Two step consent
Collect First, Then Ask to Publish
Some customers say more when they believe nobody else will read it. A two step flow takes advantage of that: you ask for honest feedback that stays private, and only later go back to the people whose words would help others and ask whether you may publish them. It works, but only if the first step really is private and the second step is a genuine question.
- When splitting the ask is worth the extra email
- What to promise at step one, and keep
- How the permission request should read
Checklist
Run a two step flow without breaking a promise
Work down the list before you launch. The first group helps you decide whether two steps are worth it at all.
Ticks stay in your browser and are not sent anywhere.
The problem, solved
Running both stages in StoryProof
You can hold private answers in StoryProof itself, because a submission does nothing in public until you act on it.
- Problem 1
Private feedback must stay private
If step one answers can drift onto the site, the promise you made at step one is broken by a single click.
How StoryProof solves it
Nothing a customer submits goes public until you approve it, so step one answers can sit in the queue unapproved for as long as needed.
- Problem 2
Which ones have we asked about?
With answers arriving every week, the team loses track of who got the second request, who said yes and who said no.
How StoryProof solves it
Tag each submission by stage, such as private, permission asked, agreed or declined, so the queue shows where everyone stands.
- Problem 3
Sending the second request one by one
Writing a separate permission email for each person takes long enough that it stops happening.
How StoryProof solves it
Keep the candidates in a smart list of contacts and email them from StoryProof, with their own words pasted in where you can.
- Problem 4
They want to tidy up what they said
A sentence typed in a hurry for private eyes is not always how someone wants to appear in public.
How StoryProof solves it
Send the collection link so they can submit a fresh version, written, as video or as a voice note, and approve that one instead.
- Problem 5
Step one surfaced an unhappy customer
Private feedback is where complaints appear. Ignoring them while asking happy people to go public looks cynical.
How StoryProof solves it
From Pro, a rating of 2 stars or fewer can alert your team and send that customer a personal apology email.
One step or two
Neither is more correct. They suit different customers and different amounts of time.
In StoryProof
Set it up
- 1
Send the private request
Email the link with the privacy promise in the message. Answers arrive in the queue and stay unapproved.
- 2
Read and tag every answer
Tag each one private on arrival. Mark candidates for publication, and act on any complaint first.
- 3
Ask permission with their words in front of them
Email each candidate the passage you would use, where it would appear and how they would be named.
- 4
Approve only after a yes
When they agree, approve the submission or the fresh version they sent, and change the tag to agreed.
What happens next: Leave declined answers unapproved and tagged. They are still useful feedback for the team.
Before you start
Limits of this approach
What this does not cover, and what to check on your side. Better to know now than after launch.
- 01
Your wording carries the promise
StoryProof holds unapproved submissions out of public view, but the privacy promise itself is in the message you write. Keep it accurate.
- 02
No built in permission step
StoryProof does not send a separate publication consent form. The second request is an email you write, and the customer’s reply is your record.
- 03
No editing their words for them
This page relies on no in app editing of a testimonial. If wording needs to change, ask the customer to resubmit through the link.
- 04
Selection on review sites is different
Choosing which private comments to publish on your own site is one thing; steering only happy customers to public review sites is review gating, covered in the blog post linked below.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
Is it honest to collect feedback first and ask to publish later?
Yes, if step one really is private and the later request is a free choice. It becomes dishonest when private answers are published without that second yes.
How long should I wait between the two steps?
A few days to a couple of weeks. Long enough that the second request does not feel like a trap, soon enough that they remember writing it.
Can I just ask permission in my reply to their feedback?
You can, and many small businesses do. The checklist still applies: show the exact words, say where they will go and treat silence as no.
What if someone says yes but wants it anonymous?
Agree on a credit such as a role and industry before approving. Record that choice with the yes.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
Hold answers privately until they say yes
Collect freely, publish only what customers agreed to. No credit card needed to start.
Last updated 2026-11-11.