Reviews and testimonials, and how to use them effectively
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:Once shoppers reach the Consideration stage, they have usually narrowed their options and want proof. Reviews give them that proof at scale, letting prospects borrow other customers’ experiences, while testimonials are curated stories that mirror a prospect’s own doubts and the outcome they hope for. The strongest brands actively ask for both and feature them everywhere, from websites to sales decks. When you’re choosing between two options, whose word do you trust more: the company’s, or someone who already bought what you’re considering? Most of us side with the customer every time. That instinct is why a handful of honest reviews can do more for a brand than a polished ad, and why the smartest companies don’t leave those reviews to chance.
Reviews and Testimonials
Reviews and testimonials help build the trust that moves someone from the Awareness to Consideration stages of the Marketing Funnel.
At this stage of the shopping journey, your potential customers are weighing their options carefully. They may already have narrowed their search to you and one or two competitors. What they want now is proof. They want evidence that your product or service delivers in real life, not just in polished ads.
This is where reviews play a critical role. A well-written, authentic review allows prospects to borrow someone else’s experience and use it to make their own decision with more confidence. Reviews are essentially the modern form of word-of-mouth referrals, accessible at scale. This is why platforms like Amazon for e-commerce, Yelp for local businesses, and G2 for software platforms hold such influence.
People are more likely to believe another customer than anything you say about yourself. Research consistently backs this up: Eighty-eight percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and 85% of consumers say they read up to ten reviews before making a decision.
Testimonials serve a slightly different but equally important purpose. Reviews come from customers and are often spontaneous, while testimonials are curated. They allow you to shine a light on specific stories that align with your audience’s main concerns and motivations. A great testimonial does not simply say, “This product was amazing.” It is a short narrative that mirrors the journey your potential customers are on, helping them hear from others: the challenge they faced, why they chose you, and the result they achieved.
Strong brands do not wait passively for this kind of proof to appear. They actively encourage happy customers to share their stories, make it easy to provide feedback, and then showcase that feedback prominently. The most effective companies feature reviews and testimonials not only on their websites but also in social content, sales presentations, onboarding materials, and advertising campaigns. Some go further by producing videos, podcasts, or case studies that bring customer voices to life in richer, more personal ways.
In the Consideration stage, you are not the only one telling your story. Your customers are telling it too. If you give them a platform, encouragement, and visibility, their voices can become your most persuasive proof and your most trusted sales team.
A Case Study in Testimonials: Casper
When direct-to-consumer brand Casper entered the crowded mattress market in 2014, they knew customers would be hesitant to buy a $2,000 mattress online without trying it first. To overcome that hesitation, they leaned heavily on social proof, collecting reviews and testimonials that made the brand feel less risky and more relatable.
On their website and in their advertising, Casper did not simply post generic “this mattress is great” reviews. They highlighted specific customer stories that mirrored the journey of their target audience. One customer described buying two mattresses for a weekend home, praising the unboxing experience and declaring them the “most amazing beds” they had ever slept on. Another couple, Chuck and Erin from New York, shared how they upgraded to a queen mattress and realized how much they disliked their old setup once they experienced Casper. They admitted they “can’t imagine being Casper-less ever again.” A third reviewer bought a mattress for his parents, who had been sleeping on the same bed for over twenty years. The parents were so delighted that they hugged him and thanked him repeatedly after just one week of use.
These curated testimonials functioned as mini case studies. Together, they built a narrative that reassured hesitant shoppers that real people had faced the same doubts and ended up satisfied.
The strategy paid off. Casper became one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brands of the 2010s, generating $1 million in revenue within its first month and scaling to $300 million in revenue and reaching a $1.1 billion valuation within five years. A significant part of that momentum came from the credibility generated through customer voices.
Wrapping It All Up
Your customers are already talking about you. Reviews and testimonials put those conversations front and center, in a place where they can influence the decisions of the next shopper. Much of Casper’s early momentum came from asking for specific stories and putting them where hesitant buyers would see them.
If a prospect read only your reviews today, would they hear the story you want them to?
Interested in more?
This article’s content was adapted from the book Keeping People Interested: How Leaders Use Marketing to Capture and Sustain Attention, available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook today.
