Karol's 8 Favorite Testimonial Questions to Ask Your Weight Loss Patients

Written and video testimonials from your weight loss patients are one of the greatest complements you can receive and one of the most powerful marketing tools imaginable.

After recording and compiling hundreds of weight loss patient testimonials (always with their written permission), it is no surprise that their ‘story’ is what resonates most with those that take the time to read or view their testimonial.  Over the years, the following curated questions have created an ideal way to capture that story and provide you with many touching quotes, posts, and videos for ongoing promotion and impact.

At the same time, it is important to ask your happy patients to leave an online Google review. You can make the process easy by texting them the direct link or having a QR code readily available that takes them right to your page for their review/positive comments.

8 Favorite Testimonial Questions to Ask

For Karol’s favorite questions, here they are in her order of importance (so it tells a story).  While each doesn’t have to be answered, each can create an impactful quote, graphic, video and/or long form blog.  In fact, leveraging their testimonial in a variety of ways works best. 

1. ‘Before having weight loss surgery (or joining our program), tell us 2 or 3 of the greatest challenges in your life that you were experiencing at the time that were related to your weight.’ This lays the foundation for what were their biggest pain points. This is what other patients are going to be able to relate to, whether its joint pain or hypertension or diabetes or the inability to be able to sit on the ground and play with their grandkids or enjoy rides at their favorite amusement park. 

2. ‘How were these problems impacting your life?’ This is going to increase awareness of exactly what they were experiencing. It helps, once again, for other prospective patients to relate to such feelings. 

3. ‘What finally caused you to say – Enough is Enough’ and inspired you to have weight loss surgery (or to join our program)?’ Everyone tends to have an ‘aha’ moment that caused them to seek help outside of what they had tried in the past. What helped them lead them to you is something that you want to make sure capture – what inspired them to try again. 

4. ‘What made you select Dr. __________ or the particular practice to help you meet your weight loss goals?’ This question demonstrates what differentiates you or your practice from all the other competition out there. This one factor is really important and it’s best said by your patients. 

5. ‘Since having weight loss surgery (or joining the program), how much weight have you lost and how has this affected your health?’ This is where you’re really going to get to see some of that transformation. This is so touching and exciting. In addition, your patients tend to love sharing it! So, you want to make sure that you have them answer this question. 

6. “How has this changed your life?” This is an expansion of the last question. This gets to the crux of their transformation and often brings out details that likely made the biggest difference. As you know, we live life minute by minute, day to day and week to week. These often-little details, yet highly impactful things, tend to matter most. 

7. “If you were talking to someone considering weight loss surgery, (or a particular weight loss program) what advice would you give them?” This is where may patients may surprise you! Sometimes it is “Don’t wait!”. Patients tend to come up with all sorts of things that are very enlightening and insightful for potential patients to hear or read. 

8. “Is there anything else you would like to share with someone who is going through the first weeks or months of their weight loss journey?” Let’s face it, weight loss is hard and frustrating. The struggles are real.  So, having inspirational words from someone that has been through it and been successful will mean a lot.

All of this information coming from a patient versus coming from you is irreplaceable. While often humbling (the reason we love what we do), hearing them share their story brings it all together and allows them to celebrate their progress and hard work. 

Testimonials aren’t always top of mind for people.  Thus, you need to ask for them.  Having a system for obtaining testimonials each week is (for lack of a better word), priceless.  And, these questions help craft the transformational story your patients are often excited to share.  So, if you want more meaningful and impactful testimonials for your weight loss practice, you are encouraged to integrate all or some of these questions.

In the meantime, feel free to reach out to me with any questions at [email protected]  You can also find details regarding membership (includes time with me each month along with weekly trainings, many templates, recipes and ready-to-use e-newsletters, please visit www.BariatricBusinessAccelerator.com You will find all of the details on what’s included in membership and how to join!