27 October 2022

Use These 8 Testimonial Examples To Build Trust

Struggling to make potential customers trust your brand? Use these 8 powerful testimonials to change their mind.

Devesh Pinjani

Content Writer

Reading time: 5 minutes

Testimonials from satisfied customers are one of the most trusted and effective marketing tools. Every company ought to use them in order to demonstrate how their goods or services have made their customers’ lives better.

Regardless of how enticing the copy is, how carefully you edit the photos you take, or how glamorous the videos you produce may be, in the end, authentic and positive customer testimonials will triumph over all others.

If you are wondering about how you can get such customer testimonials for your e-commerce business, you are in for a treat because in this post we’ve shared 8 power testimonial templates that’ll help you massively when it comes to building trust with your customers.

What is a customer testimonial and why is it important?

Customer testimonials are one of the most effective ways to convince potential customers about the quality of your brand and the goodwill of your company.

A testimonial is like a recommendation or a review from a customer that informs other potential customers about the ways in which they benefited from the use of your products or services.

Studies have shown that approximately 95% of people will read customer testimonials when they are thinking about making a purchase, and an additional 88% of people have stated that they trust online reviews just as much as they believe a recommendation from a friend or family member.

There are many different formats that customer testimonials can take (we will discuss this in detail later), but their primary purpose remains the same: to demonstrate how great your brand and products are.

What makes customer testimonials so powerful is the fact that they can turn potential buyers’ attention away from the seller and toward the consumers who have previously purchased the product.

Since their needs were once similar to your buyers, anyone who looks at the testimonials page on your website is able to see things from a point of view that is comparable to their own.

That being said, there is one thing in particular, if gotten wrong, can drive customers away from your brand instead of bringing them closer. We are talking about the format of a customer testimonial.

What makes a great customer testimonial?

There is no said-rule of how a good customer testimonial should be, but there are a few things that every effective customer testimonial have in common. These include:

Telling you about the pros, cons, and addressing all concerns about the product in great detail.
Showing what problems it has solved in the past and who it is ideal for?
Sounding original and authentic
Being short and to the point
Explaining customers’ experience using the product or service.

8 customer testimonial examples you should use

1. Quote testimonials

Starting off our list with the most common type of customer testimonial, we have quote testimonials.

These concise reviews from customers tend to be powerful, credible, and highly persuasive.

An example of quote testimonials. Source: TimeSync

These are ideal for lending quick and scannable social proof to your products or services, which works best for goods or services that don’t need a great deal of thought but could still profit from a vote of assurance.

Here’s a simple template you can follow:

“I have only recently begun using [product or service], but thus far it has provided [key benefit]. I feel [emotional reaction]. I’d recommend this to anyone who is struggling with…[problem the product solves]”

Your customers should describe what their experience was like and give reasons why they liked the product or service they purchased from you.

You could use an entire quote or just a portion of a testimonial, but it is advised you keep this particular type of testimonial short and sweet.

2. Product testimonials

Product testimonials are another excellent way to dispel any doubts or reservations that a potential customer may have about your product.

The purpose of a product testimonial is to describe the experience of using that product, highlight the positive aspects of the product, and answer all common questions that customers may have about the product.

Here’s an example of a straightforward template for product testimonials:

“I thoroughly enjoyed using what your product [product name] had to offer [the benefit of the product]. Although I had some concerns regarding the [objection], as soon as I began using it, they turned out to be completely untrue. I find that [best use scenario] is the perfect moment for me to utilize [name of product].”

You can alter the length of the testimonial depending on its price. For instance, if you have a high-priced product that requires a lot of consideration from customers, the product testimonials should be longer and more in-depth, while the opposite is also true.

3. Video testimonials

Video testimonials are one of the most powerful ways to convey the experience that a customer has had with your company.

Testimonial videos are effective because they help customers in two regards:

Firstly, since your customers will explain in a video testimonial how they were facing a challenge and how your product or service was able to assist them in resolving the issue, potential buyers will be able to visualize how a product or service works in real-time.

Secondly, because it is based on the experience of the customer, this kind of testimonial inevitably generates an emotional response in the reader, which can directly influence their purchasing decisions.

Here’s a quick script you can use:

“I was really having a hard time with [insert your problem here], which was having a negative impact on me. I began by inquiring about a potential solution. After doing some additional research, I got to know about [product name] and made the decision to purchase it, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice.

This product or service has worked wonders for me, and I will never reflect back on my decision to purchase it or use it in the first place. If you’re dealing with [ mention problems/ideal situation], I strongly suggest that you give [product/service] a shot.”

The template can be shorter or longer depending on the customers’ problem and resolutions but this is what generally works best.

4. Case study testimonials

When compared to other types of testimonials, a case study testimonial provides more in-depth information. These kinds of testimonials are perfect for companies that sell products or provide services that call for a significant financial investment.

The perfect case study testimonial not only describes your company and the services that you offered, but it also describes the client, the factors that led them to choose your company, and their overall experience working with you.

This may help win over other customers who have had a similar experience or are experiencing the same problem.

Here’s a quick template for you to use:

“[Name of the Customer / Name of the Business] Case Study”

Our Company deals with [Information about the client’s company, such as its size, industry, etc]. Because of our [the problem that arose], we were up against a significant obstacle which was negatively affecting our business.

When we learned about [your company name], we immediately recognised that you have the [company strengths] which could help us. Since we’ve started doing business with you, we have noticed [measurable benefit].”

Pro tip: When selecting a client to provide a testimonial for a case study, you should look for someone who most closely resembles your ideal buyer persona. This will allow you to more successfully influence members of your ideal audience.

5. Problem-to-resolution testimonial

The problem-resolution testimonial is an excellent choice for solution-focused products or services that offer a very obvious benefit to the customer.

It is very similar to the case study testimonials, but rather than focusing on the customer’s overall story and experience, the primary emphasis is placed on the customer’s initial issue and how it was resolved.

In other words, the whole testimonial mostly talks about “what was the issue”, immediately followed by “what the company did to solve it.”

Here’s a template that you can use:

“I was dealing with a [customer issue] for quite some time. I knew I needed this problem solved as soon as possible, and that’s when my research led me to your [product or service]. I’m glad I found your business because you solved the issue in the best possible way and I am really [satisfaction level] with the results.”

6. Social media testimonials

Although it is beneficial to have a number of testimonials posted on your website, you don’t want to overlook reviews on third-party websites and social media apps since they also have a huge influence on the general public.

The vast majority of potential customers (especially the younger generation) begin their hunt for a product or service by conducting informational searches on these social platforms first.

They might begin with a standard Google or Instagram search to look for reviews on a specific item, company, or product they are interested in.

It doesn’t matter if you are a known brand, if your products don’t have positive testimonials to back their quality, most people will find the next best alternative.

Here’s an example of a good social testimonial:

“I had heard a lot about [company name] so I decided to try out [product/service] and the experience was nothing short of amazing, I recommended it to anyone who needs it.”

One thing to keep in mind here is that, regardless of the social platform you have the reviews on, try to keep them short and concise, because nobody comes on a social media site to read an essay-long testimonial.

7. Authority testimonials

Authority testimonials is another way to convince your audience that you’re the real deal. They’re also known as influencer testimonials because they feature a public figure who is collaborating with your company and providing their support.

Authority testimonials give your customers confidence that you are a trusted source of information, and they can help them make more informed buying decisions.

In most cases, the spokesperson should be someone who is a significant role model for your target audience and shares the same core values as your business.

The production of authority testimonials is typically quite pricey, since finding the right influencer can be a task. However, if done correctly, Influencer testimonials can give you the highest return on investment out of all other testimonials.

Here’s a quick example template for the same:

“Sometimes, when I am [engaging in the activity that the influencer is known for], I struggle with [the challenge]. This [product or service] assisted me in solving that problem by [significant benefit].”

8. Press testimonials

A press testimonial is very similar to an influencer testimonial. It is a significant accomplishment to have your company mentioned in the news, particularly when the coverage is positive.

Being mentioned in the news these days means that your company’s product or service will be exposed to a potential audience of millions of people, which can significantly boost your brand’s awareness.

The majority of the time, these kinds of testimonials take the form of reviews of particular products or services, such as movies or restaurants.

It’s possible that besides traditional platforms like newspapers and magazines, a well-known website, a social media group, an online video channel, or some other form of emergent media could also serve as a source for a press testimonial.

There’s no fixed template for a press testimonial since every publication has its own style of covering it. However, if you are making a request, here’s something you can try:

“Dear [person to contact at the publication or media group],

I have always enjoyed the work that you produce. I wanted to get in touch with you regarding your review column, [name of column or spot].

I’ve been running [kind of business] for [a number of years], and my staff and I take a lot of pride in the work that we produce. Our clients are extremely satisfied with the work that we do, and we would be grateful if your reviewers could give us a shot.

We at [name of the company] would be overjoyed at the opportunity to be featured in [name of the review spot]. Let me know what we can do to make this happen.”

Conclusion

No matter how many advanced marketing and sales tactics come up in the future, nothing will beat testimonials in their ability to build your brand’s goodwill.

They are the best way to get people to trust you (and buy your product) because it shows them that you’ve been there—that you know what it’s like to have been in their shoes, and that you’re willing to help them with whatever they’re struggling with.

These are 8 powerful customer testimonial templates that you can use to gather reviews from your ex-customers.

Regardless of the type of testimonial you like to use, it all comes down to letting people know exactly what benefits your product or service can offer them in the words of people who are (or were) just like them.