Most solopreneurs wait until a project is completely over before they ask for a client testimonial — and by then, the moment has passed. In this episode, copywriter Erin Ollila walks through exactly how to gather client testimonials at every stage of a client relationship, what to do when feedback is negative, and how to put testimonials to work once you have them. If you have been getting vague, hard-to-use responses like “it was great, I loved working with you,” this episode is for you.
(This is Part 2 of my conversation with Erin. If you missed Part 1, start with Episode 144.)
Originally aired: November 15, 2022
This post has been updated and republished as part of rebuilding the Gratitude Geek podcast archive. Some references (offers, links, or tools) may have changed since the recording.
Don’t Wait Until the Project Ends
The single biggest client testimonial mistake service providers make is treating it as an afterthought. Erin’s approach starts at onboarding, not offboarding. During those first conversations, she asks clients something like: What would make you feel like this project was a real success? If things turned out perfectly, what would that look like?
Those answers do two things. They tell you exactly what the client actually cares about, and they give you something concrete to come back to at the end. When the project wraps, you’re not asking a cold, generic question. You’re saying: you told me at the start you were hoping for this — and here’s what happened. That’s a much easier conversation to have, and it tends to produce specific, usable responses.
Ask for Feedback in the Middle
Checking in during the project isn’t just good client service — it’s where some of your best testimonial material comes from. Erin suggests asking something like: Are the expectations you had at this point being met?
Here’s the part that trips people up: if a client says no, that is not a disaster. That’s the most useful information you can get. Erin used a wedding photographer as an example. If a client says after the engagement session that they felt rushed, the photographer now knows exactly what to fix before the wedding day. They show up differently, the client notices, and that shift becomes the story. I was worried after our first session, but on the wedding day everything felt completely different. That’s a testimonial. It came directly from a problem that got solved.
Ask for Specific Things, Not General Praise
Generic questions produce generic answers. If you ask “how was your experience working with me,” you’re going to get “it was great, highly recommend.” Warm, useless.
Erin’s fix is to get specific about what you actually need. If you don’t have any testimonials that speak to a particular service, go back to a past client and ask directly. Tell them what you’re looking for and why. Or — and this is the one that really works — send a Mad Libs style prompt. Something like:
When I first started working with Kandas, I _____. After working together, I _____.
Then add: This is just an example. Use your own words entirely — I just wanted you to know the direction I was hoping for.
That prompt removes the blank-cursor paralysis most people feel when asked to write a testimonial. They want to say something good. They just don’t know where to start.
Handle Video and Live Calls Differently
Not everything happens in writing. Erin pointed out that some of her best testimonial material came out of live calls, not questionnaires. A client says something in the middle of a copy review call — I cannot believe how well you captured my voice — and if you’re not paying attention, it’s gone.
Erin suggests writing it down immediately (she’s ADHD and will lose it otherwise), then follow up afterward with something like, you said this on our call last week — would you be willing to let me use that as a testimonial?
For service providers who work in person or on location, like photographers or event planners, the same thing applies. Keep a notebook. Ask for permission on the spot or follow up right after. Those spontaneous moments are often the most honest things your clients will ever say about you.
What to Do When You Have No Clients Yet
Brand new business, no paid clients, no testimonials. You’re not stuck. Erin’s answer is simple: offer the service at a discount or as a barter with someone in your network, and be upfront about what you’re looking for. I’m building my portfolio. If you feel like the work was worth it, I’d love a testimonial.
One note she flagged: if you are giving something away for free specifically in exchange for a review, there are FTC disclosure rules in the US that apply. Check the guidelines for your situation. A discount or barter is generally fine. Fully free in exchange for a review needs a disclosure.
Put Testimonials to Work
Getting the testimonial is only half of it. Here’s where Erin says most people stop too soon.
- Your website. Get it on the home page. Add it to any page where it’s relevant to what you’re offering there.
- Case studies. Take a client story — the problem they came in with, what you worked on together, what changed — and weave the testimonial quote into it. That turns your word for it into their word for it.
- Email. Drop it in as a PS, or use what a client said as the jumping-off point for the whole email. If someone said you were a great listener, write about why listening matters in your work.
- Social. Make a simple graphic with the quote and use the caption to explain why it matters — not to brag, but to help a potential client understand what working with you actually looks like.
- Your podcast or content. Talk about what a client said and why it meant something. That’s social proof in a format that doesn’t feel like a sales pitch.
Testimonials aren’t a trophy case. They’re evidence that helps someone who has never worked with you decide whether to trust you. The more places that evidence shows up naturally, the better.
✅ Your homework from this episode: Go look at your website stats. Find your top-performing page. Figure out one small thing you could do to make it work harder for you.
Video not loading? Click here to watch on YouTube.
About Erin Ollila
Erin Ollila is a conversion copywriter, copy coach, and host of the Talk Copy to Me podcast. She spent over a decade doing case management in the mental health and addictions field before pivoting to copywriting — which means understanding people is genuinely baked into how she works.
She created the Testimonial Toolbox, a course that helps small business owners figure out exactly what to ask, when to ask it, and how to turn the answers into content that actually converts. She lives in southeastern Massachusetts and is the kind of person who will make a Frozen 2 reference in a business conversation and be completely correct.
Connect with Erin
Note: Some of the links here are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission, at no additional cost to you, if you choose to purchase.
- Website: ErinOllila.com
- LinkedIn: @ErinOllila
- Podcast: Talk Copy to Me
- Gift: 4 Types of Testimonials
- Course: Testimonial Toolbox
- 144: Erin Ollila on Marketing for Women Solopreneurs (Words First, Pretty Graphics Later)
Want to Keep Experimenting?
Knowing what to ask clients is one thing. Actually building the habit of asking — and then putting those testimonials to work — is where most of us get stuck. Inside the Gratitude Geek Lab, we work through exactly that kind of practical, doable business building, one experiment at a time. Come do the work with us.
👉 Join the Gratitude Geek Lab at kandasrodarte.com/lab
A community for Gen X women solopreneurs doing real, sustainable business — without the hustle.
Stay Groovy!
Gratitude Geek Podcast is made possible by:
MacKenzie Circle, Goddess Approach, Marketing Podcast Network, HoneyBook, SendOutCards, The Super Patch Co., Riverside.FM, Podmatch
and listeners like you.
Leave a Reply