’s because your prospects only care about two things:

1. Hopes: What exactly will I be able to do with this product? (Demonstrate specific outcomes)

2. Fears: How could this purchase backfire? (e.g. Does it actually work for my specific situation? What will my boss/team/spouse think if I say we should buy this?)

Here's 5 solid examples

1. Hopes: Demonstrate specific outcomes

   "Yes, that's right, we grew 22x in 18 months. The program helped us create rigor around growth. It would've taken us 3x longer to build our growth engine if it wasn't for SYSTM." - Juan Andrade, Founder, Caribou, YC-W19
   

   “They saved us months of focusing on the wrong areas and gave us the tools to tackle the right ones in earnest. I only regret we didn’t do this 12 months ago!” - Rob O’Donovan, Founder, Charlie HR
   

2. Fears: Address specific doubts

   “We worried that being in a cohort with other startups would dilute the impact. But working 1-on-1 with our coach led to profound breakthrough changes in our business.” - Max Stratmann, CRO, Scanbot
   

   “As a first-time founder, I would not have paid for this program. Ever. As a second-time founder, I would have paid double.” - Gunnar Holmsteinn, 4X founder and 2X SYSTM alumni

   “The coaches actually know their sh*t and roll-up-their-sleeves to get dirty, unlike the thousands of fake advisors & consultants out there.” - Jack Huang, Founder, Truly

How do you get such strong quotes from customers?

First, you have to know what you’re listening for – you must understand what your prospects hope to achieve and what doubts they harbour.

Here's 4 questions that lead to high-quality testimonials:

1. “What did our product enable you to achieve?”

2. “Who else cared about this outcome?” (e.g. stakeholders)

3. “What’s been the most significant change resulting from…?”

4. “How do you measure that? Do you have specific numbers?”

Next, ask them about any initial doubts they had:

• “Before you signed up, what were your biggest worries, and how did those play out?”

Finally, good testimonials are short. So edit their comments to be as pithy as possible and ask for their sign-off, e.g. “I rephrased your comment to say this… Are you comfortable with my rewrite?”

Now you know the secret to give those weak-sauce testimonials ghost pepper energy. 🔥🌶️🔥

Did these testimonials work on you? Do you want to give your startup ghost pepper energy? Because we’re now accepting applications for our next cohort. Read the details here.