According to a survey by Spectoos, 89% of marketers say testimonials are effective content marketing tactics, and businesses that use customer testimonials in their marketing see a 62% increase in revenue.

Testimonials play a critical role in building credibility and trust with customers. So, we will discuss creative testimonial questions that you can ask your users for effective feedback and interesting reviews. 

The Power of Testimonials & Why testimonial questions matter?

In today's competitive landscape with rising customer acquisition costs, the real potential for business growth lies in nurturing existing customers.

Customer referrals are crucial in gaining trust. While word-of-mouth recommendations are valuable, customer reviews and testimonials are vital for businesses as they foster credibility and significantly influence potential customers' buying decisions. 

They serve as social proof, demonstrating that others have benefited from a business's product or service, thereby building trust. 

Testimonials are powerful influencers, whether written, visual, or video testimonials and good testimonial questions can take your marketing game to the next level! Moreover, they can improve SEO and social-proof your brand. 

However, getting the right questions to collect testimonials can make a huge difference in how helpful they are for your business's marketing. You want your customers to sound genuine, interesting, and relatable when sharing their experiences.

But if you just let them talk without any guidance, it could lead to some problems:

1. Customers might feel overwhelmed and unsure about what to say, which could mean fewer responses.
2. They might end up sharing too much or talking about things that aren't relevant to your business, making the testimonials less useful for marketing.

To avoid these issues, it's super important to think carefully about the questions you ask. When collecting testimonials to add to your website, you must be careful about these things.

Best Testimonial Questions to Ask Your Customers for Quality Testimonials

While asking these questions, just remember that you have to get a narrative out of the customer. Any good story should have a beginning (the problem), a middle (the solution and the trial), and a happy ending in our case.

General Questions

The purpose of these questions is to get an answer that tells a story about the problem you're solving with your products or services. See it from the point of view of a customer. Suppose you're a man looking for a shampoo that doesn't dry your hair, nourishes it, and helps you get rid of the itchiness and dandruff. 

Now, if you read the following testimonial on the product's website, would you not be immediately convinced? Eventually, and most importantly, we will have to solve the customer's problem. 

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‍What's your name and job title? 

Including the respondent's name and job title in a testimonial can make it more relatable and credible to your audience. It allows potential customers to see that real individuals, perhaps in roles similar to their own, have benefitted from your product or service.

That simply humanizes the testimonial, adds authenticity, and personalizes the experience, enhancing the potential impact of the testimonial.

What was your initial impression of our company/product/service?

Gaining insight into a customer's initial impression helps businesses understand what customers are thinking when they first engage with a product or service. That is good for feedback. 

How did our company/product/service meet or exceed your expectations?

By asking how your product or service met or exceeded expectations, you allow customers to highlight specific cases of exceptional value or service. 

These highlights can serve as powerful selling points, showcasing real-world instances where your business excelled. That helps you identify your hero products/services, what you’re doing right, and what you must do more of. 

Can you describe a specific situation or feature that stood out to you during your experience with us?

This question can help uncover unique selling propositions (USPs). You can consider emphasizing these in marketing strategies if many testimonies mention the same standout features or experiences. 

Each unique opinion generated can reveal a new dimension of your product or service that you may not have thought to advertise.

Would you recommend our company/product/service to others? If so, why?

This question can be used to gauge overall satisfaction and to quantify the likelihood of a customer referring others to your product, service, or company. 

A high likelihood of recommendation usually corresponds with high customer satisfaction, and such endorsements can be a powerful form of social proof in marketing. 

If the reasons for recommending your business are consistently praised, you can also use them as dominant selling points in your marketing initiatives.

Product/Service Specific Questions

While the last set of questions focused on the general description of the customer and their relationship with the brand, this set of testimonial prompts will focus more on the product and service end, so the testimonial is holistic and gives a complete idea of the experience. 

What specific features of our product/service do you find most valuable?

Understanding what customers find most valuable is central to understanding the aspects of your product or service that resonate most with your customers. Responses can indicate key unique selling points (USPs) that directly address customers' needs or pain points. 

By emphasizing these standout features, you can make your offering more compelling for potential customers, demonstrating exactly how your product or service can provide value to customers.

How has our product/service helped you solve a particular problem or achieve a specific goal?

Questions related to value provision are specifically helpful when you know what problem point you’re addressing and what you offer. The resultant responses can serve as powerful testimonials, illustrating practical benefits and the effectiveness of your offering in real-world scenarios. 

This kind of firsthand feedback can reveal direct correlations between using your product or service and achieving desired outcomes, which can offer compelling evidence of your product or service's capability to prospective customers.

Let’s say you’re not very clear about that and are still in the process of figuring that out. This question can also help you figure things out. 

In what ways has our product/service made your life/business easier or more efficient?

As an alternative or a derivative of the last question, this question seeks to highlight the practicality and ease facilitated by your product or service. These practical benefits could range from time-saving, cost reduction, increased productivity, or simplified workflows.

Before and After Questions

Contrast, psychologically, is known to awaken senses and give a better perspective and understanding of something. So, when you compare situations and tell a story in terms of before and afterward, the message becomes more comprehensible. 

Specifically for products or services that are medicinal, cosmetics, etc., the before-after questions are really useful to show the contrast.

How has your experience with our company/product/service changed since you started using it?

Asking this question can illuminate your product or service's transformative effect over time. It intends to demonstrate a before-and-after scenario, showing potential customers that your offering can progress or improve their experiences or operations. 

That can be particularly compelling in showing the long-term value of your product or service. For example, The Ordinary is a cosmetics brand that has the following review and testimonial on its website that explains the change of experience after using the company/product/service. 

Can you describe a specific challenge or issue that our product/service helped you overcome?

Zeroing in on the practical applications your product or service provides in real-life situations, this question encourages customers to detail a specific problem or challenge that your offering helped resolve, and you're able to highlight the practical benefits of your product or service. 

This can showcase the effectiveness of your offering and its relevance to potential customers facing similar challenges.

In what ways has your perception of our company/product/service evolved since you became a customer?

Here, we aim to reveal how relationships with customers and their perception of your brand may have changed since they first started using your product or service. 

It can highlight the positive effect your company, product, or service has had on customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing insights about the overall customer journey. This can be powerful for potential customers who are looking for a reliable and customer-centric provider.

If you also want to collect testimonials and reviews for your brand, you must try Testimonial Donut, as it provides you with a streamlined and user-friendly dashboard that can help you with testimonial management and collection, with everything being in one place. 

The dashboard and tools you’ll get are really simple to use and will make your work easy and free of complexities. The best part is that as an initial offering, Testimonial Donut is free to use. 

Emotional Impact Questions

Questions like these are the questions to ask for a testimonial that connects with a user or potential customer at a human or emotional level. These questions have more to do with how would the product or service make them feel. 

We must empathize with the user and give them a story of how it’d feel if their problem gets solved. For example, balding hair or receding hairline is something that men can be quite sensitive about, so as a hair transplant surgery company, you need a testimonial that empathizes with the user and, at the same time, makes them feel safe about the process. 

How did you feel before using our product/service, and how do you feel now?

Aiming at revealing the emotional transformation that customers undergo through their journey with your product or service, this question is meant to balance out the more fact-based testimonies with emotional, human experiences from real users. 

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The responses help in showcasing the personal impact, and significance your company, product, or service has had on the users.

Can you describe a moment when you felt delighted with our product/service?

If you want to add a great storytelling layer to the testimonial(s) you collect, this question is designed to capture specific incidents that bring joy or satisfaction to your customers. These stories can elicit emotional responses that showcase the delight experienced by customers. 

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Such positive emotions can powerfully influence potential customers' perceptions and decision-making, enhancing the attractiveness of your product or service.

What values or qualities of our company/product/service resonate with you the most?

Values are what make a brand human and add character to it. Nike is known for its underdog and never-giving-up values, while Redbull is known for its adventuress and exploratory spirit. These are also the values that their customers resonate with. 

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Asking this question helps to identify which values or qualities of your company, product, or service form an emotional connection with your customers. Emotional branding is a powerful way to earn consumer affinity and can often be a key differentiator in crowded markets.

Discovery & Comparisons

High-quality testimonials must show that you've created a positive impact on the customer's journey. Potential client(s) or customer(s) will buy into the narrative if the journey is similar to theirs. 

These customer testimonial questions will also help you identify which distribution network or marketing channels of your brand are most effective in driving brand discovery and customer conversions. 

How did you come across our product or service?

Discover-related questions like this are crucial in understanding the reach of your marketing efforts and the pathways customers take to discover your product or service. Responses can shed light on the effectiveness of your promotional campaigns or highlight avenues for expansion.

What other products/services did you try before discovering ours? (What other ways did you try to solve that problem?)

The responses to this question can reveal the unique selling propositions that set your company, product, or service apart from competitors in the eyes of customers. This can guide you in emphasizing these distinguishing features in your marketing strategy.

Check out the following review of cat litter by a brand called Pet Pattern. Notice how the customer describes their experience after buying the product. The customer also compares the product to another product they tried.

What made you buy our product/service?

With this question, we aim to uncover the key factors influencing a customer's buying decision, which enables you to understand what is most important to your customers. 

In contrast to the first question in this section, this one will help you identify what qualities about your products/services/company help you convert customers. This knowledge can empower you to highlight these factors in your sales strategies and messaging, thus resonating more directly with potential buyers.

Endorsement

This is where your old customers talk to your potential customers and "sell" them your product. These client testimonial questions can be a game-changer for some of y’all!

According to a survey by BrightLocal, 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, including 93% of people aged 35-54. The same study found that positive reviews make 91% of consumers more likely to use a business, accentuating the importance of customer testimonials and endorsements.

Would you recommend us or our product(s)/service(s) to others? If yes, then what would be the top reasons for doing so?

A question like this is crucial to understanding how likely your customers are to recommend your product or service to others, which can serve as an indication of customer satisfaction. It also encourages customers to outline their top reasons for the recommendation, providing potential selling points for your business.

Moreover, it will convert your testimonials into a good sales pitch that you can make to potential customers. However, please ensure the customer or client is comfortable enough to answer this question. If you have any doubts regarding their comfort, refrain from it. 

What advice would you offer to someone contemplating engaging with our business?

Treat this as a guideline for newer or potential customers to help them get the best out of their experience(s) but from the point of view of another experienced customer. 

Feedback & Criticism 

Constructive criticism or feedback serves primarily to add a human touch to the testimonials, enhancing their relatability for the company's audience. By incorporating customer feedback as testimonials, you'll not only appeal to the ideal customers but also naturally deter those whose needs may not align with your solution.  

Moreover, if you don’t want to show this side of your brand in your testimonials, you must still collect it as feedback for your company and yourself. 

Is there any aspect you think we could have improved or done differently?

By this, we can gain insights into areas of your product, service, or operations that might need improvement. While such feedback can be challenging, it is crucial for growth and can direct future product developments or service enhancements. 

This may display the authenticity and honesty of your brand. 

How much would you rate us out of 5?

Customer ratings provide a quick and easy metric of satisfaction. They allow you to gauge the overall sentiment about your product or service. Consistently high ratings can be used in promotional materials, while lower ratings can indicate areas that need attention.

Moreover, ratings are a good statistical summary of the customer experience and are important for better formatting, summarisation, and graphical display of information. 

How likely are you, on a scale of one to ten, to recommend our product or service to others?

Known as the Net Promoter Score (NPS) question, this measures the willingness of customers to recommend your product or service. The answers can be a powerful indicator of customer loyalty and satisfaction. High scores can be a strong selling point, and lower scores can guide your efforts to improve your customer experience.

Describe our product/service in one word!

You can get powerful adjectives that encapsulate customer impressions of your product or service with this question. The answers can be used in promotional material and can also give you quick insight into your product or service's perception.

It’s great for your marketing materials, specifically as video testimonial questions. 

Check out how the following video testimonial consists of the answer to all the above questions in just 30 seconds.

You can also read our collection of the best testimonial examples here. 

Final Thoughts

To sum up, how you pick the appropriate questions for testimonials greatly matters to your overall brand image and online presence. These testimonials must give a good idea of what the customer experience is like and sell a story of how their “problem” will be solved by using your products/services. 

Keeping all that in mind, we compiled the above list of questions. Such questions are twofold, both driving the elicitation of sincere and recurrent stories from your clientele and being an essential factor towards buyer conversion.

So you have everything from General Questions about the customers and their overall experience to how they discovered the brand to before-after questions, emotional storytelling questions, products/services-specific technical questions, and more. 

There’s no hard and fast rule. You can choose whatever works for you, your brand, and your customers. Hope this article and the above-mentioned testimonial questions help you collect wholesome testimonials from your customers and clients. 

Lastly, we at Testimonial Donut, offer a platform where you can easily collect and manage testimonials and reviews for your business. Our user-friendly interface and templates will make this process quite easy for you. So, do give it a try and start with your testimonial collection journey right away. 

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