How To Get Testimonials From Clients

Client testimonials serve as an important form of social proof for freelancers. Seeing positive feedback from an industry peer (or competitor) can be the final push that a potential customer needs to engage your services. 

But asking for client testimonials can feel awkward, especially if you’re new to freelancing. Luckily, many clients understand that feedback is important to freelancers—and with these tips, asking them for testimonials will be easier than ever. 

Why are client testimonials, reviews, and case studies important?

Client testimonials are an important part of marketing your services as a freelancer. When someone finds you on Upwork or via Google search, it's like they're meeting you for the first time. The prospective client can see that you offer a service they need, but they don't know anything about what you're like. 

Many would-be clients look for examples of your freelance work (in a portfolio) and feedback from clients with similar needs. Good testimonials can give prospects a sense of what kind of work you deliver, what the customer experience is like, and more. 

A freelancer may obtain and display feedback from their clients in three main ways:

Client testimonials 

Testimonials are quotes from people you’ve worked with directly. These blurbs typically talk about what it was like for the client to work with you and why they enjoyed the experience. Some clients may feel comfortable talking about their results in a testimonial, but that’s not always the case. 

Customer reviews or feedback 

Reviews are similar to testimonials, but often include a star rating and are focused on the experience of obtaining a product or service from your company. When you leave feedback on an Etsy store purchase, for example, you’re providing a customer review. 

Case studies 

Case studies are like beefed-up client testimonials that go beyond a quote and may cover problems, solutions, and results—along with examples of the completed work. When I write an Upwork case study, I often include quotes from both the client and the freelancer, along with specific metrics that the client achieved as a result of finding talent on Upwork. Case studies are sometimes done in video or audio podcast format, too.

Testimonials and reviews are typically the place to start, as you can share these snippets of feedback across your website, on social media accounts, in marketing materials, and on Upwork. If you had a particularly great experience working with a client, you may want to ask them to be part of a longer case study. 

Photo by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels

The anatomy of a good testimonial

Ideally, a client testimonial will include several of the following points:

• Context about why they wanted to work with you
• The problem you helped them tackle
• Their (positive) feelings on what it was like to work with you
• What results you helped the client achieve
• A number or statistic to illustrate this great progress 

Here’s an example of what a detailed customer testimonial might look like: 

"I found Julie while searching for someone who could help my company fix its ongoing email deliverability issues. From our first meeting, Julie made it easy for me to understand what was happening and what her plan was to fix the issue. She handled everything from start to finish, and now our email delivery and open rates have increased by 20%.”

Shorter testimonials still have great value, too. While this example doesn’t include any statistics, it’s still something you could be proud to display on your Upwork profile or website: 

“Julie made the concept of warming up my email domain really simple. With her help, I was able to get everything set up correctly and begin sending my first campaigns in a matter of weeks.”

How to add client testimonials to your Upwork profile

Upwork makes it extremely easy to collect testimonials that show how you’ve helped clients. There’s no need to send an email or make a phone call to ask for a testimonial, either. (One less thing you have to think about—you can just stay focused on your work!) Each time an Upwork contract comes to an end, we ask both the client and the freelancer to review each other. These reviews, and associated star ratings, appear on profiles. 

Here’s what clients see about you:

And what you can see about a client:

If your project is done but the client hasn’t provided feedback, you can reach out to them through Upwork Messages with a simple note asking for their review. You can also ask a client to leave feedback at other times mid-contract, as long as your ongoing contract has been active for at least 30 days.

You can also request testimonials from clients who aren’t on Upwork. Simply visit the “testimonials” section of your profile and click “add a testimonial.” Fill out the form, and we’ll send your client a request to provide feedback. 

What’s better? Text or video testimonials?

The testimonials that Upwork collects for your profile are always text-based. If you’re displaying testimonials on your own website, you can choose to use text or video. Both types of testimonials have benefits.

• Video testimonials can bring an extra boost of trust to your website, as prospective or new clients can hear and see what your other clients are like and how happy they are. One drawback, though, is that video may load slowly (or not at all) for website visitors on mobile devices and sluggish internet connections. 
• Written testimonials are easy to place throughout your site, in email templates, and on social media posts. When formatted correctly, they’re accessible to assistive devices like screen readers and are easy for all types of web browsers to load. 

Should you create a dedicated webpage for your testimonial collection?

This is totally up to personal preference. Some freelancers like to have a dedicated client testimonial page, while others sprinkle great feedback across their homepage and other landing pages. 

Personally, I’m in the latter camp. I highlight client testimonials across my website. This way, no matter how someone lands on my site, they’re going to come across a quote from a satisfied client. 

How to send a customer testimonial request

Many freelancers ask their clients for testimonials in writing, often in an email that’s sent with the final invoice on a project. But you don’t have to wait until that point! It’s perfectly fine to ask your client for a testimonial during a one-on-one meeting, especially if they’re someone you work with on a continual basis. 

You can make the process even easier by offering clients a form to fill out. This can be as simple as a free Google Form that contains fields for:

• Client name
• Client business name 
• Rating satisfaction levels for the project
• A quote about what it was like to work together

If you choose to create a form, make sure that you set each question as “required” and stick to open-ended questions—not something the client can answer with a simple “yes” or “no.” This will help you get more usable quotes from your form. 

• Open-ended question: What was your favorite part of the process when working with me?
• Closed question: Did you enjoy working with me?

When you receive a testimonial, correct any typos (without changing the meaning of the content) and format the text to match your brand guidelines. Once the testimonial is ready, send a screenshot or preview link to your client for their approval. And don’t forget to express your thanks once they’ve signed off! 

How to collect video testimonials 

If you’d like to get video testimonials from your customers, you can do this in a few different ways:

1. Ask your customers to film a video on their phone and upload it to a shared Google Drive folder (you can even add a spot for them to attach it to your testimonial form if you’re collecting both video and written feedback).
2. Invite your client to a Zoom call and record their verbal testimonial. You can also ask them questions during the call and then cut the video into a complete testimonial.
3. Use a tool like VideoAsk to ask your clients—through a video!—to record and share their own testimonial clip with you.
4. Ask your client to review the final version of the testimonial video and approve it for use.

Photo by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels

Examples of testimonial request emails

A simple, heartfelt note via email can be enough to get a happy client to provide a testimonial. If you find yourself freezing up at the keyboard, though, try one of these templates. (And as an added bonus, sometimes asking a former client for a testimonial can lead to them asking for a new contract.)

Requesting testimonials from current clients‍

‍"Hi Tim! ‍

‍Now that we’ve been working together for a few months, I wanted to reach out and see if you’d be open to providing a testimonial about your experience. Feedback from great clients like you is essential to how my business attracts potential clients. Anything you’d be willing to share is much appreciated. 

Best,
Anna”

Asking for testimonials after a project ends

"Dear Sam, 

It was great working with you on this website redesign project—I’m glad to hear that the initial response is so positive. If you have a moment and can leave me a quick review, I would very much appreciate it. Just click the link below!

www.mysite.co/testimonial-form

Thanks,
Dave"

Reaching back out to prior clients to request a review

“Hi Frank,

I hope all is well since we last spoke in June. Would you be open to providing a quick 20-second video about your experience working with me? You can click here to record and upload your video in one step right from your phone or computer. Don’t worry if you trip over any words; I’ll clean up the footage and send it to you for your review.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time if I can be of further help as you begin to plan your content calendar for the new year!

Best regards,
Alice

Collecting feedback from attendees of a webinar, course, or event‍

“Hi, Jordan! Thank you so much for attending my recent webinar, ‘Five Strategies for Social Success in 2025.’ As promised, I’ve attached a free workbook to help you implement everything covered in the presentation.

Also—I’d find it super helpful if you could leave a review on my site. Sharing your honest feedback about the webinar not only helps others decide if it’s right for them but is also an important part of how I improve my programming.

I’m excited to see how you grow a following on social media platforms!

Many thanks,
Emma"‍

A quick note: If you plan to use your email marketing platform to send one automated email to webinar attendees, make sure you personalize each message with their name and the correct event.

Additional tips for getting testimonials that rock

The No. 1 thing you can do to get good client testimonials is to ask happy customers for their input, as they're likely to report a positive experience! If you know that a client left a project feeling dissatisfied or you feel that your work styles clashed, you probably won’t want to reach out to them with this request. 

You can also boost your chances of getting a great testimonial by:

• Making the process simple and clear via a form or video upload link
• Reaching out to your client through a medium you know they use, such as email or text message (SMS)
• Offering different options such as a choice between text or video

Frequently asked questions

How long should a written client testimonial be? 

Testimonials typically range from 50-150 words—more along the lines of a social media caption than an essay.

If your client has a lot to say, you may want to consider breaking their testimonial into multiple quotes or asking the client to be the subject of a case study.

How should you format client testimonials? 

If you’re displaying written testimonials, indicate that you’re quoting a client by using the appropriate punctuation marks and including attribution. At minimum, you should attribute the quote to their first name and company. However, if your client is open to it, you can add their title, headshot, and even a link to their website.

Can you write testimonials on behalf of your client? 

Sometimes, a client will say that they’re happy to provide a testimonial … if you write it for them. This may be OK to do if:

• The client asked you to do this
• You write a statement that is honest when referencing the work you did for the client
• You send the prepared testimonial for the client to review
• They explicitly approve the quote (it’s a good idea to get this approval in writing via email)

How can new freelancers get testimonials?

If you’re new to freelancing, but have prior work experience, try asking your former colleagues for reviews on LinkedIn. The platform has a simple “ask for a recommendation” tool that lets you put in the name of a former coworker or manager and send a polite message asking for a review. (If you connect with your freelance clients on LinkedIn you can ask them for testimonials this way, too.)

What should you do if someone leaves a negative review? 

Negative reviews are a part of life and business—sometimes they happen, despite our best efforts to deliver high-quality products or services.

If the negative feedback was sent to you directly, acknowledge it, thank the client, and figure out how to move forward. This may involve offering a correction, issuing a partial refund, or simply taking their feedback into consideration and updating your processes.

But what if someone leaves you a negative review in public, such as on social media or your Upwork profile? Search Engine Journal suggests that business owners take the following steps when someone leaves them a negative online review:

1. Quickly respond to the negative review
2. Always give each review its own unique response
3. Think before you type
4. Be honest and transparent about your stance on the situation
5. Keep your language kind and understanding 
6. Don’t get angry or blame the client 
7. Thank the customer for their honesty
8. Follow up in private to discuss a resolution

Is it OK to offer incentives for testimonials?

Some businesses offer a reward, discount code, gift card, or other incentive to customers who leave reviews. The legality of this action depends on where you live and how the review is collected. (Some third-party review sites may have specific rules on offering incentives for customer feedback.)

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that business owners provide any offered incentive whether the review is positive or negative. Offering a gift in exchange for positive reviews can create bias.

Find your next satisfied client on Upwork 

Your first experience getting a less-than-perfect review can feel really disappointing. But don’t take it to heart—this happens to everyone at some point in their careers. The feedback you get from every client, whether positive or negative, can be a great source of information to help you grow. 

And as you grow and learn from your work, you can continue to expand your roster of happy clients. Finding new projects on Upwork is easy—whether you want to work on a one-time request, find long-term collaborators, or offer consultations, we can connect you to clients in need of help. Log in or sign up for Upwork today to find your next client.

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This article is intended for educational purposes and should not be viewed as legal or tax advice. Please consult a professional to find the solution that best fits your situation.

Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.