When it comes to getting and giving referrals in BNI, testimonials are one of your most powerful tools – but only if they’re done well.

At a recent BNI Education Slot, Sauren Ghosh delivered a fun, insightful and highly practical session on how to give a great testimonial. His aim? To help members improve the quality of their testimonials so they actively generate referrals and build trust in the room. Here’s what he covered.

Why Testimonials Matter

First things first – the purpose of a testimonial isn’t just to say something nice about another member. It’s to:

• Reinforce trust
• Demonstrate real results
• Help others feel confident referring that member
• Give them something they can use outside the room

Testimonials that are vague, generic or half-hearted won’t help anyone. At worst, they could actually harm someone’s credibility.

What a Bad Testimonial Looks Like

To drive the point home, Sauren opened the session with a deliberately terrible example:

“I used Dave the electrician once. He did some stuff about lights at me cousin’s place, I think. Anyway, it all seemed fine. I’m not really sure what he did exactly, but nothing’s blown up yet – although the supply was off for 24 hours, so my cousin had to stay in a hotel. If you need some electrical work, give Dave a ring or whatever.”

So, what’s wrong with this?

• It’s vague: No detail on what was done
• It’s negative: Mentions inconvenience and uncertainty
• It shows a weak connection: No sense of a real working relationship
• There’s no confidence: It sounds like a shrug, not a recommendation
• The delivery is flat: The speaker sounds unsure and unengaged

Needless to say, nobody is rushing to hire “Dave” after that.

What a Good Testimonial Sounds Like

Sauren then read out a stronger testimonial:

“I recently had the pleasure of working with Jake from Brightpark Electrical and I couldn’t be more impressed. From the moment he arrived, he was professional, punctual and incredibly thorough. He not only fixed my long-standing wiring issue that other electricians had missed, but also took the time to explain everything to me in plain English.

What stood out most was his attention to detail and his respect for our home – he left everything spotless. I’ve since recommended Jake to several clients and the feedback has been consistently positive. If you need a trustworthy, skilled electrician who genuinely cares about the quality of their work, Jake’s your man.”

This version worked well because it was:

• Specific: It explains exactly what Jake did and what problem he solved
• Positive: The tone is upbeat and confident
• Outcome-driven: It highlights a clear benefit
• Reusable: Jake could easily put this on his website or LinkedIn
• Well-delivered: Sauren’s energy and conviction added to the credibility

Storytelling Sticks

Sauren reminded us that people remember stories more than facts. He referred to a testimonial involving a builder whose renovation job included a part where the back of the house fell off. Although everything was resolved professionally, the story stuck – for the wrong reasons.

The moral? Be careful what you focus on. If your testimonial dwells on a mishap, even as a joke, that’s what people will take away.

Instead, focus on:

• The problem
• The solution
• The outcome
• Why you were impressed

This gives people confidence in that person’s abilities and encourages referrals.

Testimonials Aren’t Just for BNI Meetings

Great testimonials shouldn’t live and die in the room. Sauren shared how testimonials can and should be repurposed:

• As Google reviews
• On LinkedIn
• On Facebook
• In sales proposals
• As part of case studies
• Even in video content

That’s why the testimonial you give should be written and delivered with the idea that it may be used beyond your chapter.

A Personal Tip: Make Your Testimonials Visual

Sauren offered a practical tip from his own routine. He prints his testimonials on A4 paper with:

• A photo of himself
• Size 16 font
• Just a few short sentences

That way, when the printed testimonial folder is available at meetings, his feedback stands out. It’s clear, readable and shows his face – reminding everyone that referrals come from real relationships.

Mind Your Tone and Content

Another point Sauren made was about humour. A bit of fun is fine, but if your testimonial includes inappropriate jokes or over-the-top humour, it may not be usable outside the meeting.

Ask yourself:

• Would I be happy for this to represent me publicly?
• Would the person I’m recommending be happy to post it on LinkedIn?

If not, rethink it. Your testimonial should help them win more business, not just make the room laugh.

Final Advice: Make It About Them

The best testimonials in BNI do three things:

• Support the credibility of the person being recommended
• Explain what they did and what made it exceptional
• Help them win more business

While it’s fine to let a bit of your personality shine through, don’t make the testimonial about you. Think about what the recipient needs, and how your words can open doors for them.

In Summary

Sauren wrapped up with this advice:

“When you write your next testimonial, think about what people will remember. Be specific, be positive, bring energy – and make sure the person you’re talking about would be proud to share what you’ve said.”

So next time you’re sitting at the front to give a testimonial, remember:

• Tell a story
• Speak with confidence
• Be clear and concise
• Make it all about them

The better your testimonials, the stronger your relationships – and the more referrals you’ll all enjoy.

Want more BNI education content like this?

Stay connected and keep building your skills with BNI Education Slot’s regular networking and marketing insights.

Video Transcript

[00:00]
“Vague. Vague. That’s the first thing on here. Look, Martha – ‘vague, vague’. See? Look – very general.”

[00:06]
“Yeah, ‘general’ is not in here, Ray. That’s a great answer.”

[00:17]
Good morning. So, the committee have asked me to talk a little bit about testimonials.

First of all – well done on all your testimonials over the last six months. We’ve seen a huge improvement, and we thought we’d help you by adding more value.

[00:30]
So, what I’m going to do is start off by reading this testimonial, then I’m going to ask your thoughts on it.

[00:43]
“Yeah, so I used Dave the electrician once. He did some stuff about lights at me cousin’s place, I think it was. Anyway, it all seemed fine. I’m not really sure what he did exactly, but nothing’s blown up yet – although the supply was off for 24 hours, so my cousin had to stay in a hotel.
If you need some electrical work, give Dave a ring or… whatever.”

[01:14]
So why is that a good example of a bad testimonial?

[01:17]
Audience Member: So many negatives.

Sauren: And it had “Dave” in it too.

Audience: [laughs]

Sauren: I realise I should’ve changed the name. This Dave is very good, by the way. This Dave is very good.

[01:31]
Why else?

Audience: Vague.

Sauren: Vague. That’s the first thing on here. Look – “vague, vague”. See? Look – it’s very general.

Audience: Yeah, “general” is not in there.

Sauren: Ray, that’s a great answer as well.

[01:42]
So yes, it is vague and it’s unspecific, isn’t it? It’s lacking some detail on what was done.

[01:48]
Is it a strong—
Actually, I don’t want any audience participation now, thank you – but thank you for your participation.

Go on, Kieran. What were you going to say?

Audience Member (Kieran): No, okay.

Sauren: Are you vague? Thank you.

[02:01]
It conveys a weak relationship, doesn’t it? There doesn’t seem to be any connection in there. There’s no outcome or benefit.

In fact, you focus on the negatives. What were the negatives there?

[02:12]
Audience: 24 hours of no power.

Sauren: That’s exactly it. Unlike you, Dave, by the way. I should say that at the end of everything here.

Was my tone high energy or miserable?

Audience: Miserable.

Sauren: Yeah, I’m glad you didn’t say “normal”, by the way – so thank you for that.

[02:27]
And there was no confidence. Is this particular “Dave” going to get any referrals?

Audience: No.

Sauren: No.

[02:37]
Okay, so how about this one? I’m sorry that Dave isn’t in this good one.

[02:41]
“I recently had the pleasure of working with Jake from Brightpark Electrical, and I couldn’t be more impressed.

From the moment he arrived, he was professional, punctual, and incredibly thorough.

He not only fixed my long-standing wiring issue that other electricians had missed, but he also took the time to explain everything to me in plain English.

What stood out most was his attention to detail and his respect for our home – he left everything spotless.

I’ve since recommended Jake to several of my clients, and the feedback has been consistently positive.

If you need a trustworthy, skilled electrician who genuinely cares about the quality of their work, give Jake – or Dave too – a call. He’s your man.”

[03:31]
So, why is that one good?

Audience: Opposite of “Martha”.

Sauren: Specific. Brilliant. Look, I’ve got that written down here as well.

[03:38]
Yeah, so that’s specific, isn’t it? What else is good about that one?

Audience: Energetic.

Sauren: Energetic – so energetic in delivery as well as written. Thank you, Brian.

[03:47]
Audience: Positive and caring. Highlighted the skill of solving the problem.

Sauren: Yeah, that’s a good one, isn’t it? There was a problem – and it was solved. Thank you very much for all contributing.

[04:00]
Some other thoughts. There was a story in BNI about a builder who received a testimonial. Euan, who looks after our region, talked about this – where as part of the renovation work, the back of the house fell off.

Anyone remember that story?

[04:14]
Okay. But it was okay in the end because the builder did what he needed to do – probably wasn’t even the builder’s fault that the back fell off. It was going to happen anyway.

[04:26]
But what do you think the members in the room remembered about that testimonial?

Was it the great job that the builder did, or was it the back of the house falling off?

Audience: The back of the house falling off.

Sauren: You know the answer, don’t you?

[04:36]
Okay. So what we talk about, people remember. So when we’re writing our testimonials, have a think about what you would like people to say about you – and transfer that into the testimonial that you are giving to your member.

[04:50]
Some other key things: where else can testimonials be used? Not just in the room.

Audience: Google. LinkedIn.

Sauren: LinkedIn – brilliant. Facebook. You could do videos – you could do lots of things there.

[05:03]
So my personal view is: just keep it to a few sentences. I actually print mine. I do two things:

I put my photograph on mine

When we have the testimonials folder and it’s open at the desk – which I know we’re going to reintroduce – people will see me

It’s about you as well, giving the testimonial.

[05:17]
People will see me, and they’ll also be able to read it because it’s size 16 font and it’s only a couple of sentences – it’s not War and Peace.

[05:26]
We sometimes deliver the testimonial for us, not for the benefit of the person we’re giving the testimonial for.

And think about your reputation as well.

If you’re jokey and have some inappropriate Benny Hill–style humour in there, although this is funny in the meeting – is that really what you want to convey?

[05:45]
And what do you want the person you’re giving a testimonial to have to use on their social media?

They’re probably not going to be able to use it in that way.

[05:51]
And have a think – is this really going to get them more business?

It’s all about them. A little bit of you, but it’s all about them.

[05:58]
So when you write your next testimonial – we look forward to that.

[06:00]
We look forward to you sitting at the front, having high energy, being specific, telling a great story – and that person you’re giving the testimonial to will be proud to receive it, and they can use it to get more business.

[06:10]
Thank you.