Testimonial Interview Questions

Testimonials are incredibly effective at bringing in new business because they’re authentic and honest. Your customer should say, in their own words, what they love about your product or service. And you get them to do that by asking the right questions.

The most powerful Video Testimonials tell a story, and include five key elements:

The Setup
The Need
The Decision
The Impact
The Recommendation

We’ve included sample questions for each of these elements to help you tailor the interview to your customer. Keep in mind that sometimes less is more. To keep the interview, editing time, and produced video at a reasonable length, you should limit the number of questions you ask. As a general rule, we suggest 3-4 questions per minute of video. So, for a three-minute video testimonial, keep it between 9 and 12 questions.

Make sure you ask at least one or two questions from each section below to fully capture your customer’s story:

The Setup (B2B):

Please introduce yourself by stating your name, title, and company.
Provide a brief overview of your company. Include the location if possible/relevant.
Provide additional background information about your company/position if context is needed.

The Setup (B2C):

Please introduce yourself by stating your name, where you live, and any background information relevant to the testimonial.
Provide additional information about your personal or family situation if context is needed.
Provide a brief introduction of your product / service needs

The Need:

When and why did you begin working with COMPANY?
When and why did you begin using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

What were you hoping to solve or accomplish when you started working with COMPANY?
What were you hoping to solve or accomplish when you started using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

What was life / business like before you began working with COMPANY?
What was life / business like before you began using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

What was your biggest challenge before working with COMPANY?
What was your biggest challenge before using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Had you tried other solutions? If so, why didn’t they solve your problem?

What was most important to you in finding the right solution, and why? (e.g., Speed, Cost, Quality, Expertise, Scalability, Customization, Customer Service, Support, etc.)

The Decision:

How did you learn about COMPANY?
How did you learn about PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Did you have any concerns or hesitations about working with COMPANY?
Did you have any concerns or hesitation about using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Why did you ultimately decide to work with COMPANY?
Why did you ultimately decide to use PRODUCT / SERVICE?

If you were switching from a competitor, please tell us why.

The Impact:

How was COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE able to solve your problem or help you accomplish your goals?

How has COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE changed how you do things?

How has COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE exceeded your expectations?

What are some of the biggest benefits of working with COMPANY?
What are some of the biggest benefits of using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Did you discover any unexpected benefits while working with COMPANY?
Did you discover any unexpected benefits from using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

What is your favorite thing about COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Do you have an interesting or unique story about how you used COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE?

How would you describe your relationship with COMPANY / SERVICE team?

How has support been with COMPANY?

If you had to describe COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE in three words, what would they be?

How would you describe COMPANY’s / SERVICE’s team?

If you’ve tried alternatives/competitors, explain how COMPANY is different from previous experiences.

The Recommendation:

What would you say to others who are considering COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Would you recommend COMPANY / PRODUCT / SERVICE to others? If so, why?

Who do you think would benefit from working with COMPANY?
Who do you think would benefit from using PRODUCT / SERVICE?

Would you do business with us again in the future?

Pro Tip: To help create strong soundbites, instruct the interviewee to restate a portion of the question in their responses to provide context.

Testimonial Interview Questions