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When every reply says "great service"

How to Get More Specific Testimonials

A vague testimonial is almost always the answer to a vague question. Build a short question set below that walks a customer from the problem to the moment it got better, plus a polite follow up for the replies that still come back thin.

  • A question set that asks for one moment, not an opinion
  • A one question follow up for thin replies
  • Copy into any form or email
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Four step question set

1. Before the bookkeeping setup, what did month end taking a full week look like in a normal week for you?

2. What made you decide to try the bookkeeping setup instead of carrying on as you were?

3. Was there a moment you noticed it was working? What happened?

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The problem, solved

Why replies come back generic, and what changes that

Customers are not being lazy. Each of these is a gap in how the request was put to them.

Situation 1 of 5

Everyone writes "great service, highly recommend"

Faced with one empty box, people reach for the safest summary they know. It is polite, true and useless to a prospect.

How StoryProof solves it

From Pro, a multi-step form asks several short questions in one sitting, so the customer answers about the problem, the turning point and the result one at a time.

Question builder

Build questions that pull out detail

Fill in what the customer bought and the problem it solved. Switch between the question set for a new request and the follow up for a reply that came back thin.

Which stage
  1. Four step question set

    One question per screen in a multi-step form, or numbered in an email.

    1. Before [the bookkeeping setup], what did [month end taking a full week] look like in a normal week for you?
2. What made you decide to try [the bookkeeping setup] instead of carrying on as you were?
3. Was there a moment you noticed it was working? What happened?
4. What would you say to someone in your position who is still putting up with [month end taking a full week]?
  2. Request email that sets up detail

    Subject: One small story about [the bookkeeping setup]?

    Hi [Priya],

Would you tell me, in your own words, how things changed after [the bookkeeping setup]? Not a review, just the story: what [month end taking a full week] was like before, and what it is like now.

It is four short questions and you can answer by typing, an audio note or a quick video: [your StoryProof link]

Thanks,
[Tom]

Your text is filled in on this page only. Nothing is stored or sent.

The question decides the answer

Questions that invite one line

  • What did you think of us?
  • Would you recommend us?
  • Can you write a few words about your experience?
  • How would you rate the service?

Questions that invite a story

  • What did the problem look like before you started?
  • What nearly stopped you from buying?
  • When did you first notice it was working?
  • What would you tell a friend who has the same problem?

In StoryProof

Put the question set to work in StoryProof

  1. 1

    Turn the questions into a form

    From Pro, add each question as its own step so the customer sees one at a time.

  2. 2

    Let them answer in the format they like

    The same link accepts text, an audio note or a video, recorded in the browser.

  3. 3

    Send the request

    Email the link yourself with the template, or have StoryProof send the request email for you.

  4. 4

    Read before you approve

    Hold the thin replies in the queue and send the one question follow up. Approve once the detail is in.

  5. 5

    Tag the specific ones and place them

    Give detailed stories a tag such as "names a result" and pick them for the widgets on pricing and product pages.

What happens next: After a month, compare the replies to the question set with what you were getting before. If one question keeps getting skipped, rewrite or drop it.

Before you start

Where specific turns into scripted

  • Do not supply the answer

    A question like "did we save you ten hours a week?" puts your number in their mouth. Ask what changed and let them choose the words.

  • Four questions is plenty

    Every extra step loses some people. If a question rarely produces anything useful, remove it rather than adding a fifth.

  • Only one follow up

    Ask for more detail once. If the second reply is still short, approve what they gave you or leave it unused, and thank them either way.

  • Some customers have no story

    A light user may honestly have nothing more to say. That is a sign to ask someone who uses you more, not to push harder.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Short answers to what usually comes up next.

Is it fine to edit a vague testimonial to make it more specific?

No. Adding detail the customer did not give changes what they said. Ask them for the detail and use their words.

Can I send customers a draft to approve instead?

Some businesses do, but a draft tends to sound like you. If you try it, build the draft only from things the customer said to you and tell them to change anything that is not right.

How long should a specific testimonial be?

Long enough to hold a before and an after. Two or three sentences usually do it. Length is not the goal, the detail is.

Should I ask for numbers?

Ask what changed. If the customer offers a figure they are sure of, keep it. If they are guessing, leave the number out.

Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.

Ask better questions on your next request

Set up a question by question form and send it to one happy customer this week.

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Last updated 2026-11-05.