Template · free to copy
Testimonial request email templates
Most customers who are happy with you would gladly write a few sentences, but almost nobody thinks of it unprompted. A short, personal email at the right moment is usually all it takes. These templates cover the whole exchange: asking, reminding once, confirming exactly what you will publish and saying thank you.
Send them from a real person on your team, not a no-reply address, and keep each one short enough to read on a phone. Replace every placeholder, and cut whatever does not sound like you.
These are templates, not testimonials. Every example on this page is a structure with placeholders such as [Name] and [Company]. None of it is a quote from a real or invented person: fill it only with what your customer actually told you, and publish it only with their permission.
Fill in the blanks
Replace the words in square brackets with your own details. With JavaScript on, the fields here fill every template on the page for you.
The templates, piece by piece
The first ask
Send it to a customer who has had a good experience recently. Personal beats automated here: mention what they did or achieved, and make clear that saying no is fine.
- A subject line that says what you are asking
- A sentence about why you are asking them in particular
- Two or three easy questions
- A simple way to answer, and permission to decline
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Subject: Would you share a few words about [Product]?
Hi [First name],
You have been using [Product] for [how long], and [something specific they achieved or said].
Would you be willing to write a few sentences about your experience? We would like to show
them on our website.
If it helps, you could answer these:
- What were you looking for when you found us?
- What has changed since?
- What would you tell someone in your position?
A reply to this email is perfect. And if you would rather not, no problem at all.
Thanks,
[Your name], [Your role] at [Company]The ask after a success
Send it right after a moment the customer will remember: a problem solved, a goal reached, a request you shipped for them. The good feeling is fresh, so the answer is specific.
- The success you are referring to
- One question about it
- A request to use the answer
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Subject: Glad [the thing that worked] worked out
Hi [First name],
I saw that [the success: problem solved, goal reached, feature shipped]. That is great news.
Could you tell me in a sentence or two what difference it made for you? With your permission,
we would like to share your answer on our website, with your name and role.
[Your name]One gentle reminder
Send at most one, about a week later, and only if they have not answered. Never remind someone who declined.
- A short reference to the first email
- An even easier way to answer
- A clear way out
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Subject: Re: Would you share a few words about [Product]?
Hi [First name], just bringing this back to the top of your inbox. Even one sentence about
[the part of your product they use most] would help us a lot.
If now is not a good time, no worries, and I will not ask again.
[Your name]The permission check
Send it before you publish anything. Show the exact text and where it will appear, and ask how they want to be named. Keep their reply as your record of consent.
- The exact text you plan to publish
- Where it will appear
- How they will be named
- A way to change or withdraw it later
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Subject: Your testimonial: is this OK to publish?
Hi [First name],
Thank you for your words. Here is exactly what we would like to publish:
[The final text, as they wrote or approved it]
It would appear on [where it will appear], with [how they will be named: full name, role,
company, photo]. Reply yes to approve, or tell me what to change. You can ask us to remove it
at any time.
[Your name]The thank-you
Send it when the testimonial goes live, with a link. It closes the loop, and customers who see their words used well are more willing to help again.
- Thanks
- A link to where it appears
- Nothing else to do
Fill-in template, not a real testimonial
Subject: Your words are live, thank you
Hi [First name],
Your testimonial is now on [where it appears]: [Link].
Thank you for taking the time. It genuinely helps people in your position decide whether
[Product] is right for them.
[Your name]When to send them
The best moment is shortly after the customer gets value: the end of onboarding, a resolved support case, a milestone in their project, or the day a feature they asked for ships. Avoid the days right after an invoice, a price change or an outage, when even happy customers are less inclined to help.
Ask a few customers at a time rather than your whole list at once. You can personalise each email properly, and you learn which wording gets answers before you send more.
Make it easy to say yes
Offer to write the testimonial for them from a short call or a few answers, then send the draft for approval. Many people are happy to approve a sentence but find a blank page daunting. Whatever you draft, the customer must agree that it says what they think.
Keep it honest
In the United States, the FTC’s Endorsement Guides say a testimonial must reflect the honest opinion or experience of the person giving it, and that you may tidy the wording but not reword it so that it distorts what they meant.Source [1] If the customer got something in return that your readers would not expect, such as a discount or a free product, that connection must be disclosed clearly.Source [2] This is a summary, not legal advice.
Keep going
- How to write a testimonial, with the fill-in tool
- Testimonial questions for forms and interviews
- Testimonial template: short and long formats
- Plan a wall of love
Collecting testimonials goes faster with a form your customers can fill in on their own. Read how UpVoiced’s testimonial forms are meant to work.
Frequently asked questions
How do you politely ask for a testimonial?
Keep it personal and short: mention what the customer achieved, ask two or three easy questions and make clear that declining is fine. Send it from a real person, at a moment when the customer has just had a good experience.
Should I send a reminder if a customer does not reply?
One reminder is reasonable, about a week later. After that, stop: a customer who does not answer twice has given you their answer.
Do I need written permission to publish a testimonial?
Get explicit agreement to the exact text and to how the customer will be named, and keep that reply. It protects both of you, and lets you remove the testimonial quickly if they ask.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, published in the eCFR, “16 CFR 255.1, General considerations (FTC Endorsement Guides)”: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255/section-255.1, retrieved .
- Federal Trade Commission, published in the eCFR, “16 CFR 255.5, Disclosure of material connections (FTC Endorsement Guides)”: www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255/section-255.5, retrieved .
Collect testimonials with UpVoiced
UpVoiced is adding testimonial collection forms and a wall of love; they are coming soon and not available yet. Its feedback board, roadmap and changelog are in development, and you can try them on a fictional demo.