How to Collect and Display LinkedIn Testimonials

LinkedIn testimonials and recommendations are among the most persuasive elements on a coaching profile, because they let someone else say what you cannot say about yourself. One specific, detailed recommendation is worth more than ten generic ones.

Most coaches either have no recommendations or have a handful of vague ones from colleagues that say very little about what it is actually like to be coached by them. The coaches who convert profile visitors into clients have testimonials that make the reader think: "That sounds exactly like what I need."

Why do testimonials matter for coaching profiles?

Coaching is a high-trust purchase. Someone considering hiring a coach is thinking about opening up to a stranger about things they have not told most people. A recommendation from someone who has done that, and found it worthwhile, removes more hesitation than any amount of bio copy.

The trust mechanism here is specific. A generic recommendation ("Working with Bas was a great experience") removes almost no hesitation because it says nothing about the actual experience. A specific one ("I came to coaching knowing something was wrong but unable to name it. Six months later I had left a role I had been miserable in for three years and started something I actually wanted to do") removes significant hesitation because it describes a real situation and a real outcome.

How do you ask for a LinkedIn recommendation as a coach?

Ask at the right moment and make it easy. The right moment is when a client has just had a breakthrough, completed a program with you, or expressed genuine gratitude. Not months after the engagement has ended, when the emotion has faded.

Make it easy by giving them a prompt. Not a template to copy, but a direction: "It would really help if you could mention what you were dealing with when we started working together, and what shifted for you. That specificity is what resonates with people who might be in a similar situation."

You can also request recommendations directly through LinkedIn's recommendation feature, which sends a formal request. But a personal message asking with a suggested focus area will produce a better recommendation than a generic LinkedIn request almost every time.

How should coaches display testimonials beyond LinkedIn recommendations?

LinkedIn recommendations appear on your profile automatically once submitted. But you can also use testimonials in other ways:

• A designed image quote card in your Featured section

• A screenshot or designed quote in a LinkedIn post (with permission)

• A short video testimonial in your Featured section, if the client is willing

• A dedicated testimonials page on your website, linked from your profile

Social proof on LinkedIn: what actually works covers the broader picture of how to use testimonials, case studies, and other proof elements across your LinkedIn presence.

How many recommendations should coaches aim for?

Five to ten strong, specific recommendations are more valuable than twenty vague ones. Quality over quantity applies here more than anywhere else on the profile. A visitor reading three specific, detailed recommendations is more likely to reach out than one reading fifteen generic ones.

Aim for one new recommendation every one to two months from clients who have had meaningful outcomes. Over two years, that builds a profile that carries serious social proof without feeling like you pressured everyone you have ever worked with.

The complete guide to LinkedIn profile optimization for coaches covers how recommendations fit into the overall profile strategy.

Can coaches share client stories without a formal recommendation?

Yes, and sometimes this is more flexible and more useful. An anonymized case study in a post format ("a client came to me dealing with X, here is what we worked on and what changed") can carry as much persuasive weight as a named recommendation, without requiring the client to write anything or be identified.

The key is specificity. A vague case study is as unconvincing as a vague recommendation. "A client who had been in the wrong role for years left and found something better" is forgettable. "A client who had been staying in a job she had mentally quit two years ago, because her mortgage felt safer than change, finally left at month four of our work together" creates recognition in everyone who has felt that exact pull.

CoachCraft helps coaches build the kind of LinkedIn presence where testimonials are the natural result of visible, authentic content, not something you have to chase. Try it free at coachcraft.io.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get LinkedIn recommendations as a coach?

Ask for them personally at the right moment: when a client has just had a breakthrough or completed a program with you. Give them a direction for what to include (where they were, what changed) rather than a blank request. A personal ask with a focus produces a better recommendation than a generic LinkedIn request.

How many LinkedIn recommendations should a coach have?

Five to ten specific, detailed ones are more valuable than twenty generic ones. Quality matters far more than quantity. Aim for one new recommendation every one to two months from clients with meaningful outcomes.

What makes a good LinkedIn recommendation for a coaching profile?

Specificity. A recommendation that names where the client was stuck, what they worked on, and what concretely changed is worth ten times a generic "working with them was a great experience." Ask clients to tell the story of their own change.

Can coaches use client testimonials without a LinkedIn recommendation?

Yes. Anonymized case studies in posts, designed quote images in the Featured section, and short video testimonials all work. The mechanism is the same as a recommendation: a real person describing a real outcome. The format is just different.

Should coaches ask all their clients for recommendations?

Ask the ones who have had meaningful, describable outcomes and who expressed genuine satisfaction. Not every client will produce a compelling recommendation even if they enjoyed working with you. Prioritize the clients whose story will most resonate with your ideal future clients.

How long should a LinkedIn recommendation be for a coach?

Long enough to tell a real story, short enough to hold attention. Three to five sentences is ideal. Longer recommendations can work if the story is compelling, but they require more from the reader and may not be read in full.

Can coaches share testimonials as LinkedIn posts?

Yes, with the client's permission. A post sharing a client outcome (with or without naming them) can reach a much larger audience than just your profile visitors. It is also a natural way to celebrate client results without it feeling like self-promotion.