How To Get Testimonials From Clients (Without Making It Weird)

A few months into freelancing full-time, I landed a client who was absolutely thrilled with what I did for their brand. 

Open rates up. Revenue from email flows performing better than anything their previous agency had produced. 

They told me on our wrap-up call: "Alex, this has been incredible. You've completely changed how we think about retention."

And then I said nothing. I just smiled, said thanks, and moved on.

I didn't ask for a testimonial.

That was a mistake I made over and over before I finally built a system around it. Because happy clients go back to running their business and forget to sing your praises. Not because they don't mean it, but because nobody asked.

If you want to know how to get testimonials from clients, the answer does require intention.

Why Are Client Testimonials Important in the First Place?

They're not. They're infrastructure.

When a potential client finds you (through LinkedIn, your website, a referral, or a platform), the first thing they're doing is trying to answer one question: 

Can I trust this person with my money? 

Your portfolio shows capability. Your testimonials show reliability. These are two completely different things.

Client testimonials are also doing the selling for you when you're not in the room. I can't tell you how many times a prospect has mentioned reading a specific testimonial before reaching out. They'd already half-decided to hire me before we even got on a call.

Think of it this way: when I was building Betterly and matching ecommerce brands with freelancers, the freelancers who got chosen consistently were rarely the ones with the flashiest portfolios. 

They were the ones with specific, credible testimonials that showed results. Social proof wins deals. 

If you're serious about how to network like a pro and building a sustainable client pipeline, testimonials are the connective tissue.

The Timing Problem

Before we talk about how to ask for client testimonials, let's talk about when.

The best time to ask is at peak happiness. And peak happiness almost never happens at the end of a project. It happens at milestone moments:

• When a campaign you launched hits a major metric
• When a client messages you out of nowhere to share a win
• When you deliver something that visibly exceeds expectations
• Right after a call where they're clearly pumped about results

I've gotten some of my best testimonials mid-engagement. When a client texts you "our ROAS is insane this month, whatever you did is working" – that's your moment. Strike then.

How to Ask?

This is where most people freeze. They don't want to seem self-promotional or needy. So they just... don't ask.

Here's my approach. Keep it simple and frame it around them, not you.

Something like: "I'm really glad those results landed the way they did. It's been a great project to work on. Would you be open to writing a quick note about your experience? Even two or three sentences would mean a lot. It really helps other founders know what to expect when they're deciding who to work with."

That's it. No weird survey with 15 questions.

And if they say yes, which most people will, because you just delivered results, follow up with a couple of soft prompts to make it even easier for them:

• What were things like before we worked together?
• What results or changes did you notice?
• Would you recommend this to another brand?

You write the testimonial for them if needed. Seriously. Draft something based on what they told you on calls, send it over, and let them edit or approve. Busy founders love this. It removes all friction.

Three Ways to Collect Testimonials Systematically

Once you've got the timing and the ask down, build a system around it so it happens consistently.

1. The milestone email 

Set a reminder in your project management tool (or calendar) for 30 days after a major deliverable goes live. Send a short, casual email: how are things going, any questions, and oh, if results have been strong, would they be open to sharing a quick testimonial?

2. The wrap-up call close 

If you do a final review call with clients, make asking for a testimonial part of your standard agenda. After you've walked through results and gotten them excited about the wins, say your piece. Have it feel natural, not like you're reading off a checklist.

3. Screenshots and messages 

Stop letting great client messages disappear into your inbox. When someone sends you a "holy sh*t this worked" Slack message or email, screenshot it. Ask if you can use it publicly. Those unfiltered reactions make the best testimonials. They're specific, genuine, and way more convincing than anything written by committee.

Where to Put Them Once You Have Them

Getting the testimonials is half the job. Deploying them is the other half.

• Your website. But don't dump them all on a single "Testimonials" page nobody reads. Weave them into your homepage, your services page, and your contact page. Put the right testimonial next to the right offer.
• Your LinkedIn profile. The Recommendations section is underused and underrated. Ask clients to post there as well as sending you something privately.
• Proposals and decks. When you're pitching a new client, drop one or two hyper-relevant testimonials into the proposal itself. Specificity here matters a lot. A testimonial from a DTC brand saying "Alex tripled our email revenue in 60 days" lands a lot harder than a generic "great to work with!"
• Your outreach. When cold outreach or warm follow-ups are part of your back to school freelance strategy or any client acquisition push, a single compelling testimonial in your message can do more work than three paragraphs of pitch.

This week, think of one client who's had a win they're happy about. Someone who's mentioned good results, or who you know is getting value from your work.

Send them a message today. You'll be surprised how many people say yes. Build the habit now. Don’t like that phrase, but your future self will thank you.