The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials took effect on 21 October 2024. Since then, a happy DM pasted onto a sales page without permission is a real risk.
A release form fixes that in one page. The client says what they are giving you and where you may use it. You keep the proof that they agreed.
Note. This page describes what we put in a release. It is not legal advice. Have a lawyer who knows coaching businesses check your final form.
What should a testimonial release form include?
Eight parts, each a line or two. The table is the template; put your own details in the wording.
| Part | What it says |
|---|---|
| The asset | What the client gives: a video, a written quote, a call clip, a review, screenshots of results |
| Name and likeness | How they appear: full name, first name, photo, business name, or no name |
| Where it is used | Sales page, ads, sales calls, social posts, emails, case studies |
| How long | A fixed period, or until the client withdraws |
| Edits | You may shorten it and add captions, never change its meaning |
| The numbers | The client confirms every figure in it is true and can be shown |
| Nothing in exchange | No payment, discount or gift was given for it or for what it says |
| Withdrawal | How to withdraw, and how fast new uses stop after a request |
When do you send the release form?
With the ask, in the same message. The client success manager asks the day a client hits a milestone, while the result is fresh. A form that arrives a week after the video gets forgotten, and the video sits unused.
Make it one click. A short form with a checkbox and a typed name works for written quotes. For a recorded success interview, read the main points of the release at the start and keep that part of the recording.
Can you use a client testimonial without permission?
Do not. A testimonial posted without written permission tends to come back when the client is unhappy later. Ask, get it in writing, and store it.
Two FTC rules sit behind the form. You may ask for a testimonial, but you may not offer anything in exchange for a positive one. And a testimonial showing a result most clients do not get needs a clear disclosure of what clients generally achieve.
Why put the numbers in the release?
Because the number is the part a regulator, a processor or a buyer will question. If a client says they made their first $10K month, the release confirms it is true and that they can show it. Keep the screenshot or statement with the form.
The number also needs context where it appears. Our rule is a typical-outcome line next to every result we publish. That line can only be written if you track your client success rate, which is why proof sits on the same board as results tracking.
How many clients will sign a release?
Fewer than will say something kind on a call. The measure we use is the share of winners who give proof. Every third winner is a fair target, every second is good, and some offers reach about 70%.
Clients with real results are rarely afraid to talk about them on video. A low signing rate usually points at the ask. It came too late, ran too long, or arrived from a no-reply address instead of the person who saw the result.
Where do you store signed releases?
One folder per client and one sheet for all assets. The sheet lists the asset, the milestone, the date, the permission status and where it is published. When a client withdraws, the sheet shows every place the asset appears.
Check the sheet before any launch or batch of ads. An asset without a signed release does not go live, whatever it says.
Watch out. Never ask a client to change a testimonial or a review in return for anything, including a refund or an extra call. An incentive tied to what a testimonial says is the line the rule draws.
Diego Miescher
