How to Make the Testimonial Slide [Useful Instructions]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
A few weeks ago, while working on a sales presentation for a client named Yin, a thoughtful question came up:
“How do you make a testimonial slide not feel like filler?”
Our Creative Director answered...
“By making it do more than just praise.”
As a presentation design agency, we work on dozens of presentations every quarter and testimonial slides are almost always underutilized. Most of them end up looking like decorative footnotes. Pretty quotes, nice headshots, some logos, but little strategic weight.
That’s a problem.
Because when done right, a testimonial slide isn’t just social proof. It’s a business case. It’s the voice of the market speaking for you. It’s evidence that someone has taken the journey the audience is considering.
In this blog, let’s break down how to build a testimonial slide that actually moves the deal forward, not just fill space.
Why the Testimonial Slide Often Misses the Mark
Testimonial slides are often treated as one of the most straightforward parts of any presentation.
After all, you’re showing that real people, or even better, recognizable names — support your product.
It feels like a no-brainer. But here's the catch: most testimonial slides fall flat because they don’t go beyond surface-level praise.
Think about it. How many times have you seen a testimonial slide that just includes a smiling face and a line like “This product changed my life!” with no context or insight into why or how it helped?
That’s not going to move the needle in a high-stakes sales conversation.
The challenge lies in shifting the focus from simply showing that you have happy customers to demonstrating why those happy customers matter. When you’re creating a sales deck, every slide needs to tell a story. It needs to carry weight. And that’s where the testimonial slide often misses its mark.
When done right, however, this slide can serve as more than just social proof. It can answer a deeper, more strategic question: Why should the prospect believe in what you’re offering?
How to Make the Testimonial Slide
1. Choose the Right Type of Testimonial
Before diving into design or content, decide what type of testimonial best suits your sales objectives. There are several types of testimonials, and choosing the right one will set the tone for the rest of the slide. Here are a few common options:
Customer Story: These are testimonials that go beyond a simple quote and include a narrative about the customer’s journey, challenges, and success. This type of testimonial is ideal when you want to demonstrate the full impact of your product or service. A customer story will often include details on the problem the customer faced, the solution you provided, and the quantifiable results they experienced.
Single Quote: A single, impactful quote is often the most straightforward approach. However, it must be a strong statement that directly addresses a key pain point or benefit. This is a great option if your sales presentation is focused on making a specific point and you want to keep the testimonial concise.
Video Testimonial: If your presentation supports multimedia, a short video testimonial can be extremely powerful. Video adds authenticity and allows your customer to speak directly to the audience, making their endorsement feel more personal and genuine.
Influencer/Industry Expert Testimonial: Sometimes, having an endorsement from a known figure or an industry leader can lend immediate credibility to your offering. These types of testimonials are particularly useful if you’re trying to break into a new market or reassure prospects that you’re the leader in your field.
Selecting the type of testimonial depends on your sales goals. If you’re looking to highlight the practical benefits and long-term value of your product, customer stories work well. On the other hand, if you're aiming for a quick, impactful statement of trust, a single quote may suffice.
2. Build the Context
Once you’ve selected your testimonial type, the next step is building context around it. A testimonial without context is like a story without a beginning or an end. Here’s what to include:
Who is the Customer? Make sure to introduce the person or company providing the testimonial. For a professional presentation, include the customer’s role and company name (with their permission, of course). This adds authority and helps your audience understand why they should trust the testimonial. For example: “Jane Smith, Marketing Director at XYZ Corporation.”
What Was Their Challenge? Briefly explain the challenge or problem the customer faced before using your product. This sets the stage for your solution. The more specific you can be about the challenge, the more relatable it becomes for your prospects. For example, “XYZ Corp was struggling with a fragmented sales process, leading to lost leads and slower conversions.”
What Solution Did You Provide? Include how your product or service helped solve the customer’s problem. This is where you can highlight the unique value of your offering. For instance: “By integrating [Product], XYZ Corp was able to automate lead capture, streamlining their sales funnel and increasing lead conversion by 30%.”
What Were the Results? The most persuasive testimonials include quantifiable results. If the customer experienced measurable success, make sure that’s front and center. “After six months, XYZ Corp reported a 40% increase in lead conversions, improving overall revenue by 25%.”
3. Use a Compelling Quote
The core of any testimonial slide is the quote itself. A good testimonial quote doesn’t just tell your audience that your product works; it shows them why it works. Here’s how to craft an effective quote:
Focus on Benefits, Not Features: A powerful testimonial focuses on how your product benefits the customer, rather than just listing features. While features are important, they’re usually better left to other parts of the presentation. A great testimonial should speak directly to the pain point your prospect is facing and explain how your solution alleviates it. For example, “Using [Product] has helped us increase revenue by 30% — but more importantly, it’s freed up valuable time for my team to focus on strategic initiatives.”
Be Specific: Vague, generic testimonials like “This is a great product” don’t hold much weight. Instead, encourage your customers to be specific about how your product or service addressed their needs. If possible, include numbers or specific outcomes. “Thanks to [Product], we were able to cut project delivery times by 40%, saving us both time and money.”
Capture Emotion: Testimonials aren’t just about facts and figures — they’re about connecting on a human level. If a customer talks about how your product made their job easier, saved them time, or even made them feel more confident in their role, those are the kinds of quotes that truly resonate. Emotions like relief, pride, and excitement can make a testimonial stand out.
4. Keep It Visually Engaging
Designing a testimonial slide doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does require thoughtful attention to detail. Here are some design tips to make sure your testimonial slide is as effective visually as it is content-wise:
Keep It Clean: Don’t overwhelm the slide with too much text. Instead, focus on the key message. Use larger fonts for the quote itself and make sure the person’s name, title, and company are easy to read. The visual presentation should make the testimonial easy to digest.
Highlight the Quote: Make the testimonial quote the focal point of the slide. Use contrast (light text on dark background or vice versa) to make it stand out. If the testimonial includes a number or result, you can emphasize that part using bold or different typography. This draws attention to the key information you want your audience to remember.
Include a Headshot: Whenever possible, include a high-quality headshot of the person providing the testimonial. A smiling, relatable face can humanize the testimonial and create a stronger emotional connection with your audience. However, make sure the headshot doesn’t distract from the quote itself. It should complement the content.
Use Branding Elements: Align the design of your testimonial slide with the overall look and feel of the rest of your presentation. Consistency in font choices, color schemes, and layout keeps the flow of the presentation intact. Avoid using bright, bold colors that clash with the rest of your presentation’s design.
Add the Company Logo: Including the logo of the company providing the testimonial can lend extra credibility. Just make sure the logo doesn’t overshadow the testimonial itself — it should be a subtle addition that reinforces the credibility of the testimonial.
5. Place Testimonials Strategically
The placement of testimonial slides is critical. A well-timed testimonial can make a lasting impact, but showing them too early or too often can diminish their effectiveness. Here are a few strategic placements:
At the End of Key Sections: After you’ve covered a problem or a solution, reinforce your point with a testimonial. If you just discussed how your product solves a common issue, showing a testimonial right after can make the solution more tangible.
Before the Close: Towards the end of your presentation, a powerful testimonial can act as a reminder of why your product is the best choice. A closing testimonial can also serve as a reinforcement of the benefits and outcomes that you’ve already presented.
After Objections: If you’ve addressed a potential objection or concern in your presentation, use a testimonial to counter that objection. This reassures your prospect that your product works as promised and that others have found success in similar situations.
Where to Place the Testimonial Slide in your Presentation
The testimonial slide should be placed strategically throughout the slide deck to maximize its impact. Ideally, it should follow key points where you’ve addressed a pain point, offered a solution, or presented your product’s benefits.
Placing a testimonial after discussing a solution or handling an objection reinforces the message and builds trust. Additionally, ending your presentation with a powerful testimonial can leave a lasting impression, solidifying your product’s credibility before the final call to action.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.