Originally shared by Editorial Team on Twitter.
Why do buyers hesitate even when your offer is good?
Most prospects who land on your website or receive your sales deck already have budget and a problem to solve. What stops them from buying isn't price — it's doubt. They don't know if you actually deliver what you promise.
Testimonials fix that. Not because they're nice to have, but because they transfer trust from someone your prospect doesn't know (you) to someone they can identify with (a real customer who had the same problem).
According to Spiegel Research Center, displaying customer reviews can increase conversion rates by up to 270% — the effect is strongest when a product or service has few reviews and adds its first batch.
What makes a testimonial actually work?
Not all testimonials carry the same weight. "Great service, highly recommend!" does almost nothing. A testimonial that converts has three components:
- A specific problem the customer had before working with you
- A concrete result they got after (numbers help a lot here)
- A named, identifiable person — full name, job title, company, and ideally a photo
Example of a weak testimonial: "Really happy with the results. Would recommend."
Example of a strong testimonial: "We were spending $12,000/month on ads with a 1.2x ROAS. After three months working together, we're at 3.8x ROAS on the same budget." — Sarah Chen, Head of Growth, Flourish Foods
The second version does the selling for you.
Where should you put testimonials?
Most businesses bury testimonials on a dedicated "reviews" page that almost nobody visits. Instead, place them where doubt peaks:
- On your homepage, near your main call-to-action button
- On your pricing page, right next to the price
- In your sales deck, after you introduce your solution and before the pricing slide
- In email sequences, especially in the second or third follow-up
- On landing pages, within the first scroll
Every page where someone could leave is a page that needs social proof.
How do you get more testimonials fast?
If you don't have three strong ones yet, here's how to collect them this week:
- Make a list of five to ten customers who've had a good experience
- Email them directly — not a survey form, a personal note
- Ask a specific question: "What result did you get that surprised you?" or "What would you tell someone on the fence about working with us?"
- Offer to draft something for them based on your conversations — most people are happy to approve it
- Ask for permission to use their name, title, and photo
Once you have them, put them on your website and in your sales materials today. Don't wait for a redesign.