A quiet decision, made with care
Testimonials From Customers Who Have Died
Sometimes you learn that a customer whose words are on your site has died. There is no rule that says the testimonial must come down, and no rule that says it may stay. What matters is how it would feel to the people who loved them to find it there. Answer a few questions to choose a sensible first step, and use the wording below if you decide to write to the family.
- Five gentle questions about this one testimonial
- Keep, pause or retire, with the reason
- Wording for a note to the family
Decision helper
What to do with this testimonial
Answer for the one testimonial in front of you. The result is a first step, not a verdict; your own sense of the family comes first.
Your answers stay in your browser.
The problem, solved
The practical side, handled gently
Once you know what you want to do, these are the small things that tend to go wrong.
- Problem 1
Their video is on our homepage today
A relative could come across it at any moment, before you have had time to think.
How StoryProof solves it
You choose which approved testimonials each widget shows, so you can take it out of the homepage widget first and decide the rest calmly.
- Problem 2
A colleague might put it back later
Someone new builds a page next year, finds a lovely quote in the library and features it, unaware.
How StoryProof solves it
Add a tag that records the decision, such as “retired, family asked” or “keep, low key only”, so anyone choosing quotes sees it.
- Problem 3
An automated email could reach their inbox
A reminder or thank you arriving in a shared family inbox is the kind of hurt that stays with people.
How StoryProof solves it
From Pro, request follow-ups stop once a testimonial is received and the thank you email only follows a new approval. Make sure nobody sends that contact a new request.
- Problem 4
The family would like it to stay
Some families are moved to see their relative’s words still helping others, and say so.
How StoryProof solves it
Keep it approved and choose where it appears. The Wall of Love, a hosted page of your approved testimonials, is often a gentler home than a sales page.
Prompts
If you write to the family
Keep it short, warm and free of any request. These are lines that tend to land well, and ones to leave out.
Opening
- “We were so sorry to hear about {name}.”
- “{Name} was a pleasure to work with, and we will remember {specific kindness}.”
Leave out
- Opening with the testimonial
- Any mention of your business or products beyond what they knew
Mentioning the testimonial
- “A while ago {name} kindly shared a few words about us, which appear on our website. We have taken them down for now.”
- “If you would like them removed for good, or would like them to stay, either is completely fine. There is no need to reply.”
Leave out
- Asking them to confirm permission
- A deadline of any kind
- Asking a family member for their own testimonial
Closing
- “With our deepest sympathy,” and a real name, not a team address
Leave out
- Discount codes, newsletters or links to other pages
In StoryProof
Quiet steps in StoryProof
- 1
Remove it from prominent widgets
Deselect it in any widget on the homepage, ads landing pages or pricing page.
- 2
Record the decision
Tag the testimonial with what you decided and the date, so the library carries the context.
- 3
Check planned emails
Make sure no new request goes to that contact, from you or a colleague. Follow-ups already stop once a testimonial has been received.
- 4
Act on the family’s wishes
If they write back, do exactly what they ask, and update the tag.
What happens next: If the testimonial stays, look at it again whenever you redesign the page it sits on, rather than letting it move somewhere more prominent by accident.
Before you start
Things to know
What this does not cover, and what to check on your side. Better to know now than after launch.
- 01
No deceased or do not contact flag
StoryProof has no special status for this. A tag records your decision, and you check contact lists and planned emails by hand.
- 02
No download for the family
There is no documented way to export a recording from StoryProof. If a family asks for a copy of a video, check the original files you hold.
- 03
Off site copies are yours to find
Social images, slides and printed material made from the testimonial are outside StoryProof.
- 04
Not legal advice
This page is about courtesy, not law. If the testimonial is part of paid advertising or a contract, ask your adviser about your own situation.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
Do we have to remove a testimonial when the customer dies?
Not automatically. Many businesses pause it while they think, keep it if the family is comfortable, and always remove it if the family asks.
Should we contact the family?
Only if a note would be welcome. If you knew the customer well, a condolence note that mentions the testimonial in one line is a kindness. If you did not, a quiet pause is often better.
Is it ever right to use it in an advert?
It is hard to imagine a family feeling good about that. Keep it out of ads unless they have told you, unprompted, that they would like it used.
What if the family asks us to keep it as a tribute?
Honour that, and keep it modestly placed. Do not add “in memory of” wording unless they ask for it.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
Keep your testimonial library in good order
Choose exactly where each testimonial appears and record decisions with tags.
Last updated 2026-11-12.