Using Testimonials To Drive Sales In Your Coaching Business
Right now, somewhere in your Voxer inbox or your text messages or your DMs, there’s a message from a client that made you stop. They told you something shifted. Something clicked. A result showed up that neither of you expected. You read it, felt amazing, maybe told your partner about it, and then moved on without saving it.
That’s the most expensive mistake coaches make when it comes to using testimonials to drive sales. Not because collecting testimonials is complicated, but because most coaches don’t have a system. They’re sitting on gold and don’t know it.
This episode is the fix. I’m breaking down exactly how I collect client wins, where I put them, and the three-step framework I use to let those results do the selling for me.
Why testimonials work
I’ve talked before about making selling feel more effortless. This is the specific piece that made the biggest difference for me. When a potential client sees real results from a real human being, something happens in their brain. Those results become accessible to them. They’re no longer abstract. They’re possible.
That’s the psychology underneath all of this. You’re not convincing anyone of anything. You’re showing them what’s already happened for someone who was right where they are. The selling practically happens on its own.
We’re also living in a world where anyone can open Canva, pull a template, and type whatever they want into a testimonial graphic. People know this. So the polished, perfectly designed quote card? It’s lost some of its power. What converts now is the messy, real, unfiltered version. The screenshot from Voxer. The voice memo. The direct message with a typo in it. Because that’s obviously real.
Three moments in every container that are prime for collection
Most coaches wait until the end of a program to ask for a testimonial. That’s fine, but you’re missing two-thirds of what’s available to you. Here’s when to collect throughout the entire coaching relationship:
- The quick win (early in the container)
Within the first few weeks, clients start building momentum. Small things click into place. Those early wins matter because they answer one of the most common objections buyers have: how fast will I see results?
When a client messages you in week two saying she landed her first discovery call, that’s a quick win testimonial. Grab it. Save it. That message is worth more than a formal review.
- The midpoint (after a major breakthrough)
Somewhere in the middle of a container, something usually breaks open. They’ve hit a wall and pushed through. They’ve had a realization that changed how they see everything. The trust is deeper, the work is getting more real, and they’re starting to feel it.
Midpoint testimonials tend to be more emotionally resonant than early ones. The quick win is surface-level momentum. The midpoint reflection is where the actual transformation starts showing up in language you can use.
- The formal close (the structured ask)
At the end of a program, you can send a form, hop on a short call, or ask a few structured questions over email. This is where you’re painting the full picture: where were they before, what happened during the coaching, where are they now?
This three-part story (before, during, after) is what I use for podcast case studies and longer-form content. When you hear an entire arc of someone’s experience, you’re far more likely to see yourself in it. That’s intentional.
Building a collection habit (before you can use them, you need them)
The biggest problem isn’t that coaches don’t have good testimonials. It’s that they don’t have a system to catch them. They hear something great, feel good about it, and let it vanish.
Here’s what I do instead. Inside my BDC program, clients fill out an optional weekly wins form every Friday. I review it every Monday. I’m collecting data, tracking metrics, and spotting testimonials in real time. On Mondays, you’ll see me sharing those wins in my stories because I’ve already gathered and reviewed them.
For organization, we use Monday.com. Whatever you use, the point is to have a location. Not a mental note. A folder, a doc, a board.
One more thing worth saying: get the permission piece right. In my programs, it’s in the client agreements. But I always ask again as a courtesy before sharing anything publicly. In years of doing this, I’ve never had a client say no. They’re usually thrilled. They want to help the next person.
Where to put client results once you have them
Once you have testimonials, the goal is to get them everywhere your ideal clients are already looking. These are the places I prioritize:
- Your website and sales pages
This is the most obvious place, but most coaches still do it wrong. They drop one or two testimonials at the bottom of a page as an afterthought. Instead, think about the objections a buyer has as they scroll and layer your testimonials throughout the page to answer those objections in sequence.
I see a lot of sales pages inside BDC that are missing proof entirely. If I can’t see evidence that your coaching works, I’m not buying. Weave the real results in, including the screenshots and the Voxer grabs, not just the polished graphics.
- Social media content
Content built around a specific client story performs better than almost anything else I post. When you can structure a post or a reel around the before-during-after arc, your audience starts to see themselves in the story. The comment that always comes in: “that’s exactly where I am right now.”
On Instagram, I use client wins in stories consistently. I’ll share a result, highlight it, and then say: if you want this too, reply with “results” and I’ll tell you more about how I supported her. No hard pitch needed. The result does the work.
- Your email list
Every launch sequence should include at least one full case study email. Tell the whole story, include a screenshot, and then make the offer. One well-told client story in an email will outperform five emails of straight selling almost every time.
You can also weave shorter wins into other emails without making the entire message about the testimonial. A quick mention of a client result before you pivot to your main point adds credibility without feeling like a brag.
- Podcast appearances and your own show
Whenever someone asks me for an example on a podcast, I lead with a client story. I don’t start with my own credentials. I let the client’s result establish my authority first, then connect it back to what I teach.
On my own show, I bring clients on for full case study episodes almost monthly. When listeners hear someone describe where they were before they worked with me, the response is almost always the same: that’s me. If it worked for her, it could work for me.
- Your DMs and sales conversations
When someone reaches out and says they’ve been thinking about working with you, that’s your moment. Ask a question or two to understand where they are, then share an anecdotal case study. “I had a client in a similar situation and here’s what shifted for her” does far more than any feature list or sales script ever will.
The story-bridge-invite framework for selling with testimonials
This is the structure I use every time I sell from a client result. It’s simple on purpose.
- Share the story: Tell the client’s before-during-after. Keep it specific. Use real details.
- Build the bridge: Draw a line between their story and where your potential client is now. “If you see yourself in her situation, there’s a reason this landed for you.”
- Extend the invite: Make the next step clear and low-pressure. Not “book a call right now.” More like, “if this feels like a yes for you, let me know and I’ll share more about how I can support you.”
That’s it. No aggressive pitch. No countdown timer. The result does the convincing and you’re just offering the door.
The coaches who tell me selling feels awkward are almost always selling from the wrong place. They’re talking about their programs, their credentials, their frameworks. When you shift to letting your clients’ results lead, selling stops feeling like selling. You’re just sharing evidence of what’s possible.
