When is the best time to ask?
Right after the customer says something nice. "That's brilliant, thanks" is your cue. The longer you leave it, the less likely they are to bother. If you can't ask in person, send a message the same day.
What should I actually say?
Short and human works best. Something like:
"Thanks again for today. If you've got a minute, a quick Google review would really help a small business like ours. Here's the link."
That's it. No essay about how much reviews mean to you, no begging, and definitely no "if you can give us five stars".
How do I make leaving a review easy?
- Get your review link from your Google Business Profile.
- Save it somewhere you can send in seconds, like a text shortcut.
- Add it to your invoices, email signature and follow-up messages.
- Consider a QR code on a card you leave after the job.
What am I not allowed to do?
Google's policies prohibit offering incentives for reviews, writing reviews for your own business, asking staff or family to post them, and only asking customers you know are happy in order to filter out bad ones. Breaking these rules can get reviews removed, or worse. Fake or incentivised reviews can also fall foul of UK consumer law.
Should I reply to reviews?
Yes, all of them. Thank people for good reviews, briefly and personally. For a bad one, stay calm, apologise for the experience, and offer to sort it out offline. Future customers read your replies as much as the reviews themselves.
Can it be automated?
Yes. Our LeadWyze platform can send review requests automatically after a job and help you reply to reviews in one place. The reviews and social tools are available on their own for £69 a month.
Reviews also help you show up higher on the map. Read our guide on getting your business on Google Maps.