How to get testimonials for a new product abroad

What social proof works before the first sale?

Third-party proof, like a rating on a review platform or mention of an award, works best when you don't have customers in the target market yet. You don't control that proof, so it's worth more than a testimonial you requested. If you have operations in another market, use the numbers: how many customers, what's your retention rate, what's your satisfaction rating.

The customer abroad wants to know real people bought from you somewhere. If you have a rating on Trustpilot or any international review platform, place the link and rating prominently on your page. It's not a direct testimonial, but it shows a pattern of satisfaction you didn't control.

If you don't have that yet, beta testers offer a shortcut: people willing to use your product before launch in exchange for a reduced price or early access. Their testimonial is true because they used it, but you must inform that they were beta testers. The buyer deserves to know if whoever gave the opinion paid or got something.

Does a translated testimonial from your home market work abroad?

It works as a starting point, but doesn't replace local testimony. A customer from your home market saying they bought your course is proof that someone paid and was satisfied. But a buyer in the United States, Spain, or Colombia might think: that's their experience in their country, not mine. Life and context are different.

What works is to translate and complement. If the home market testimonial touches a universal point, like "I learned how to structure my business", use the translation. If it's very specific to one context, it's less relevant elsewhere. Start with what you have translated, but prioritize capturing local testimonials as soon as you make your first sale.

Consider using the testimonial as a success story that transcends geography: instead of "the customer earned 10 thousand dollars in a month", say "someone earned the equivalent of 2 thousand dollars per month using this method". That relativizes the currency and local context.

How to request testimonials without breaking advertising rules?

Make clear if you offered something in exchange, and get written permission before publishing. The FTC, the regulatory agency in the United States, requires that testimonials be true and that any material relationship between you and the person giving the testimonial be transparent. That means if you offered a discount, free access, or any incentive in exchange, the reader needs to know it.

The correct process is to email the customer saying: "We loved your experience with the product. Can I use your testimonial on my sales page?" If you're offering something in exchange, be explicit: "I'm offering a discount in exchange for the testimonial. Do you agree this should be stated?" When the customer responds agreeing, you have documented consent.

After publication, declare the material relationship near the testimonial: "Beta tester received early access" or "Customer who received a discount". This transparency doesn't invalidate the testimonial, it just clarifies the context. Customers read this and think: that makes sense, someone got paid to test, but the testimonial is still genuine.

To better understand the international standard, read the FTC guidance on endorsements, which covers step by step what must be explicit in a testimonial.

Where to place social proof on your page?

Third-party proof at the top, validated testimonials before the final call to action. The buyer who is deciding needs to see credibility as early as possible. If you have a rating on a review platform, place it in the page header or in the first block, with a link to verify. Don't wait until the end.

Testimonials from customers you requested work better near the call to action, because at that point you've already convinced the reader with your argument. The testimonial works as final confirmation: "see? other people paid and recommend it". Five short testimonials, from people who used the product, describing different angles of benefit, work well just before the purchase button.

Suggested layout: start with third-party rating and link, add a "What our customers say" section before the FAQ, and place the call to action right after. If you have an award or media mention, that also works at the top of the page. The pattern is: credibility at the top, argument in the body, validating testimonial before final offer.

When is it worth paying for testimonials?

Rarely. The transparency the rule requires weakens the value of paid testimonials. If you have nothing, no third-party rating, no beta testers, no old customers in another market, paying someone to give a testimonial is an option. But the FTC requires you to clearly state that you paid, and that reduces impact. The buyer who reads "this person received 500 dollars for this testimonial" doesn't trust the same way.

What works better is to pay for a real sales opportunity, not for testimonials. Offer your product at a heavily discounted price to a group of beta testers, and ask them to comment on the experience if they liked it. Many will accept because it's cheap, they'll use it, they'll like it, and they'll comment genuinely. When you publish the testimonial, you state the discount amount clearly, and transparency doesn't weaken because the experience was real.

Where does Mundpay enter social proof for a new product?

Mundpay as an example of third-party proof, because it has a 9.07 rating on Reclame Aqui and a customer service award. When you build your page in another country, you can list credibilities you've accumulated, and one of them can be "my payment platform was awarded for customer service" or "receives a 9.07 satisfaction rating from customers". That works as proof that you care about professional operations.

The rule applies to you too: the better the service and trustworthiness of the payment platform you choose, the better the social proof you can extract from it. A checkout that converts by IP and offers transparent currency conversion tells the customer: this operation is professional. Start paying attention to which platform you use, because that's part of the social proof you transmit.