Ask about one specific moment, not the whole experience. “What did you think of us?” gets “Great service.” “What were you trying to do, and what happened?” gets a story the next customer can recognise. Below are 10 questions, a follow-up for one-line answers and a short form you can copy.
Compare two quotes on a web designer’s site. One says, “Really helpful, highly recommend.” The other says the client arrived with a folder of conflicting ideas and left with a site they could update themselves. Only the second tells a reader with the same problem that this designer can help.
You don’t need all 10 questions. Pick one to three, send them after a milestone and let the customer answer in their own words. The free testimonial form template has a before-and-after pair of story questions, attribution and a sharing choice ready to go. Try it below.
Ask after a milestone they can judge
Send the request after something the customer can describe: the project handover, their first week with the product, the first time they used a lesson. Ask too early and the only thing they can tell you about is signing up.
Name the project or purchase in the request. “Could you write us a testimonial?” leaves people staring at an empty box. “How did the handover for your new website go?” gives them somewhere to start.
10 customer testimonial questions
Replace the brackets with your project, product or service.
Before they started
1. What were you trying to do before you found [us]?
This is the line that makes a reader think “that’s me.” A shop owner needed a sign people could read from the street. A student wanted to feel ready for a presentation.
2. How were you handling it before?
“I copied every booking from my email into a spreadsheet” is something a reader can picture. Someone doing it for the first time can just say so.
3. What nearly stopped you from going ahead?
Price, time, or doubt about whether it would suit them. A customer answering a common worry is more convincing than you answering it. Make this one optional.
The experience
4. Which part of working with us stands out?
It might be the first call, the packaging or a patient explanation at handover. If they say “friendly,” ask what happened that felt that way.
5. Tell us about a time you used [the product or deliverable].
Ask for one occasion. A single real use says more than a general verdict.
6. How did we handle [a specific change or problem]?
Name something that actually happened, like a moved delivery date. A story about a problem that got sorted out is often more convincing than one where everything went smoothly.
What happened afterwards
7. What changed for you after [working with us]?
The closest thing to a single best question, and the one the template asks. Leave room for small changes. “I update the menu myself now” is a result.
8. What would you tell someone deciding whether to [buy or work with us]?
Often the most quotable answer, because it’s already written for the next customer.
9. Who do you think this suits?
They might name a team size, a skill level or a type of project. It helps readers decide whether the story applies to them.
10. What do you wish you’d known before starting?
Sometimes this is a quote. More often it’s a tip worth adding to your onboarding.
Match the questions to what you sell
The pattern is the same everywhere: one question about where they started, one about a specific moment and a follow-up about what came after. Change the wording so it sounds like you.
| Your business | Where they startedOne question about what came before | A specific momentThen a follow-up about what came after |
|---|---|---|
| 🎨 Designer or agencyAfter the client has used the finished work | What were you hoping to change about your website?Starting point | Which part of the project stands out?Follow up: What can you do with the site now?Handover |
| 💻 Software or toolAfter they have finished a real task | How did you handle this task before?Old routine | Tell us about the last time you used it.Follow up: What changed in that task?In practice |
| 📚 Course or tutorAfter they have tried a lesson themselves | What did you want to learn?Learning goal | Which lesson have you used since?Follow up: What happened when you tried it?Put to use |
| 📦 Physical productAfter they have had time to use it | What were you looking for?The need | How have you used it so far?Follow up: Where does it fit in your week?Everyday use |
When the answer is just “great service”
Thank them, then ask one neutral follow-up about something specific.
From a compliment to a story
One follow-up question, asked without suggesting the answer.
Worked example: Example website handover
The first answer
Example answer: Great service. Really helpful throughout.
Your follow-up
Example answer: Was there a moment when the help made a difference?
What the customer adds
Example answer: I was worried I’d break the new site when I changed the menu. You walked me through it on the handover call, and I updated it myself before we opened on Monday.
Keep the follow-up neutral. “How did our amazing support save your launch?” hands them the praise and the result. Nielsen Norman Group’s guide to leading questions (opens in a new tab) explains how that kind of wording shapes the answer. Ask what happened on the call and let them tell it.
If they’d rather leave it at one line, that’s fine. A testimonial request should be easy to say no to.
Choose where to collect testimonials
If you mainly want a wall of quotes on your homepage, a dedicated testimonial tool is the better fit. A form suits longer stories and follow-up questions.
| Tool | Best forWhere it’s the stronger pick | Free planWhat you get before paying |
|---|---|---|
| SenjaCollect and display testimonials | Showing testimonials on your siteWidgets and Walls of Love, plus imports from review sites.Display widgets | 15 video and text testimonialsNew ones are hidden past the limit until you upgrade. Starter is $29 a month.Capped |
| Testimonial.toVideo-first testimonials | Recorded video testimonialsIncludes a public testimonial page and Wall of Love.Video | 2 video and 10 text testimonials in totalSubmissions keep arriving; viewing more needs a paid plan. Starter is $25 a month.Capped |
| whatayarnForms with written and voice answers | Longer stories and voice testimonialsNo display widget. Copy approved quotes onto your site.Form first | Unlimited forms and responsesVoice answers up to 1 minute. Free forms show a small whatayarn mark.No response cap |
A short testimonial form you can copy
Three long-answer questions, then attribution and a sharing choice:
Tell us about your experience with [business]
We’d love to hear about [project, product or course]. A few sentences is plenty, and you can choose to keep your answer private.
1. What were you trying to do before [working with us]?
2. Which part of the experience stands out?
3. What changed for you afterwards?
Your name
Role or organisation (optional)
May we share your response and name on our website?
Yes, you may share it / Please keep it private
Make the sharing question required, with the private option just as easy to pick. If you plan to use quotes in newsletters or on social media, say so. Ask separately before using a logo or a recording.
Try the free testimonial form
The whatayarn template has five questions across two pages. Page one asks what the customer was trying to do before (optional) and what changed afterwards (required). Page two asks for their name, an optional role or organisation, and the sharing choice. Use it as it is or swap in questions from the list above.
Testimonial template
Try it here. Nothing is sent or saved.
The preview doesn’t save answers. Choose Use template to make your own copy. You can edit and preview it before you sign up, and you’ll need a free account to publish. The template and its question types are on the Free plan.
Replace [project] in the introduction, test both pages on your phone, publish and share the live link. Customers answer in their browser without an account.
Some people find it easier to talk than type. Add a voice question with a typed alternative, or start from the Voice Message Form template. The voice question guide covers recording limits.
Send the request yourself
Send it from your own inbox and mention the work you did together:
Hi [name], thanks again for working with us on [project]. Now that you’ve had a chance to [use the result], would you share a few words about it?
Here’s a short form: [link]. You can choose whether we share your answer on our website. No pressure if you’d rather skip it.
If something is still unresolved, sort that out first. If what you really want is to know what to improve, use a customer feedback form and these customer feedback questions instead.
Using what they send
Open Responses and read each answer alongside its sharing choice. A private answer stays private, however good the quote is.
If you shorten a quote, send the new wording back for approval and keep the meaning intact. Don’t publish only the glowing ones while hiding critical ones, or write testimonials yourself. In Australia, the ACCC’s guidance on online reviews (opens in a new tab) treats fake reviews as unlawful and says hiding genuine negative ones can mislead customers.
Place each quote where it answers a question. A story about the handover goes next to what you hand over. A story about delivery goes next to delivery details.
Common questions
What’s the single best testimonial question?
“What changed for you after [using the product or working with us]?” It’s the one required story question in the template. Add a hint asking for one example.
How many questions should I ask?
One to three story questions, then name, role and the sharing choice. You can follow up later if there’s a gap.
Does a testimonial need a measurable result?
No. What they used, what happened and what they can do now is often enough. Only include numbers the customer can back up.
Can customers leave a voice testimonial?
Yes. Add a voice question and keep a typed option for people who prefer it. Say how you plan to use recordings, and ask for a matching sharing choice.
Start with the free testimonial form and ask about one real experience.
