Think about the last time you bought something important. You probably checked reviews or asked a peer for a recommendation. Your buyers are doing the same thing. Testimonials and reviews build instant credibility, and in B2B services, they often make or break a deal.
The problem? Most companies collect testimonials inconsistently. Someone on the team remembers to ask after a big win or a client offers feedback in passing. But there’s no repeatable process to keep the flow of testimonials steady.
That’s where HubSpot automation comes in.
How HubSpot Can Automate Testimonial Collection
At its core, HubSpot is built to capture data, segment contacts, and trigger actions based on behavior. Collecting testimonials is no different, you just need the right structure.
Here’s how to build it:
1. Use HubSpot’s Feedback Surveys
Start with HubSpot’s built-in NPS survey tool. These surveys ask your clients how likely they are to recommend you, giving you a clear signal of who’s a promoter, detractor, or neutral.
Promoters (the people who score you a 9 or 10) are your best testimonial candidates. Especially when they leave a written comment.
2. Create a “Testimonial Candidate” Property
Next, create a custom contact property called “Testimonial Candidate.” This property acts as a flag when someone leaves a positive survey response worth following up on.
3. Build a Workflow for Promoters with Comments
Set up a workflow that looks for:
When those conditions are met, HubSpot can automatically update the “Testimonial Candidate” property to “Yes.”
4. Send Internal Notifications
Have HubSpot send an internal notification to your marketing or customer success team whenever a new testimonial candidate is flagged. This way, you never miss the chance to capture social proof.
5. Automate Outreach for Approval
With testimonials, consent is everything. Use HubSpot workflows to send an email asking for permission to use the client’s words in your marketing. Once they say yes, you’ve got a ready-to-go testimonial; no chasing required.
Pro Tip from CJ
Don’t just collect testimonials, categorize them. Tag them by product line, industry, or service type inside HubSpot. That way, when your sales team needs a testimonial for a specific buyer, they can pull one instantly.
Use Cases for Automated Testimonials
-
Sales Enablement: Arm your team with relevant testimonials for proposals and presentations.
-
Marketing Collateral: Populate your website, landing pages, and case studies with a steady stream of fresh quotes.
-
Customer Success: Track promoters over time and identify potential case study candidates.
Why This System Works
The beauty of this approach is that it’s scalable. Instead of relying on memory or luck, you have a built-in process that:
-
Identifies your happiest clients
-
Notifies your team in real time
-
Secures approvals without back-and-forth
-
Creates a living database of testimonials inside HubSpot
That’s social proof on autopilot.
Final Thoughts
If your team is struggling to collect testimonials consistently, you’re not alone. Most businesses know they need more social proof, but don’t have the systems in place to make it happen.
By using HubSpot’s survey tools, workflows, and custom properties, you can turn testimonial collection into a repeatable process; one that fuels marketing, sales, and customer success all at once.
And once you have a system? You’ll never scramble for a testimonial again.
Ready to Put HubSpot to Work for You?
At The Gist Inbound, we help businesses set up HubSpot the right way; from automation like this to full CRM builds and inbound marketing strategies. If you want to scale your growth without adding more to your plate, let’s talk.
Work with us.