Testimonials: why they matter, why they’re hard, and how to make them work for you

Testimonials are one of those things that everyone agrees are important, yet so many business owners struggle to get them.

You finish working with a client, you know the experience has been positive, and then comes the awkward moment of asking for feedback. For many, it feels uncomfortable. For others, it simply gets forgotten in the flow of finishing a project and moving on to the next thing.

And from the client’s perspective, it is not always easy either.

Especially when the work you do is personal or transformative, putting that experience into words can feel difficult. Sometimes people do not quite know how to describe what has changed. Other times, they may feel that what they have shared with you is private, and not something they want to make public.

So the challenge is not just about asking. It is about understanding why people hesitate in the first place.

Testimonials are more than marketing

It is easy to think of testimonials purely as a marketing tool. Something to place on a website or a sales page to show that your work is effective. But they serve another purpose as well.

Testimonials are feedback.

They are one of the few ways, especially as a solo business owner, to understand how your work is being experienced from the outside. What made sense to someone, what stood out, and sometimes, what could have been clearer or done differently. That kind of insight is valuable.

Not because you need to change everything based on one person’s perspective, but because it helps you refine how you work over time. It gives you a clearer picture of what is landing and what is not.

Giving people a way to respond

One of the reasons testimonials often come back vague or overly generic is that people are not sure what to say. “It was great working with them” might be true, but it does not tell anyone very much.

Sometimes, the simplest way to improve this is to offer a bit of guidance. Not in a rigid or prescriptive way, but by helping people reflect on their experience. What were they struggling with before? What changed during the process? What felt different afterwards? When people have a starting point, it becomes easier for them to express something more meaningful.

At the same time, it is important to allow flexibility. Not everyone will want to respond in the same way, and that is okay. A testimonial should feel comfortable for the person giving it, not forced into a format that does not suit them.

Letting people share in their own way

There is no single correct format for a testimonial. Some people are happy to write a few sentences. Others might prefer to send a voice note or a message. Some will want to stay anonymous, particularly if the work you do involves more personal topics. All of these are valid.

What matters is the authenticity of what is being shared, not the format it comes in. If someone takes the time to give you feedback, that in itself is valuable.

If needed, you can always shape that feedback into a format that works for your business. Transcribing a voice note or lightly editing a written testimonial for clarity is fine, as long as the meaning remains true to what the person intended. The key is to respect both the content and the person behind it.

Not everything has to be perfect

There can be a tendency to want every testimonial to sound flawless. But in reality, a collection of perfectly polished, entirely positive reviews can sometimes feel less believable than a mix of honest experiences.

People understand that no service is perfect for everyone. Seeing that there is nuance, that there are areas of growth, or that feedback has been taken on board can actually build more trust. It shows that you are listening, adapting, and continuously improving.

Testimonials are not about presenting perfection. They are about showing real experiences.

The impact you don’t always see

One of the most surprising things about testimonials is the effect they can have on you as the business owner.

When you are close to your work, it is easy to underestimate the impact you are having. You are focused on the process, on what still needs to be done, on what could be improved.

Then someone reflects that experience back to you. They put into words what has changed for them, what they have understood, or how they feel differently as a result of working with you. And suddenly, you see your work from a completely different perspective.

It is not just about validation. It is about recognising the value of what you are already doing.

Finding your recipe

Testimonials are not something to overcomplicate.

They are simply people sharing their experience of working with you.

Some will be short. Some will be detailed. Some will be emotional. Some will be practical.

All of them are useful.

Because building a business isn’t about proving that everything is perfect.

It’s about learning, adapting, and finding the way that works for you, one step at a time.