If you want to grow your chamber membership and enhance your community’s trust, you can’t overlook the power of testimonials. Word-of-mouth marketing is believable and prompts conversions in a way no other marketing can come close to.
Testimonials are a form of social proof that speaks volumes, especially when they come from trusted community voices. But getting great testimonials—and knowing how to use them—requires strategy and intention. That’s why we’re going to explore the best ways to capture, collect, and utilize testimonials to start up that referral machine!
Why Testimonials Matter
Testimonials are powerful because they provide real-world proof that your chamber delivers value. And not just because you said so! They build trust and credibility with potential members and even inspire current members to get more involved. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, and 70% trust opinions from online reviews. When someone sees another business praising your chamber, it’s means a lot more than you saying it yourself. After all, you’re getting paid to say it.
How to Get More Testimonials
Getting testimonials doesn’t have to be a struggle. Here are proven methods from chamber leaders who are turning member feedback into membership growth:
1. Leverage Social Media: Testimony Tuesday
Nancy Smith Binger, Executive Director at the Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce, shared a brilliant idea: Testimony Tuesday. She sent an email to all members requesting testimonials in exchange for a highlight on social media. The response was overwhelming. She ended up running Testimony Tuesday nearly every week for a year, spotlighting members and boosting chamber visibility. Not only did she receive a flood of testimonials, but her chamber also experienced an uptick in new memberships during that time.
Pro Tip: Create a social media schedule to regularly showcase testimonials. Make it easy for members to participate by offering them visibility as part of the exchange.
2. Capture the Moment with Video
Frank Kenny, (some of you might know that guy), suggests capturing testimonials the moment you hear them. If a member says something positive during an event or meeting, pull out your phone and ask, “Could I shoot a quick video with you saying that?” That’s all it takes. Videos are incredibly impactful because they add authenticity—you can see the person, hear their enthusiasm, and feel their experience.
Pro Tip: Always have your phone ready at events. Sometimes the best testimonials are spontaneous.
3. Collect Testimonials On the Spot
Tamara Tateosian, CEO at Callaway Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center, has a simple but effective method: Get them at the event they attend. She hands out small, colorful pieces of paper and asks guests to write down their thoughts about the event before they leave. This avoids the common problem of attendees getting too busy and forgetting to send in their comments or the ask landing in the email inbox never to be seen again.
Pro Tip: Bring cards or a tablet to your events so attendees can easily jot down their thoughts. You can even add a QR code linking to an online form.
4. Follow Up on Gratitude
April Kopitzke, Executive Director at New London Area Chamber of Commerce, uses gratitude as a bridge to testimonials. When someone expresses appreciation in an email or conversation, she asks if they’d be willing to turn that into a testimonial. She also offers to feature their logo or headshot alongside their testimonial on the chamber’s website.
Pro Tip: When you receive positive feedback, respond with: “We’d love to share your experience. Would you be open to writing a testimonial or letting us do a quick video?”
Should You Tell Them What to Say?
Most people would read this and immediately say, “Of course not!” But there are some times where guiding the conversation can be the difference between a good testimonial and a great one.
There’s little reason to guide if someone is already coming to you with compliments, but there are times where you may solicit the recommendations yourself, and when you do, ensuring they know what’s behind the ask can really help.
When working with one chamber that had a scholarship program, we found out just how important guiding the testimonial conversation was. We wanted to collect testimonials from the scholarship recipients to make the donors feel amazing about how their efforts had helped the community. All we asked for was a video “thank you” from the students. No other directions were given.
They were fine.
But fine doesn’t work in marketing. Fine is like okay.
What we ended up with was exactly what we asked for–a brief thank you. “Thank you for my scholarship.” Some threw in where they were going to college or what they were studying, but nothing we got from those teens elicited any kind of feeling.
It’s not their fault. They weren’t marketers thinking of the end goal. They were just kids and they answered like kids.
When collecting testimonials, you want them to reiterate the story you’re trying to tell. This isn’t a witness box in a court of law. When it comes to word-of-mouth marketing you can lead the witness.
We could’ve told those teens, “Affording college is a struggle these days. How did this scholarship help you realize your educational dreams? Talk to us about how pivotal this money is.” Our results would’ve been more in line with our goal of making sponsors feel valued and important in educating the leaders of tomorrow.
Technology That Makes It Easy
There are plenty of tech solutions to make collecting and posting testimonials easier:
- Google Forms or Typeform: Create a simple, branded form where members can submit their testimonials at any time.
- QR Codes: Place them at events so members can quickly scan and submit feedback.
- Canva or Visme: Design branded templates for social media posts that showcase testimonials.
- Video Editing Apps: Apps and software like Edits, InShot,a dn CapCut allow you to quickly edit short testimonial videos for social media.
Best Practices for Using Testimonials
- Feature Them Consistently – Make testimonials part of your content calendar. Share them weekly or biweekly to keep them top of mind.
- Highlight Different Member Types – Showcase a variety of members—small businesses, larger companies, nonprofits—to reflect the diversity of your chamber.
- Include Photos and Logos – Visuals make testimonials more credible and engaging.
- Use Multiple Platforms – Share testimonials on your website, in newsletters, on social media, and even in event programs.
Turning Testimonials Into Referrals
When members see others praising your chamber, it makes them more likely to recommend you to their network. This cycle of visibility and credibility turns your chamber into a referral machine. By gathering testimonials through simple, thoughtful methods and sharing them consistently, you not only build trust—you build membership.
