LinkedIn recommendations are one of the few places on your profile where someone else does the talking. Your headline, About section and posts are all you describing yourself. A recommendation is a former client saying, in public and under their own name, that you were worth hiring.
That matters a lot in consulting. When a school district business manager or a managing partner at a law firm is checking you out, they are looking for evidence that you deliver. A short note from a superintendent who hired you last year carries more weight than any line you could write about yourself.
Yet most consultants we talk to have two or three old LinkedIn recommendations from former coworkers, and none from actual clients. This guide fixes that. We’ll cover who to ask, when, exactly what to send, how to write good ones for others, and how to put them to work beyond your profile.
- Client LinkedIn recommendations are worth far more than ones from old colleagues.
- Ask right after a clear win, while the result is fresh.
- Make it easy: suggest what to mention, but never write it for them.
- Writing thoughtful recommendations for others builds goodwill and visibility.
- Reuse your best ones on your website and proposals, with permission.
Why LinkedIn recommendations still matter for consultants
Buyers of consulting services are taking a risk. They can’t test drive you. So they look for signals from people like them who already took the same risk. LinkedIn recommendations are one of those signals, and they come with a name, a title and a company attached, which makes them harder to fake than an anonymous review.
They also help in quieter ways. A profile with several recent recommendations looks active and trusted. A profile with none, or with three from 2014, looks a bit abandoned. Nobody consciously thinks that, but it shapes the impression.
And unlike endorsements (the one click skill badges), LinkedIn recommendations take real effort to write. Buyers know that. A few sentences from a real client say more than ninety endorsements for “Leadership.”
1. Decide who should write your LinkedIn recommendations
Not all recommendations are equal. Think about who your next buyer is, then find past clients who look like them.
- Past clients: by far the most valuable. A facilities director recommending your security assessment speaks directly to other facilities directors.
- Referral partners: an attorney who has retained you as an expert, or an event planner who booked you to speak.
- Collaborators: other consultants you subcontracted with, who saw your work up close.
- Former managers or colleagues: useful early in a practice, less so once you have client work to point to.
Aim for a mix that reflects what you sell now. If you are a keynote speaker, you want planners and attendees. If you are an HR advisor, you want business owners and HR leaders. For expert witnesses, attorneys are the ideal voice, though be thoughtful about confidentiality, which we cover below.
2. Time your request well
The best moment to ask for LinkedIn recommendations is right after a visible win. The training went well. The report was delivered and the board accepted it. The keynote got a standing ovation. The client says, “This was great, thank you.” That is your cue.
Wait three months and the feeling fades. The client is busy with the next thing. They still like you, but writing about you has dropped down their list.
We suggest building the ask into your project wrap up. When you send the final invoice or the closing summary, add a short note. It feels natural there because the work is fresh for both of you.
The best time to ask is when the client is still saying thank you.
3. Use simple request templates for LinkedIn recommendations
LinkedIn has a built in “Ask for a recommendation” button on your profile, and LinkedIn Help explains the steps. The default message it offers is bland, though. Replace it with something personal. Here are three request templates you can adapt.
Template for a recent client
Hi Maria, thanks again for the kind words about the safety assessment last week. I’m glad the board found the report useful.
Would you be open to writing a short LinkedIn recommendation? Two or three sentences is perfect. If it helps, you could mention what the walkthrough uncovered or how your team used the plan. No pressure at all if now isn’t a good time.
Thanks, Dan
Template for a referral partner
Hi James, I’ve really enjoyed working with your firm on the last few matters. Would you be willing to write a brief LinkedIn recommendation about what it’s like to work with me as an expert? Things like turnaround, clarity of reports or how I handle deposition prep would be helpful. Happy to return the favor if useful.
Best, Linda
Template for an older client
Hi Kevin, hope things are good at the company. I was thinking about the leadership program we ran together a while back and how well your managers took to it. I’m updating my LinkedIn profile and would be grateful for a short recommendation if you remember the work fondly. A few sentences about what changed for your team would be ideal.
All the best, Priya
Notice the pattern. Each request is personal, reminds the person of a specific project, suggests what to mention, and gives them an easy out. That last part matters. People say yes more readily when they don’t feel cornered.
4. Guide the content without writing it for them
Some clients will reply, “Sure, can you draft something for me?” It’s tempting. Resist it if you can. LinkedIn recommendations written by the person being recommended tend to sound like it, and readers notice.
Instead, send a few prompts:
- What problem were you facing before we worked together?
- What did we do, in a sentence?
- What changed afterward?
- What was it like working with me?
If they still want a draft, give them bullet points of facts, not finished sentences. Let them put it in their own words. Honest, slightly rough LinkedIn recommendations beat polished ones that sound ghostwritten.
What strong LinkedIn recommendations look like
Good recommendations share a few traits. They name a situation, describe what you did, mention a result or change, and say something about working with you. Here are generic examples to show the shape.
Example for a security consultant
“We brought Dan in after our board asked hard questions about building security. He walked every school in the district, talked to custodians and front office staff as well as principals, and gave us a report we could actually act on. His tabletop exercise was the first one our team took seriously. I’d recommend him to any district that wants a straight answer.”
Example for an HR advisor
“Priya rewrote our handbook and trained all twelve of our managers. What I appreciated most was that she explained the why behind every policy, so our managers stopped guessing. She is calm, practical and very easy to work with.”
Example for a speaker
“I booked Angela for our regional nursing conference. She was prepared, flexible when our schedule shifted, and her keynote was the session people were still talking about at dinner. Several attendees asked if she could come to their hospitals.”
None of these use big adjectives. They describe what happened. That is why they are believable.
5. Write LinkedIn recommendations for others
Giving LinkedIn recommendations is underrated. When you write a thoughtful one for a client, a referral partner or a fellow consultant, three good things happen. They feel appreciated. Your name and headline appear on their profile, in front of their network. And many people return the favor without being asked.
A simple structure for writing one:
- How you know them, in one line. “I worked with Sarah when she led HR at a regional hospital.”
- One specific thing they did well. Not “great leader,” but what they actually did.
- What it was like to work with them.
- Who you’d recommend them to.
Keep it to 60 to 120 words. Long enough to be specific, short enough that people read it all.
Your profile should back up every recommendation.We rewrite headlines and About sections so visitors trust what your clients say about you.
LinkedIn recommendations vs other kinds of social proof
Recommendations are one tool among several. Here is how they compare to the other forms of proof consultants use.
| Type of proof | Where it lives | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn recommendations | Your profile | Real name and title, easy to verify | Only seen by people who visit your profile |
| Endorsements | Skills section | Quick to collect | One click, carries little weight |
| Website testimonials | Your site | You control placement and design | Easier for buyers to dismiss as curated |
| Case studies | Site, proposals | Show process and results in depth | Take time to write and approve |
| Google reviews | Business Profile | Visible in local search | Less common for B2B consulting |
The strongest approach uses several together. A short recommendation on LinkedIn, a fuller quote on your website, and a detailed case study for the biggest projects.
6. Display and manage your LinkedIn recommendations
LinkedIn lets you choose which recommendations to show and hide. Use that. If you have a recommendation from a job you left fifteen years ago that has nothing to do with your consulting practice, you can hide it. It isn’t hurting you, but it isn’t helping either.
A few housekeeping habits:
- Review twice a year. Hide outdated ones and check that the most relevant appear.
- Ask for revisions politely. If someone mentions an old company name or a typo, you can request a revised version through LinkedIn.
- Keep them current. Aim for a new one every few months. A steady trickle looks better than ten from one week in 2019.
- Feature the best one. You can screenshot a standout recommendation and add it to your Featured section, or reference it in a post thanking the client.
7. Reuse LinkedIn recommendations on your website
Your best LinkedIn recommendations shouldn’t live only on LinkedIn. With the writer’s permission, quote them on your website’s homepage, service pages and speaker page. Include the person’s name, title and organization when they agree, because named quotes are far more convincing than “J.S., Ohio.”
Always ask first, even though the recommendation is already public. A quick message works: “Would you mind if I quoted your LinkedIn recommendation on my website?” Most people say yes, and they appreciate being asked.
When we build sites through our website design services, we often pull testimonials straight from a client’s LinkedIn recommendations. It saves time and the quotes are already verified by a public profile. Our consultant website design guide shows where testimonials tend to work best on a page.
Quick tip: Keep a simple list of every client project that ended well. Once a quarter, go through it and send two or three recommendation requests. It turns a task you’ll forget into a habit.
A special note for expert witnesses and sensitive work
Some consultants can’t easily collect public LinkedIn recommendations. Expert witnesses may be bound by confidentiality, and attorneys may not want to publicly praise an expert who testified in a case that is still sensitive. Security consultants sometimes work for clients who don’t want their name tied to a security assessment at all.
That’s fine. Focus on recommendations that speak to working style rather than specific matters: responsiveness, clarity, preparation. Ask colleagues, co counsel on closed matters, conference organizers who booked you to speak, and continuing education providers. You can still build a credible set of LinkedIn recommendations without revealing anything private. Our expert witness website post goes into more detail on presenting credibility carefully.
What to do when nobody replies
You will send some requests that go nowhere. That is normal. Busy people open the message, mean to answer, and then a budget meeting eats their afternoon. Silence is rarely a no.
Wait about two weeks, then send one gentle nudge. Keep it short: “Hi Maria, just floating this back up in case it got buried. Totally fine if you’re swamped.” If there’s still no answer after that, let it go. Chasing anyone more than once for LinkedIn recommendations starts to cost goodwill, and goodwill is the whole point.
Sometimes a client would rather send a quick email than write on LinkedIn. That’s fine too. Ask if you can quote the email on your website, and keep it. Not every kind word has to live on your profile.
Turning LinkedIn recommendations into content
A new recommendation is also a reason to post. Not a boastful “Look what they said about me” post, but a short story about the project behind it. What was the client dealing with? What did you try? What surprised you?
Then mention, near the end, that the client was kind enough to write a recommendation, and thank them by tagging them if they’re comfortable with it. That gives your network a real example of your work and gives the client a little visibility in return.
Used this way, LinkedIn recommendations feed your posting rhythm instead of sitting quietly at the bottom of your profile. Our LinkedIn content strategy guide shows how stories like this fit into a weekly plan.
Mistakes to avoid with LinkedIn recommendations
- Trading recommendations with strangers. “I’ll recommend you if you recommend me” with people you never worked with is obvious and adds no real trust.
- Asking everyone at once. Fifty identical requests in one afternoon feels like a mass mailing. Ask individually.
- Writing your own and sending it for approval. It shows. Give prompts, not paragraphs.
- Ignoring the ones you receive. Always thank the person, ideally with a short message, not just an accept click.
- Letting your profile undercut them. Great recommendations under a vague headline still leave visitors confused. See our LinkedIn headline examples and LinkedIn profile tips.
One last thought on trust. UX researchers like Nielsen Norman Group have written for years about social proof, and it matches what most of us already sense: people lean on what others like them say. LinkedIn recommendations are that principle with a name attached.
Frequently asked questions
How many LinkedIn recommendations should a consultant have?
There’s no magic number, but five to ten relevant, recent LinkedIn recommendations is a strong base for most consultants. Quality and relevance matter more than count.
Is it okay to ask clients for LinkedIn recommendations?
Yes. Most happy clients are glad to help, they just don’t think of it on their own. Ask personally, right after a good result, and make it easy to say no.
Can I remove a recommendation I don’t like?
You can hide any recommendation from your profile in your settings. You can also ask the writer for a revision if something is outdated or inaccurate.
Should I write a recommendation in return?
If you genuinely worked with the person and can say something specific, yes. Avoid automatic swaps with people you barely know.
Can I use LinkedIn recommendations on my website?
Yes, with the writer’s permission. Quote them with name, title and organization where possible, and link back to your LinkedIn profile if you like.
Start with three requests this week
Think of three clients who were happy with your work in the last year. Send each one a short, personal note using the templates above. Then write one thoughtful recommendation for someone else. That is twenty minutes of work, and it can change how your profile reads to the next buyer who finds you.
If you want your whole presence to work together, LinkedIn, website and brand, that’s what we do at Design Fly 24. Take a look at our work or book a free call and we’ll talk through where you stand.
