3 Proven B2B Testimonial Templates to Use With Your Customers

You may ask yourself: Why should I use B2B testimonial templates?

Because your copy isn’t as compelling as you think.

It may hurt to hear, especially if you’ve toiled away for days tinkering with it. But it’s the truth. Just 9% of B2B buyers trust vendor content.

That officially puts the enticing photos and beautiful copy on your website out of the running for the most effective marketing.

Your most powerful marketing tools are the testimonials from your customers.

Think about your last few purchases. Chances are you read several reviews before making a decision. You might have even reconsidered a purchase if the feedback was mostly negative.

B2B transactions follow the same kind of behavior. 60% of tech B2B customers have searched for testimonials and reviews online for product research.

In this article, we’ll provide an overview of B2B testimonials and why your business should use them. We’ll also offer proven B2B testimonial templates you can use with your customers, as well as a step-by-step guide to creating your testimonials.

Why Customer Testimonials Work

Did you know that 91% of consumers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from friends and family?

Customer testimonials are effective because they act as a form of social proof — a phenomenon where people look to the behavior of others to guide their own.

Social proof is a powerful tool and why companies are willing to spend so much on endorsements. An endorsement from Jessica Simpson helped one startup in Los Angeles bring in over 500,000 visitors to their site in its first 24 hours.

Endorsements work because they leverage the positive image of a celebrity to inspire consumer confidence.

Another example of social proof is seeing a long line outside a restaurant. It naturally arouses curiosity and gives the impression that the place is popular.

Just look at how McDonald’s advertised itself in its early years:

(Image source)

Displaying the number of burgers sold acted as social proof. It instantly established credibility and made the brand more appealing to passersby.

Robert Cialdini describes it best in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion: 

“We view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.”

The best way to leverage this principle for your B2B is with customer testimonials.

Why You Should Use B2B Testimonials

You already know that word-of-mouth marketing is essential for every business. 83% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, like friends or family members.

If personal recommendations aren’t readily available, though, 66% of consumers will turn to opinions posted online.

A survey conducted by G2 Crowd found that 92% of B2B buyers were more likely to purchase a product or service after reading a trusted review.

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But here’s the real kicker: Only one out of five B2B companies are using reviews in their marketing strategy. That’s an opportunity that many companies aren’t capitalizing on. 

Here is what B2B testimonials can do for your business:

• Provide unbiased opinions about your products or services
• Create trust with your target audience
• Convert more prospects into customers
  

Whatever products or services your B2B offers, utilizing testimonials can have a more positive impact on your bottom line. 

What Makes a Good Customer Testimonial

There are a few factors that distinguish testimonials that persuade visitors to act and those that get overlooked. Get these right, and your testimonials will have more of an impact.

Good customer testimonials have the following in common.

Authentic

Fake reviews are easy to spot from a mile away.

Have a look at this customer review for a weight loss supplement:

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There’s no headshot, there are several typos, and the reviewer makes a rather incredulous claim.

A testimonial like this will likely do more harm than good for your brand. Always include a headshot or candid picture to lend authenticity to your testimonials.

Credible

Credibility is absolutely key for testimonials. 

Have a look at these testimonials that Freshbooks displays on its homepage:

What makes these testimonials credible is that each includes a professional headshot along with actual names and job titles. They’re from reliable and trustworthy sources.

These are the types of testimonials that convince prospects of the value of your products or services.

Specific

Good testimonials are specific. They communicate a clear result or tangible impact that a product or service has had.

Here’s an example of a testimonial that Kissmetrics, an analytics platform, featured on its case studies page:

(Image source)

Something like “Kissmetrics increased our sales” wouldn’t have much of an impact. 

This testimonial is effective because it points to a specific result that Kissmetrics helped them achieve (30% increase in conversions).

Similarly, you’ll want to use testimonials that point to a measurable result a customer has had with your products or services.

Demonstrates a Benefit

A good testimonial is one that demonstrates a benefit.

Here’s a testimonial example that HubSpot features on its site:

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This is an effective testimonial because it highlights a clear benefit — a single source of truth that allows business owners to accurately measure their sales pipeline.

Prospective customers want to know why they should work with your company. Use testimonials that touch on a pain point and demonstrate a benefit.

Visually Engaging

Finally, great testimonials are highly visual. They include a headshot or a thumbnail from a video.

Here’s an example of a customer testimonial video from Xero:

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Each video is a few minutes long and describes how business owners used the software to manage their accounting needs.

Next, let’s take a look at additional examples of how companies are using testimonials to build their credibility.

B2B Testimonial Examples

Here are different types of testimonials (with examples) you can feature on your website. 

Customer Quotes

The most basic type of testimonial is a short quote from a customer that describes their experience with a product or service.

Here’s a customer quote that Zendesk features on its sales CRM page:

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Social Media Posts

These types of testimonials are from customers who have shared their experiences on social media networks like Facebook or Twitter.

Here’s a testimonial that one satisfied customer posted on Lakeside Flooring’s Facebook page:

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Case Studies

Another type of testimonial is pulling quotes from a full-blown case study and providing a link for visitors to learn more.

Here’s a testimonial that HubSpot features on its case studies page:

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Video Testimonials

The examples above are all text-based testimonials. Let’s move our attention to another format that not many businesses utilize:

Video testimonials.

Check out these effective video testimonials and note how they’re a major step up from text-based testimonials.

Video testimonials are effective because they can convey emotions and engage viewers in a way that text can’t.

Here’s an example of how we feature video testimonials on our homepage:

Each video features a short blurb from clients we’ve worked with, each detailing their experience with our services. 

Here are even more B2B video testimonial examples, including what makes each great and what you can learn from them.

Just how effective are video testimonials?

Extremely.

84% of consumers say that watching a brand’s video has convinced them to buy. 

When asked how they would like to learn more about an offer, 69% prefer to watch a video. This is in stark contrast to 18% who said they would prefer to read a text-based article.

Videos help boost information retention. People only remember 10% of what they hear after three days. But that figure increases to 65% when accompanied by relevant imagery.

Now, you might think that you could post any video testimonial to your site and start reaping the benefits.

But that’s not exactly how B2B testimonials work. Taking that approach could drive prospects away.

Put yourself in the shoes of a B2B buyer. You see customer videos that are short blurbs like this:

“I really liked the product, and the price was competitive. I give this product five stars out of five, and will be purchasing again.”  

–Thomas

“The services provided saved me a great deal of time and money. It is everything that I wanted.”

–Jane

These are the type of testimonials that come off as vague or even fake. 

Instead, we want B2B testimonials that your business’ prospects will find useful — ones that educate and help them with their purchasing decision.

Telling your customers to “provide a testimonial” without any guidance won’t work. 

Use the following testimonial templates with your customers as a starting point to help them give more effective testimonials that you can use in your videos. We’ll also provide email templates that you can use to request client testimonials.

B2B Testimonial Template #1: Compile User Benefits

Your business’ customers or clients don’t buy features. They buy benefits. They buy the effect offered by your company.

A useful format to compile customer testimonials is to highlight the benefits of your business’ products or services.

Here’s an example of a video testimonial that compiles user benefits:

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The video features testimonials from five customers who have used FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon). Each person dives straight into the benefits and explains how the service has helped grow their business. One customer even talks about how FBA enabled their business to expand into seven European countries.

Here’s a B2B customer testimonial template based on this real-world example:

• [Talk about a benefit of the product or service used]
• [Talk about how it addressed a pain point]
• [Give a personal introduction]
• [Talk about the company]
• [Highlight a tangible result]
• [End with an endorsement]

Email Template

Subject: Share your thoughts with [brand]?

Hi [client],

I wanted to reach out to thank you for being a loyal customer.

We’re looking to feature stories from customers like you on our website. Would you be interested in submitting a video testimonial?

Here’s a template you can follow:

“[Brand] helped our business [insert a benefit]. Before working with [brand], we had problems with [pain point]. I’m [your name] and I’m the [job title] for [company]. Our company [short description of what your company does]. Working with [brand] helped us [insert result]. This has allowed us to [expand on result]. I would strongly recommend [brand] to anyone who needs help with [problem].”

You can follow this link to submit your testimonial once you’ve finished. Thanks again for your continued support!

Cheers,

[Your name]

B2B Testimonial Template #2: Share a Success Story

Hearing speech naturally activates the language processing parts in our brains. That’s not all that surprising. We need to interpret the meaning behind the words we hear in order to understand them. 

What’s surprising, though, is that stories activate areas of the brain as if we were experiencing the event too. Human beings are naturally captivated by stories, so the best B2B testimonials are those that tell compelling stories.

Here’s an example:‍

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The video features a success story of how an individual and his company use services from HubSpot to manage aspects of their digital marketing. What distinguishes it from the examples above is that it’s more personal.

Here’s a B2B customer testimonial template based on this real-world example:

• [Give a personal introduction]
• [Talk about the company]
• [Share details about the company’s founding]
• [Talk about a pain point]
• [Talk about how [business] addressed that pain point]
• [End with an endorsement]

Email Template

Subject: We’d love to hear from you

Hi [client],

We hope that you’re enjoying [product or service].

Now that you’ve had some working with us, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Would you be willing to submit a video testimonial for us to feature on our website?

Here’s a template you can follow:

“My name is [name] and I’m the [job title] for [company]. Our company was founded to [share a story]. But as we continued to grow, it was difficult to [insert problem]. That’s when we found [brand]. Using their [product or service] helped our business [insert tangible result]. I’d strongly recommend them to anyone in the [industry].

You can submit your testimonial by following this link. Your feedback means a lot!

Regards,

[Your name]

B2B Testimonial Template #3: Get Into the Specifics

Specificity is one of the most potent elements of a video testimonial.

Any facts included in a testimonial will be much more useful than a broad statement. It provides data points that prospects can latch onto to visualize how a product or service can benefit their business. 

Here’s an example:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/m/288742566

Just listen to what Kamal Yuruk says in his testimonial about how FineDine helped his business:

“Since we started using FineDine, we’ve increased our liquor and food sales about 15 to 20%… and that’s a big increase by just using a software and using it properly.”

Adding numbers can add more credibility to your video testimonials. And you can do this by asking customers to share any concrete results with you (if they’re willing, of course).

Here’s a B2B customer testimonial template based on this real-world example:

• [Give a personal introduction]
• [Talk about the company]
• [Talk about a pain point]
• [Talk about how [business] addressed that pain point]
• [Highlight a tangible result]
• [End with an endorsement]

Email Template

Subject: We’d love to feature your story

Hi [client],

It’s been great having you onboard with [brand]. In the time we started working together, you’ve achieved some amazing results.

I’m reaching out today because we’d like to feature your story on your website. Would you be willing to provide a short video testimonial describing your experience?

Here’s an example template you can follow:

“I’m [name] and I’m the [job title] for [company]. Our company is a [short description of what the company does], and we work with [audience]. We had problems with [pain point], which was affecting our ability to operate efficiently. Working with [brand] helped us address those challenges by [highlight tangible result]. We can confidently recommend [brand].

You can submit your testimonial by following the link here. Thanks so much for considering our request!

Thank you,

[Your name]

Creating Your Video Testimonial

Creating a video testimonial is hard work. Even if it’s only a minute or two long.

Just as websites must communicate trustworthiness to build credibility with their visitors, the same also applies to your videos.

We’ve already established that a video testimonial is a powerful marketing tool. So it pays to invest in its production quality to build trust with viewers.

Our recommendation is to work with a professional, B2B testimonial video service to create something truly impactful.

Ready to Work With The #1 B2B Testimonial Video Service Now? Check Out Our Work and Get a Quote Here!

But if you want to go it alone, here are some tips for creating your testimonial video:

Step 1: Make it Human

Just the simple act of adding a person to a page can inspire trust. Over 4,000 participants were asked to select which websites they trusted based solely on a screenshot. Three different types of images were used:

• Photo of the business owner
• A generic office photo
• No image
  

Here were the results:

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The business owner image generated the most trust of the three options. 

In another example, 37Signals ran an A/B split test, and found that using a large picture of a customer on one of their landing pages led to a 102.5% increase in conversions:

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The key takeaway here is to make your videos more human. Make your customers front and center to give more credibility to their testimonial. 

Step 2: Prepare a Questionnaire

Creating a compelling video testimonial is all about asking the right questions.

Here are some questions that will elicit insightful answers from your clients:

• What is your position at the company?
• What does the company offer or specialize in?
• Why did you choose our products or services?
• What were the pain points you wanted to solve?
• What has your experience been with us?
• Which features are your favorite?
• Can you share any results?
• Would you recommend our products or services?
• Is there anything else you’d like to add?
  

It’s best to send these in advance to give the interviewee time to prepare. 

Step 3: Scout a Filming Location 

The location you choose should provide some context to the viewers. The FineDine example used above was filmed at the restaurant with the manager.

Other examples can include shooting in a conference room, the lobby, or even a studio. The benefit of shooting indoors is it allows you to control the environment (e.g., lights, sounds, etc.).

However, sometimes it may make sense to shoot outside, as shown in this example which was shown near a property:

Step 4: Set up the Shoot

It’s time to set up your gear for the shoot. 

You’ll need to have all the equipment, including a suitable microphone for the environment you’re filming in, proper lighting setup to illuminate your subject, and of course, a high-quality camera.

Use your questionnaire as a guide for the interview and let the interviewee do the talking. Always be an active listener and try not to interrupt unless something is unclear.

Step 5: Edit your Video

After the filming is over, you’ll likely end up with a ton of footage. 

But remember, shorter videos are more engaging than longer videos.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your video testimonials to two minutes or less. Any longer, and you risk viewers clicking out of your videos.

Begin Creating Your B2B Testimonial Videos 

Video testimonials are a powerful marketing tool that can build your brand credibility and drive more sales.

But you need to know how to construct your video testimonials correctly to maximize their effectiveness. Use these B2B testimonial templates above with your customers to get more compelling testimonials.