Client testimonials are one of the most trusted forms of marketing, but unfortunately, they’re also one of the most underutilized.

Far too often, small business owners see them as a nice bonus rather than a strategic asset.

They might collect a kind email or two from happy clients, slap it on a testimonials page, and then leave it at that.

No strategy. No context. No thought about how these words could directly support their brand positioning, reduce objections, or drive new business.

No matter how you slice it, that’s a missed opportunity.

Because when they’re used well, client testimonials don’t just prove your value.

They become powerful decision-making tools for potential buyers who are actively looking for reassurance, proof, and connection.

What’s more, they help people feel safe about investing in you, which is a key part of what makes any sale happen.

So, if you’re wondering how to use testimonials, this article will show you exactly how to gather, write, and place client testimonials in ways that align with your brand, attract the right clients, and strengthen trust at every stage of the buyer’s journey.

Why Client Testimonials Are Underused (and Undervalued)

Most entrepreneurs don’t realize the potential their testimonials hold.

They often think of them as generic praise or reputation-building fluff, not as persuasive tools that can influence behaviour and reinforce authority.

This happens for a few reasons.

First, many small business owners feel awkward about asking for client testimonials.

Oftentimes, they think it’s too self-serving or fear that this kind of request will make their clients uncomfortable by putting them on the spot.

Others simply don’t know how to ask or what kind of feedback to ask for.

Then there’s the issue of placement.

Some collect testimonials and hide them on a standalone page that no one visits. Others scatter them randomly across their website with no real intent.

And when they do use testimonials, they often choose the wrong ones, including statements that are vague, off-brand, or worse, focused on the wrong things.

In short, most business owners are either underusing testimonials or using them poorly.

But when they’re gathered and applied strategically, client testimonials can act like signposts, guiding prospective clients toward a decision with clarity, confidence, and trust.

What Makes a Good Testimonial vs. a Bad One

A great testimonial is specific, emotionally resonant, and clearly aligned with your unique value.

It speaks to a real transformation, addresses a fear or hesitation your ideal client might have, reflects the kind of work you want more of, and the kind of client you want more of, too.

On the other hand, a bad testimonial is vague, impersonal, or misaligned with your brand.

It might say you were “great to work with” but it doesn’t go any deeper than that.

It lacks emotional impact. It doesn’t tell a story or highlight what made your approach unique. And worst of all, it could apply to anyone in your industry.

So, when evaluating whether a testimonial is good or not, you should ask yourself:

• Does it speak to a specific challenge or transformation?
• Does it reflect the kinds of clients I want to attract?
• Does it support my core brand positioning?

Because if you answered no to any of these questions, then it might not be worth using.

How and When to Ask for a Testimonial

Timing and context matter, and that means your best chance of getting a meaningful, on-brand testimonial is when a client is feeling excited, relieved, or proud of what they accomplished by working with you.

That’s when the transformation is fresh and when they’re most likely to give you the kind of specific, heartfelt feedback you’re looking for.

In any case, don’t wait too long or ask out of the blue.

Instead, build the testimonial request into your process by making it part of your offboarding workflow or post-project wrap-up.

Also, don’t assume your clients will know what to say because most won’t. And that’s why prompting them makes all the difference.

Here are a few questions that will help you get the best feedback from your clients:

• What changed after we worked together?
• What would you say to someone who’s considering hiring me?
• What was your biggest challenge you had before working with me?
• What results did you see – either emotionally, financially, or in your business?

These questions lead to testimonials that are useful, specific, and aligned with your branding.

If necessary, you can also offer to write a draft based on your client’s earlier feedback or a conversation and let them approve or revise it.

This will help them feel supported, while also ensuring you get the kind of testimonial that moves the needle.

Where to Put Client Testimonials (And How to Format Them)

Testimonials shouldn’t be confined to a single page labelled “Reviews” or “Kind Words”.

Instead, they should be woven throughout your marketing, so they support your brand positioning and create trust wherever your audience is making a decision.

Here are some examples of places where you should incorporate them:

• On your Services pages, next to your offers
• On your About page, to reinforce your credibility
• On your Home page, near opt-in forms or calls to action
• Throughout your email marketing and lead magnet funnels
• As part of social media content, especially around launches
• Inside proposals, sales decks, and client onboarding packages

And when you’re formatting client testimonials, try to think about visual trust cues.

In doing so, you should include the client’s full name, business name, and ideally, a photo of them, if they’re okay with doing that.

It’s also good to highlight keywords or phrases within the testimonials, and you can even use the most impactful sentence as a headline or pull quote.

Which Testimonials to Use

Not all testimonials deserve to be featured, and there are many reasons for this.

Some will be too generic, while others may highlight aspects of your business that you’re trying to move away from, like being affordable, fast, or always available.

For instance, if you’re positioning yourself as a premium service provider, then a testimonial about how cheap your services are isn’t going to help.

Instead, you want to feature testimonials that reinforce your brand values and align with the clients you want to attract moving forward.

Focus on the ones that speak to transformation, quality, confidence, clarity, trust, or results, as these will help to support your credibility while pointing the reader in the right emotional direction.

On the flip side, testimonials that focus on things that are irrelevant, and those that were written by clients who weren’t ideal fits, or feel outdated or misaligned, should be left out.

Even if they’re kind, they might confuse your audience or undercut your current brand positioning.

At any rate, curating testimonials is just as important as collecting them, as you want each one to serve a purpose.

The Benefits of Using Client Testimonials

The power of a client testimonial lies in its ability to bypass skepticism.

Because when your audience hears from someone like them who had the same doubts or fears – and overcame them by working with you – it creates a bridge.

Suddenly the purchase doesn’t feel so risky. It feels safe, and it feels smart.

In any case, strong, strategically placed testimonials can:

• Build trust quickly, especially with skeptical buyers
• Provide proof of results and transformation
• Reinforce your brand positioning and unique value
• Preemptively answer common objections
• Help ideal clients self-identify and feel understood
• Boost conversions on landing pages and service pages
• Reduce buyer hesitation and shorten the sales cycle
• Support more premium positioning by anchoring value
• Increase referrals and word-of-mouth credibility
• Deepen emotional connections with your brand

Let Your Clients Do the Talking

You work hard to create real results for your clients, and when those results are shared in their words, they become powerful trust builders that no pitch or sales copy can replicate.

The key is to stop thinking of testimonials as random compliments and start treating them as conversion tools.

Be intentional. Ask the right questions. Choose the right stories. And then place them where they’ll do the most good.

Above all, make sure the client testimonials you choose reflect who you are, what you offer, and why your best-fit clients love working with you.

Let your happy clients speak for you – and watch how quickly the right ones say yes.

You’ve got great feedback from clients – now let’s make sure it’s doing real work in your marketing.

The ‘No More Wasted Marketing’ Workbook shows you how to clarify your brand positioning so you can attract the right clients and use tools like testimonials with intention.

Download the workbook today and start building a brand that speaks for itself.

To your business success,
Susan Friesen

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About the Author, Susan Friesen

Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia’s premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media.

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is an expert in helping businesses establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity.

Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the branding and marketing industry.

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