Most happy customers would gladly leave a review. They just don’t think of it, or it feels like a hassle. The trick is asking at the right moment and making it take 30 seconds.
Ask at the right moment
The best time to ask is right after someone tells you they’re happy:
- A customer says “this was delicious” at the window
- A client walks through the house after a cleaning and smiles
- Someone picks up a catering order and thanks you
That’s when they’re most likely to say yes and actually do it.
Make it one tap
In your Google Business Profile, look for the option to ask for reviews and copy your review link. That link opens the review box directly. Then put it everywhere:
- A QR code at the counter, on the truck or on the table
- On receipts and business cards
- In a short text or email after the job
What to say
Keep it short and personal. For example:
“Thank you so much! If you have 30 seconds, a Google review really helps a small business like ours. Here’s the link.”
If your customer prefers Spanish, ask in Spanish. People are much more likely to follow through when you ask in their language.
What not to do
- Don’t offer discounts or freebies for reviews. Google’s policies don’t allow incentives for reviews.
- Don’t only ask the happy customers while steering unhappy ones away. Filtering reviews this way also goes against Google’s rules.
- Don’t write reviews for yourself or ask family to pose as customers.
- Never buy reviews. Google removes them, and it can hurt your whole profile.
Answer every review
Replying shows future customers that you care. For good reviews, thank the person by name and mention something specific. For bad ones, stay calm, apologize for the experience, offer to fix it and take the conversation offline. Never argue in public. And reply in the language the review was written in.
Make it a habit
A few new reviews every month looks better, to customers and to Google, than thirty in one week and then nothing. Ask every happy customer, every time, and it adds up faster than you’d think.