How to use testimonials when you do not have many yet

New businesses often feel stuck when a website asks for customer proof. Established competitors display pages of reviews, case studies and familiar logos, while a new company may have only a few completed projects. The answer is not to fill the page with vague praise or to invent a stronger history than you have. A small number of honest, specific testimonials can be more persuasive than a long collection of empty compliments.

Testimonials work because they help a potential customer imagine the experience of working with you. The useful question is not “How many quotes can we display?” but “Which uncertainty can this customer evidence reduce?” A comment about clear communication, a result, a smooth booking process or a difficult problem solved gives visitors something concrete to assess.

Start with real moments of value

Look at the moments when an existing customer received a clear benefit. Perhaps a project was completed before a deadline, a confusing process became easier, a problem was resolved or a customer finally understood what to do next. These moments are better starting points than a general request for “a nice review”.

Ask while the experience is fresh, but choose the timing carefully. A customer may be willing to share feedback immediately after a successful handoff, a completed installation, a delivered product or a useful consultation. Explain that you are asking for an honest account, not a script. People often provide stronger words when they understand what kind of context is helpful.

Keep the request simple. A few prompts can guide the response: What problem were you trying to solve? What changed after working with us? What part of the experience stood out? Would you recommend the service, and why? These questions invite detail without telling the customer what conclusion to reach.

Prefer specificity over volume

A short testimonial can be valuable when it contains a recognisable situation. “Great service” says very little. “They explained the options clearly and helped us choose a website structure we could maintain ourselves” tells a future customer what the experience felt like and who might benefit.

Context makes the quote more credible. Add the customer’s first name, role, business type, town or project description when permission allows and when the detail is relevant. A reader does not need a full biography, but they do need enough information to understand why the opinion may apply to them.

Do not edit a quote into something the customer did not mean. You can correct a clear typo or shorten a long answer with permission, but retain the original sense and tone. If the best evidence is not polished, that can be a strength: real customers do not all speak like marketing copy.

Use a small set of quotes strategically

When you have only a few testimonials, give each one a job. One might address communication, another the result and another the experience for a particular type of customer. Place each quote beside the relevant claim instead of placing all of them in one decorative block.

A service page can use a quote about that service. A pricing explanation can use evidence about transparency. A contact page can use a comment about the response process. This creates relevance and means the same small collection supports several decisions without pretending to represent every possible customer.

Avoid repeating one quote across every page. Repetition can make the website feel thin and can remove the context that made the statement useful. Create a simple record of where each testimonial appears, what it proves and when it should be reviewed.

Add attribution and permission carefully

Ask for permission to publish the wording, name and any identifying context. Tell the customer where the testimonial may appear, including the website, social channels or printed material if relevant. Keep a record of the permission so your team does not have to guess later.

Use the level of attribution the customer is comfortable with. A full name and company can be useful, but a first name and customer type may be better when privacy matters. Never add a photograph, logo or link without permission, and do not imply an endorsement beyond what the customer agreed to provide.

If a testimonial comes from a public review platform, respect that platform’s rules and show the original context where appropriate. Do not copy a rating without explaining what it represents. Trust grows when visitors can see that the evidence was obtained and presented fairly.

Combine testimonials with other proof

Testimonials should not carry the entire credibility of a new business. Explain how the service works, what customers can expect, who is responsible and how questions are handled. Clear process information can reassure visitors before you have a large review history.

Relevant examples also help. Show a small project, an anonymised before-and-after explanation, a sample deliverable or a walkthrough of the customer journey. Be clear about what is an example, what is a result and what cannot be promised to everyone.

Professional experience, qualifications, partnerships, guarantees, transparent conditions and responsive contact routes can all contribute to trust. Do not hide the fact that the business is new if it is relevant; show the care, knowledge and working method that make the new business a sensible choice.

Grow the collection without forcing it

Make feedback part of the normal customer journey. After delivery or completion, check whether the customer reached the intended outcome. If they are satisfied, invite them to share what was useful. If they are not, give them a private route to explain the problem before asking for public praise.

Review the language you receive and look for recurring themes. Customers may describe your strengths more clearly than your own brand copy. Use those themes to improve service pages, FAQs and onboarding, but do not turn every comment into a marketing claim.

Expect the collection to grow gradually. A few relevant testimonials, presented with permission and connected to real pages, can support early trust while the business earns more evidence. ChatBuild can help you place that proof in a customer journey that feels honest rather than inflated. For related guidance, read what makes a useful website case study.

Sources

• Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content · Google Search Central
• Trustworthy design · Nielsen Norman Group

Frequently asked

How many testimonials does a new business need?

There is no fixed number. Start with a few specific comments that represent real experiences and place them where they answer relevant questions. Quality and context matter more than filling a quota.

Can I write a testimonial for a customer to approve?

You can offer to turn notes or an interview into a draft, but the customer must control the final wording and approve publication. Do not create praise they did not express.

What if I have no testimonials yet?

Use process detail, examples, qualifications, guarantees and clear contact information while you collect feedback. Early customers can be invited to comment after they have experienced a meaningful outcome.