You finished a job. The customer is happy. They say “I will leave you a review” — and they mean it. Then the week runs away with them and it never happens.
Nothing went wrong. The ask just came at the wrong moment, or it asked too much.
Ask at the right moment
The best time to ask is right after the job is done, while the customer is still standing there smiling. Not a week later, when the glow has faded.
If you have to send it later, send it the same day. Evening works well — people are on their phones anyway.
Make it one tap
A review request should be a short message with one link. The link goes straight to your Google review box. No logging in. No hunting for your business name.
When it is one tap, people do it. When it is five steps, they mean to and then forget.
Ask more than once — gently
One reminder is not pushy. It is helpful. People are busy, not unwilling.
- Day one: “Thanks again for today. If you have a spare minute, a quick review really helps a small business like ours.”
- Day four: “No worries if you are busy — here is that link again in case it got buried.”
Two friendly nudges works far better than one lonely ask.
What not to do
- Do not offer money or gifts for a review. It breaks Google’s rules and can hurt you.
- Do not write reviews yourself or ask staff to. Real reviews from real customers are the only ones worth having.
- Do not argue in the replies. Answer a bad review calmly and briefly, then let it go.
A steady trickle of real reviews beats one big burst every two years.
Why this is worth the bother
When someone is choosing between you and another business, they look at two things: your stars, and the last few things people wrote. Five honest reviews can be the difference between a phone call and silence.
It is not about being clever. It is about asking, at the right moment, in the easiest possible way.