How to ask for a testimonial: 8 copy-and-paste templates for email and WhatsApp

Most happy customers will give you a testimonial. They just won’t think to do it on their own. The hard part is the asking: finding the right words, sending it at the right time and not feeling awkward about it.

Below are eight short templates you can copy, change a few words in and send today. There are versions for email and WhatsApp, for different kinds of businesses, and for following up when someone forgets.

Before you send: three rules that matter more than wording

• Ask soon. Send within a day or two of a good moment, such as a delivery, a finished project or a solved problem.
• Make it one tap. Include a direct link to where they can reply. Never ask people to “reply with a few sentences” and leave it there.
• Keep it short. If your message needs scrolling, it’s too long. Two to four lines is enough.

Email templates

“Hi {name}, thanks again for choosing us for {service}. Would you share a sentence or two about how it went? It takes about a minute: {link}. It really helps other people decide if we’re right for them.”1. Simple email, works for any business

“Hi {name}, now that {project} is live, I’d love to hear what working with us was like. If you have two minutes, could you answer a few quick questions here: {link}? With your permission, we may share your answer on our website.”2. Email for agencies and freelancers after a project

“Hi {name}, congratulations on finishing {course}! What changed for you since you started? Your answer could help someone who’s where you were a few months ago. Share it here: {link}”3. Email for course creators and coaches

“Hi {name}, you’ve been with us for {time} now, which means a lot to our team. Would you tell us, in a line or two, what keeps you coming back? {link}”4. Email for long-time or repeat customers

WhatsApp templates

WhatsApp messages get read quickly, so keep them even shorter and friendlier than email. Only message customers who have agreed to hear from you there.

“Hi {name}! Hope you’re enjoying your {product} 😊 Would you mind telling us how it’s going? Takes a minute: {link}”5. WhatsApp after a purchase or delivery

“Hi {name}, thanks for visiting us today! How did we do? Your feedback helps us a lot: {link}”6. WhatsApp after a visit or appointment

“Hi {name}, so glad you liked it! Would you be up for recording a quick 30-second video saying that? Just tap here, no app needed: {link}”7. WhatsApp asking for a video testimonial

The follow-up template

Lots of people mean to reply and then forget. One gentle reminder a few days later often brings in as many replies as the first message. Send one follow-up, not three.

“Hi {name}, just a quick nudge in case this got buried. If you have a minute, we’d really value your thoughts: {link}. No worries if not, and thanks again!”8. Friendly reminder, three to five days later

Make it easy to say something useful

“Leave us a testimonial” often gets back “Great service!”, which is nice but doesn’t persuade anyone. A couple of simple questions on your feedback page help customers write something specific without effort.

• What problem were you trying to solve when you found us?
• What was the result?
• What would you tell a friend who’s thinking about using us?

What to do with the replies

• Thank everyone who replies, even with a one-line message.
• If someone isn’t happy, contact them privately and fix it before anything else.
• Ask permission before publishing a testimonial with someone’s name or photo.
• Pick out the most specific lines and put them where people make decisions, such as your homepage, pricing page and checkout.
• Invite happy customers to leave a Google review too. It helps new customers find you.

Send these without doing it by hand

Copying templates one customer at a time works when you have five customers. It gets hard at fifty. Cuebase lets you upload or paste your customer list and send feedback requests by email or WhatsApp in one go, with each person’s name filled in. Replies land in one inbox, happy customers are invited to leave a Google review, and you can turn the best answers into testimonials on your website with a widget or a Wall of Love page.

Whichever way you send them, start this week. Pick the template that fits, send it to your last ten happy customers, and you’ll likely have your first new testimonials within a few days.