Almost every owner I talk to has the same problem with reviews. The customer is happy. They say thanks at the door and they mean it when they say they'll leave a review. Then they never do, because by the time they're back inside they've forgotten, and you're not going to text them three times about it.
So most good businesses end up with way fewer reviews than happy customers, and that matters, because when someone's comparing three companies on Google Maps, how many reviews you have and how recent they are is one of the first things they look at.
Why don't happy customers leave reviews?
It's almost never the work. Leaving a review just takes too many steps. They have to find your business on Google, scroll to the reviews, find the button and sign in, and somewhere in there they get distracted.
The fix is making it one tap, and sending it at the moment they're happiest with you.
Ask at the right time, with a direct link
Google gives every business profile its own review link, and when someone taps it, the review box opens with your business already picked, so all they have to do is choose the stars and type.
The best time to send it is right after the job is done, while you're still in the driveway or that same evening. A day later it's already competing with everything else going on in their life.
Keep it short and make it sound like you:
"Hey Linda, thanks again for having us out today. If you've got a minute, a quick review really helps a small business like mine. Here's the link: [your link]"
That's all it needs, and you don't need to follow up every day after.
Two things not to do
Don't offer a discount or a gift card for a review. It feels harmless, but it's against Google's rules and reviews that look paid for can get taken down.
And don't only ask the customers you think will give you five stars, because Google doesn't allow that either. Ask everyone. A profile with a few honest four star reviews mixed in looks more real than a perfect wall of fives anyway.
Answer the ones you get
Reply to every review, good or bad. People reading your reviews read the replies too, and an owner who answers a bad review calmly usually looks better than one with no bad reviews at all.
One thing to try this week
Send your review link to the last five customers you finished a job for.
- Count the jobs you finished last month.
- Count the new Google reviews you got in that same month.
- Text your last five customers a short thank you in your own words with your review link.
How many customers did you finish a job for last month, and how many of them left a review?
Common questions
- How do I get more Google reviews?
- Ask every customer right after the job and send a direct review link, so leaving one takes a tap instead of a search.
- Can I offer a discount for a Google review?
- No. Google doesn't allow rewards for reviews, and reviews that look paid for can be taken down.
- Do Google reviews help you show up higher?
- They're one of the things Google looks at for local results, and they're one of the first things customers compare.