How To Gather SaaS Testimonials And Leverage
Them To Win More Customers

Have you ever had a friend who recommended a particular movie, TV show, or restaurant to you? Did you try it? Did you like it?

Well, whether you liked it or not, that recommendation got you to at least think about trying it.

And chances are, you would never have thought about it if your friend hadn’t recommended it in the first place.

This is the same idea behind customer testimonials. A customer testimonial is a written or video recommendation from a satisfied customer. And just like a friend’s recommendation, they can be incredibly powerful in marketing your SaaS product.

In fact, 72% of consumers agree that positive testimonials from previous customers help increase their trust in a product.

In this article, we will talk all about SaaS testimonials and how you can leverage them to promote your product and get more customers to trust it.

SaaS Testimonials are Effective Social Proofs

Before we dive into how to use SaaS testimonials, let’s first talk about why they work so well.

A lot of it has to do with social proof.

Social proof is the idea that people are more likely to do something if they see that other people are doing it too.

It’s why we’re more likely to try a new restaurant if it has good reviews on Yelp. And it’s also why we’re more likely to buy a product that our friends have used and liked.

We see other people doing it, so we think it must be good. If other people trust it, we are also more likely to trust it too.

This is especially true when it comes to SaaS products because there is often a risk involved in trying a new SaaS solution.

We usually have so many questions in our heads. Will it work? Is it worth the money?

By reading testimonials from other customers, we can see that yes, other people have tried this SaaS product and they liked it. This helps to increase our trust in the product and makes us more likely to try it ourselves.

Types of SaaS Testimonials

There are several types of SaaS testimonials. These include the following:

• Quotes
• Case Studies
• Video Testimonials
• Social Media Testimonials
• Blog Posts

Quotes

A testimonial quote is the most common form of SaaS testimonial.

Have you ever been on a SaaS product’s website and seen a quote from a CEO or a startup founder saying good things about the product?

That’s a testimonial quote.

These are usually short, one or two sentences, and can be placed anywhere on your website or marketing materials.

Quotes are easy to include on your website or in marketing materials, making them a great way to quickly add social proof to your SaaS product.

Since this is the most common form of testimonials, this article will focus on it all throughout its later parts.

But for now, let’s talk about the other types of SaaS testimonials you can use.

Case Studies

A SaaS case study is a more in-depth look at how a particular customer has used your product and what results they’ve seen.

It goes beyond just a simple testimonial to really show how your product was able to solve a particular problem or meet a specific need for this customer.

Case studies are great because they provide potential customers with concrete examples of how your SaaS product can be used and what benefits it can provide.

Video Testimonials

A video testimonial, as the name suggests, is a SaaS testimonial in the form of a short video clip. These are recorded interviews with customers talking about their experience with the SaaS product.

Video testimonials are great because they add a personal touch. Customers can see the person giving the testimonial and hear their voice, making it more relatable and believable.

Social Media Testimonials

Social media testimonials are those that are given in the form of a social media post, such as on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

These can be posts from customers talking about their experience with your SaaS product or even just screenshots of positive reviews or ratings.

Social media testimonials are great because they leverage the power of social media to reach a large audience. And since social media is so fast-paced, these testimonials can be a great way to quickly add social proof to your SaaS product.

Blog Posts

A SaaS blog post testimonial is a blog post written by a customer about their experience with your SaaS product.

These are usually more in-depth than other types of SaaS testimonials. It can also provide potential customers with a detailed look at how your SaaS product works and what benefits it can provide.

What’s more, blogs can be an objective perspective on your SaaS product. The author might include some pros and cons in their blog posts.

And while the cons may sting a bit, it can tell you what improvements you need to work on.

Blog post testimonials are great because they provide potential customers with an in-depth look at your SaaS product. And since they’re written by customers, they come across as more credible and trustworthy.

How to Structure SaaS Testimonials

When it comes to SaaS testimonials, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best way to structure them will depend on the type of testimonial you want to showcase and where you’re placing it.

As we mentioned earlier, we are going to focus on quote testimonials, since they are the most commonly used form.

Here are a few tips for how to structure them:

Make The Message Relevant To Your Target Audience

When choosing SaaS testimonials, it’s important to make sure that the message is relevant to your target audience.

For example, let’s say you’re targeting small businesses. You can’t just slap a quote of how a Fortune 500 company CEO did this and that for their multibillion-dollar deals.

Instead, look for SaaS testimonials from customers that are more similar to your target market or audience. Look for success stories of how your SaaS product has helped “the little guys”, so to speak.

This will make the testimonial more relatable and therefore more effective.

Keep It Short And Sweet

When it comes to SaaS testimonials, less is more. Keep the testimonial short and sweet, one or two sentences at most.

Long-winded testimonials can lose their impact and come across as fake or insincere. Or it may simply just bore someone who is reading it.

So, keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

Focus On The Benefits

When crafting SaaS testimonials, make sure to focus on the benefits that your SaaS product provides.

For example, if your SaaS product helped a customer save time or money, make sure to mention that in the testimonial.

Customers don’t care about features at the first glance. They care more about benefits. 

Don’t get me wrong, though. Showcasing your SaaS solution’s specific features is still important, especially in the later parts of the SaaS customer journey. But in the earlier stages, it’s the benefits that capture and maintain your potential customer’s attention.

Use First-Person Testimonials

When it comes to SaaS testimonials, first-person statements are always more effective than third-person testimonials.

A first-person testimonial is one that uses the words “I” or “me”. 

For example: “I was able to save so much time thanks to SaaS product XYZ.”

A third-person testimonial, on the other hand, would use the words “he”, “she”, or “they”. For example:

“He was able to save so much time thanks to SaaS product XYZ.”

First-person testimonials are always more effective because they sound more personal and relatable. They make it feel like the customer is talking directly to the reader, which can help increase trust and confidence in buying.

Always Use Specific Names And Titles

When SaaS testimonials, always make sure to use specific names and titles.

For example, don’t just say “a customer” or “anonymous”. Your customers might find it hard to trust the word of some random user or an unknown person.

But if you say something specific like “John Smith, CEO of XYZ Company” or “Jon Snow, King in the North”, people might be more inclined to listen.

Just make sure to use real testimonials from real people, not fictional ones.

This may seem like a small detail, but it makes the testimonial sound more credible and trustworthy.

How To Gather Positive Testimonials From Customers

Now that you know how to structure SaaS testimonials, it’s time to learn how to gather them from customers.

Here are some best practices that could help you gather positive testimonials effectively.

Wait For The Right Time To Ask

The best time to ask for SaaS testimonials is when your customers are happy with your product.

For example, you can wait until they’ve been using your SaaS product for a while and they’re seeing results. Or, you can wait until they’ve just had a positive customer service experience.

The key is to not ask too early or too late. If you ask too early, they might not have had enough time to form an opinion. So the testimonial might not be as accurate or as well-thought-out as you would want. 

On the other hand, if you ask too late, they might have already forgotten about the good experience.

So, timing is everything when it comes to asking for SaaS testimonials.

Don’t Outright Ask For A Testimonial

The last thing you want for your testimonial is for it to sound scripted or manufactured.

But sometimes, even though customers are giving genuine feedback, it can seem like it’s not natural.

That may be because the customers are nervous or are trying too hard to give you a positive testimonial.

That’s why you shouldn’t outright ask for one.

For example, don’t say something like “Can you write a testimonial for me?” or “Would you be willing to give me a positive review?”.

Instead, try to be more subtle in your approach. Try to have a conversation with them first.

Let’s have an example mixed with the right timing. For instance, you see one of your customers get significantly better results using your SaaS solution.

You can shoot them a message saying something like “We noticed that you’ve been getting great results with our software. Would you mind telling us about your experience?”

Not too pushy, right?

This way, you’re not putting pressure on the customer and they’re more likely to give you an honest testimonial.

Ask Specific Questions

The more specific the question, the better.

This is because you want to get as much detail as possible from the customer. The more detail they can give, the more credible and useful the testimonial will be.

Here are some sample questions that you can ask:

• What problem were you facing before using our SaaS product?
• How did our SaaS product help you solve that problem?
• What results have you seen since using our SaaS product?
• Would you recommend our SaaS product to others? Why or why not?

You can also ask follow-up questions to get even more detail.

For example, if they say that they’ve seen a significant increase in sales, you can ask them how much sales have increased.

Make It Easy For Them To Give A Testimonial

The easier it is for your customers to give a testimonial, the more likely they’ll be to do it

So, make sure that the process is as easy and smooth as possible.

There are a few ways you can do this.

One way is to use a SaaS testimonial template. This way, they just have to fill in the blanks and they’re done.

Another way is to use a SaaS testimonial tool. There are many SaaS testimonial tools out there that make it easy for customers to give testimonials

For example, there’s Testimonial Hero which allows customers to easily record video testimonials from their phone or computer.

You can also use a SaaS customer survey tool like Qualaroo or Survicate. These tools make it easy to gather feedback from customers through surveys.

Finally, you can also use SaaS customer support software like Intercom or Zendesk. These tools make it easy to collect feedback from customers through support tickets.

How To Leverage SaaS Testimonials

If you’ve already gathered your SaaS testimonials, it’s time to leverage them.

Here are a few ways you can do that:

Use Them On Your Website

One of the best ways to use SaaS testimonials is on your website, along with other user reviews. You can use them on your homepage, pricing page, or even on individual product pages.

Make sure to use high-quality images or videos and include a link to the customer’s website. This will add more credibility to the testimonial.

Use Them On Your SaaS Marketing Materials

You can also use SaaS testimonials in your marketing materials such as online ads, case studies, ebooks, webinars, and infographics.

This is a great way to show potential customers how your SaaS product has helped other businesses achieve their goals.

Use Them In Your Email Campaigns

Another great way to use testimonials is in SaaS email campaigns. You can use them in your newsletter, in a promotional email, or even in a thank-you email.

This is a great way to connect with your customers and show them how your SaaS product is helping not just their business, but others as well.

This way, you’re not only using testimonials to acquire new customers. You’re also using it for customer marketing efforts, whether it’s to improve your customer retention or to upsell to your current users.

Share them on social media

Another great way to leverage SaaS testimonials is by sharing them on social media. You can share them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or even on your blog.

What makes social media one of the most effective SaaS marketing channels is its vast audience.

Your website, emails, and other channels might only be visited by potential customers who already know about your SaaS product.

With social media, not only do you reach your current followers. But you also reach their friends and other people connected to them. What’s more, if you use social media ads, that’s an even wider reach.

This way, your SaaS testimonials can reach a bigger audience, thereby promoting your SaaS product to potential customers who might not have heard about it before.

Final Thoughts About SaaS Testimonials

SaaS testimonials are a powerful marketing tool that can help you promote your SaaS product and get more customers.

Make sure to gather testimonials from your satisfied customers and use them on your website, in your SaaS marketing materials, and in your email campaigns.

You can also share them on social media to reach a wider audience.

Looking for more guides and strategies for growing your SaaS business? Visit our blog here.