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For product led companies with no account managers

Testimonials From Self Serve Customers

In a product led business, thousands of customers sign up, pay and succeed without ever talking to a human on your side. Nobody has a relationship to call on, so nobody knows whom to ask. Use the checklist below to pick those people from what they do in your product.

  • Signals that point to a happy customer
  • Who to leave off the list
  • Asks that work with no relationship
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Self serve testimonial shortlist
2 of 13 done15%
  • Upgraded or added seats without being asked
  • Invited teammates who then became active too
  • Has used the product most weeks for several months
  • Uses an advanced feature that only committed users reach
  • Replied kindly to an onboarding or product update email
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The problem, solved

Asking strangers who love your product

Self serve customers are not cold. They just do not know you, and you do not know which of them to approach.

Situation 1 of 5

Nobody here knows any customer personally

Without an account manager there is no gut feel about who is happy. Asking at random reaches people who barely use the product.

How StoryProof solves it

Add the customers who match your product signals to StoryProof contacts, group them in a smart list, and send each one a request by email.

Checklist

Whom to ask when nobody knows the customer

Work through the signals with your product data open. You do not need every one: two or three strong signals make a good list.

Signals that point to a happy customer
Leave these off the list
Make the ask work without a relationship

Ticks stay on this page and are not stored.

A request that explains itself

Sample request email, not from a real customer exchange

Subject: You have been using [product] for a while

Hi [first name], I am [founder name], one of the people who builds [product]. I noticed your team has been using it most weeks since spring and recently added two more people. We have never spoken, so I wanted to ask directly: would you tell other people what it does for you?

Two questions, answer by typing, an audio note or a video: [your StoryProof link]. If you would rather not, ignore this and thank you for using [product].

In StoryProof

Run it in StoryProof

  1. 1

    Build the shortlist from your data

    Use the signals and exclusions above. This step happens in your own analytics, not in StoryProof.

  2. 2

    Add the shortlist as contacts

    Put them in a smart list so you can see who has been asked.

  3. 3

    Send from a named person

    Send the request by email, and add the link inside your product for customers who never open email.

  4. 4

    Approve, tag by plan and place

    Approve the replies, tag them by plan and tenure, and choose paying customers for pricing and upgrade widgets.

What happens next: Rebuild the shortlist each quarter. New customers cross the signal thresholds all the time.

Before you start

Limits of this approach

  • StoryProof does not read your product data

    The signals come from your own analytics or database. You build the list and add the contacts.

  • Usage is not the same as happiness

    Someone can use a product daily because they have to. Expect some replies that are neutral, and treat them as feedback.

  • Respect email consent

    Only email customers you are allowed to contact about their account. If in doubt, use the in-product link.

  • Do not overuse one segment

    Your most active customers get asked for everything. Rotate who you approach so the same people are not asked every quarter.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Short answers to what usually comes up next.

Will customers find it creepy that we noticed their usage?

Mention only things they would expect you to know, such as how long they have been a customer or that their team grew. Never quote detailed activity back at them.

Who should sign the request?

A founder or product lead, with a real reply address. In a self serve business that is the closest thing the customer has to a relationship with you.

Is an in-product prompt better than email?

Use both. The in-product link catches people who never read email, and the email gives you a personal note that explains why they were chosen.

How many customers should be on the first list?

Small enough that a person can read every reply in a week. Grow the list once you know how your customers respond.

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

Hear from the customers you have never met

Build your first shortlist and send the request from a real person this week.

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Last updated 2026-11-05.