20 Effective Testimonial Questions to Ask for Better Results
You’ve probably come across a testimonial that only says “Great service.” It sounds nice, but it doesn’t explain what was great or why someone should choose that business.
Now picture another testimonial that says “We cut project time in half and saved thousands thanks to their team.” That one is far more convincing because it tells a real story.
The difference comes from asking the right testimonial questions, and in this guide we’ll walk through the best ones to use and how to ask them so you get answers that truly make an impact.
What Happens When You Ask the Wrong Questions for Your Testimonials
If you ask weak, vague, or leading testimonial questions, you’ll end up with answers that don’t help your business. Instead of authentic stories that build trust, you’ll collect generic or even useless feedback.
Here are the consequences of asking the wrong questions:
Generic and Unusable Responses
When questions are too broad (like “Did you like our service?”), customers tend to give one-word or overly simple answers. These don’t provide the details, emotions, or results that make a testimonial persuasive.
Without strong storytelling elements, the testimonial loses its marketing value.
2. Lost Opportunity to Highlight Real Results
The right questions draw out specifics — numbers, outcomes, or before-and-after scenarios.
If you ask the wrong questions, you miss the chance to capture real proof of success (e.g., “I saved 10 hours a week” or “Revenue grew by 25%”). That’s the content that convinces new buyers.
Without it, your testimonials may feel shallow.
3. Damaged Credibility and Authenticity
Leading or overly “salesy” questions (like “Would you say our service is the best you’ve ever used?”) can make testimonials sound scripted or fake.
This hurts your credibility rather than helping it. Potential customers are quick to spot forced praise, so asking the wrong questions can backfire and reduce trust in your brand.
What Are the Best Testimonial Questions to Ask Your Customers?
Below are powerful questions you can use, organized into themes.
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your role?
This gives readers context about who the customer is.
A testimonial from a business owner, a manager, or even a first-time user hits differently depending on the audience.
Sharing who they are makes the testimonial relatable and helps future customers see themselves in that person’s shoes.
2. What challenge or problem were you facing before working with us?
Every good testimonial starts with a “before” story.
This question sets the stage by showing the problem or frustration that existed prior to working with you.
It’s powerful because prospects often share the same struggles and will immediately connect with the story.
3. How was this problem affecting your business or life?
This adds depth to the previous question by highlighting the real impact of the problem.
Was it costing them money, wasting time, or adding stress?
When customers describe the pain in detail, it creates urgency and makes the solution you provided even more valuable.
4. How did you first hear about us?
This isn’t just useful for your marketing team to track channels, it also makes the testimonial feel more authentic.
When someone mentions finding you through a friend, an ad, or a search, it shows other potential customers how they too could discover your business.
5. What other solutions did you consider before choosing us?
This question highlights what makes you stand out from competitors.
When customers talk about alternatives they looked at, it helps prospects see the comparison and reinforces your unique value.
It’s especially helpful in industries where people are actively shopping around.
6. What made you ultimately decide to work with us?
First impressions matter, and this question captures the customer’s initial reaction.
Was the process smooth, easy, or better than expected?
Their response validates your onboarding, user experience, or service quality, which reassures potential customers that they’ll have a positive start too.
7. What was your first impression when you started using our product/service?
First impressions stick, and this question captures that initial reaction.
When customers describe how easy, smooth, or welcoming the start was, it reassures potential buyers that they won’t struggle when they sign up or start working with you.
Strong onboarding stories are especially powerful for reducing hesitation.
8. Did you have any hesitations or concerns before working with us?
Almost every buyer has doubts before committing. By asking this question, you let customers share their concerns and explain how they overcame them.
When prospects see that others had the same worries but ended up satisfied, it helps break down objections and build trust.
9. What specific feature, service, or aspect do you like most?
This question draws out the exact detail that stands out in the customer’s mind.
It could be a product feature, a part of your service, or the way your team handled support.
Highlighting these specifics gives you strong material you can showcase in your marketing.
10. How easy or difficult was it to work with us?
Ease of use and smooth collaboration are huge selling points.
When customers explain how straightforward the process was, it reduces fear for future prospects who might be worried about complexity or hassle.
If they describe it as “simple” or “stress-free,” that becomes a trust-building message.
11. Can you share a specific result you’ve achieved since using our product/service?
This is where testimonials move from stories to proof.
Asking for numbers, examples, or measurable changes makes testimonials far more persuasive.
A customer saying “We saved 10 hours a week” or “Revenue increased by 25%” carries much more weight than a generic compliment.
12. How has your day-to-day work or life improved because of us?
Beyond hard numbers, prospects also care about everyday impact.
This question highlights practical improvements, like reduced stress, smoother workflows, or better team collaboration.
These tangible lifestyle or business changes make the testimonial relatable on a personal level.
13. What was the most surprising benefit you experienced?
Asking this invites customers to share something they did not expect but found valuable.
These answers often reveal hidden strengths that your regular sales message might overlook, making the testimonial feel more authentic and fresh.
14. How do we compare to other solutions you’ve tried in the past?
This question gives customers the chance to explain what made your business stand out when measured against other options.
Their comparisons validate your strengths and provide real-world proof of your competitive advantages.
15. Would you recommend us to a friend or colleague? If so, why?
A recommendation is the strongest form of advocacy.
When customers say they’d personally recommend you, it shows a level of trust that resonates with new prospects.
Adding “why” ensures they provide details that can be used as a powerful closing endorsement in your marketing.
16. What would you tell someone who’s on the fence about choosing us?
This lets customers speak directly to the doubts and hesitations of future buyers.
Their reassurance feels authentic because it comes from someone who was once undecided but chose you and benefitted.
It’s a way to address objections without sounding like a sales pitch.
17. How has your team or business changed since working with us?
Here, you shift the focus from the individual to the wider organization.
Customers can explain improvements in teamwork, productivity, or overall business performance, showing that your impact reaches beyond one person and supports larger goals.
18. What’s one thing you wish you had known before using our service?
This adds honesty and depth to a testimonial.
It can uncover insights about your service that aren’t obvious upfront and may even highlight areas for improvement.
For readers, it makes the testimonial more believable because it feels less polished and more balanced.
19. If you had to describe your experience with us in one word, what would it be?
Short, emotional answers like “seamless,” “life-changing,” or “stress-free” make for strong pull quotes you can feature on websites, ads, or social media.
These one-word impressions create instant impact and stick in a reader’s mind.
20. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?
This open-ended question gives customers the freedom to share thoughts you may not have prompted.
Often, the most memorable insights or heartfelt endorsements come from these unscripted moments, adding a genuine personal touch to your testimonials.
Things to Keep in Mind When Asking Testimonial Questions
Getting powerful testimonials isn’t just about asking the right questions. It also depends on how and when you ask them.
These factors can make the difference between bland, one-line answers and rich stories that build trust and drive conversions.
Timing Is Everything
Ask for a testimonial when your customer has just experienced a win or a positive outcome.
This could be right after a successful project, a milestone achieved, or when they’ve expressed satisfaction with your service. Strike while the experience is fresh and emotions are high.
Keep It Short and Simple
Don’t overwhelm customers with a long list of questions.
Select 5–8 strong prompts that guide their story but still respect their time. The more concise your approach, the more likely they’ll participate.
Use Open-Ended Questions
Avoid yes/no prompts.
Instead, frame questions in a way that invites stories, details, and emotions. For example, replace “Did you like our service?” with “What was your experience like working with us?”
Provide Guidance (Without Leading)
Some customers aren’t natural storytellers.
Give them a little structure — like examples or a simple flow (“Before → During → After”) — but avoid pushing them toward specific answers that might sound scripted.
Adapt to the Format (Written vs. Video)
For written testimonials, customers have time to reflect and share more detail.
For video, keep questions short, easy, and conversational so answers feel natural on camera. Always match your questions to the format.
Apart from these, getting permission, being transparent, and choosing authenticity over perfection will work wonders for your testimonials.
How SurgePoint Amplifies Your Testimonial Questions
Asking the right testimonial questions is what gets you powerful stories.
What matters just as much is what you do with those answers once you collect them.
That is where we come in.
SurgePoint is a reputation marketing platform designed to help businesses put customer feedback to work.
- Our Reviews product helps you collect authentic feedback at scale, whether it comes through quick review requests or follow-up surveys.
- With Referrals, we make it easy to turn satisfied customers into advocates who bring in new business.
- Our Insights tool highlights the themes that keep showing up in your feedback so you know exactly what customers value most.
- With Repeat, we give you tools to stay in touch with happy customers so you can continue building fresh testimonials over time.
We work with law firms, dental and medical offices, med spas, plumbing companies, landscaping services, and many other local businesses.
Conclusion
If you ever find yourself facing challenges beyond just asking the right questions, we have resources that can help.
You can learn what steps to take if you’re dealing with unfair or harmful feedback in our article on whether you can sue for a bad review. If fake or misleading feedback is hurting your business, you can also check out our guide on how to remove fake Google reviews.
And for more tips on protecting and improving your reputation, we regularly share new insights on our blog.
If you’d like direct guidance tailored to your situation, feel free to reach out to us anytime at info@thesurgepoint.com. We’re always happy to help you navigate the challenges of building, protecting, and showcasing your reputation.
