Agency testimonial examples for client work

An agency sells a relationship as much as a result, so prospective clients read testimonials for two things: did the work move the needle, and was the team easy to work with. A testimonial that covers both, briefly, does more for a pitch than a portfolio piece on its own.

Client testimonials are also harder to collect than customer reviews. The person who hired you is busy, may need approval from their own communications or legal team, and may not be allowed to name their employer. The structures below leave room for all of that, and the questions help a client say something concrete in the little time they have.

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 project outcome

Pair it with a case study or a portfolio piece. It turns a nice-looking project into evidence that the work did what the client needed.

The brief, in the client's terms
What your team delivered
What happened after launch
A byline, with approval to name the company

Fill-in template, not a real testimonial

We came to [Agency] needing [the brief, in their words].
They delivered [what was delivered], and since launch [what happened after, as they describe it].
— [Client name], [Role] at [Company]

The working relationship

Use it on your about or services page, where prospects try to picture working with you. Praise for the process reassures buyers who have been burned by missed deadlines or poor communication elsewhere.

How the collaboration felt day to day
A moment that showed how you work
Whether they would hire you again

Fill-in template, not a real testimonial

Working with [Agency] felt like [how the collaboration felt].
When [a moment that tested the project], the team [how they handled it].
[Would they hire you again, in their words].
— [Client name], [Role] at [Company]

The anonymous client

For clients under a confidentiality agreement or who cannot name their employer. Describe the company instead of naming it, and say plainly that the client asked not to be named, rather than inventing a name.

The kind of company, without identifying it
The result or the experience
A byline that says it is anonymous

Fill-in template, not a real testimonial

[What changed for them, in their words].
— [Role] at [Type of company], name withheld at their request

Questions that get a useful answer

What did you need when you first contacted us?
Recovers the brief in the client's own words, which is often sharper than the scope document and is the line other prospects recognise themselves in.
What happened after the project went live?
Moves the testimonial from deliverables to outcomes. If the client cannot share figures, a description of what changed is enough and stays honest.
Was there a moment when you knew the project was in good hands?
Produces the working-relationship detail that prospects care about, usually a story about a deadline, a change of direction or a hard conversation handled well.
Can we use your name, your role and the name of your company?
Ask separately for each, because many clients can give their role but not the company. The answer decides which byline you use, and you should keep a record of it.

Getting a busy client to answer

Ask at the end of a project, on a call, while the launch is still fresh, and offer to write up their spoken answer for them to check. Send the draft back for approval and change anything they want changed: the final words must be ones they are willing to sign.

Expect the client's own approvals to take time. Many companies require their communications team to sign off before a supplier can use their name or logo, so ask early and keep the anonymous version ready in the meantime.

Where agency testimonials belong

Put project testimonials inside the case study they describe, relationship testimonials on your services pages, and one or two short ones in proposals. A testimonial from a client in the prospect's own sector is worth more than a better-written one from elsewhere.

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

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 I ask a client for a testimonial?

At the end of a successful project, on a call or in a short email, ask two or three specific questions and offer to draft the text from their answers for their approval. Make it easy to say no, and easy to stay anonymous.

Can an agency show a testimonial without the client's company name?

Yes, if you say so. Use their role and a description of the company, note that the name is withheld at their request, and never replace it with a made-up name or a logo you have no permission to use.

Should I edit a client's testimonial?

Tidy the grammar and shorten it if they agree, but keep their meaning and send the final version back for approval. Rewording it into something they did not say would misrepresent their opinion.

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 2026-10-23.
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 2026-10-23.

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.

Check availability Try the fictional demo