Asking customers directly for a review may seem intimidating. But if you’ve provided outstanding customer service, it’s almost a no-brainer to follow-up with that service by requesting a review.
Also, asking your client to give your company a review right before the end of your interaction is helpful for the customer—their thoughts about your service will be fresh in their mind.
Create a Google My Business Reviews Link on Your Website
One of the easiest ways for customers to leave a review for your business is by having a direct link on your website. Once a client clicks on this link, a pop-up will appear where they can type their review directly. Once finished, the review will automatically be posted to Google.
How to Make a Google My Business Reviews Link
Follow the steps below to add a Google My Business review link to your website:
- Search for your business at:
- Once you find your business, copy the Place ID. A Google Place ID is a unique code that Google designates to your business address.
- Add your Place ID onto the end of this link:
- We suggest adding a Call-To-Action on your website that highlights this link. For instance, try saying: “Tell us how we did!” or “Share your Angola Email List 276670 Contact Leads thoughts by leaving a review here.” You could also add a pop-up that prompts clients to leave a review.
Send an Email
While onboarding new clients, do you ask them for their email? If not, you should. An email is the perfect opportunity to:
- Check in with a customer about how your service is working out for them—such as a recent backsplash installation or fixed pipe.
- Ask for a Google My Business review.
When asking for a review from a client over email, keep the following tips in mind:
- Make it Personal. It’s very important to make your customers feel special. Be sure to include their first name and mention the specific service you provided.
- Keep it Casual. By making your request in a friendly tone, you avoid sounding desperate or pushy—which will only dissuade customers from leaving a review.
- Keep it Brief. Your customer’s time is valuable, and asking for a review means you are asking for more of their time. Don’t take up more of their time than you have to.
- Include a Review Link. Like we mentioned above, leaving a review for your business should be quick and easy for your customer. A review link saves the customer time as they don’t have to manually search for your business online.
- Make Use of A/B Testing. Crafting emails that successfully prompt customers to write reviews requires practice and patience. While keeping your emails personal, try sending out two different styles of email and see which performs better with your clients.
Follow-Up on Your Review Requests
Just because your customer did not leave a review after your first request does not mean they won’t after your second—or even third—email.
It’s entirely possible your client was busy or distracted when they received your first email and completely forgot to leave you a review. Alternatively, maybe your initial request was lost in a busy inbox. Either way, sending follow-up emails keeps your business top-of-mind for your customers.
We recommend sending two follow-up emails, each a week apart. After the second email, it’s unlikely your customer will leave you a review and it’s wise not to follow up again—as this may become annoying for you customer.
Another place you can add a link to your Google My Business reviews is in your newsletter. But what’s the difference between asking for a review in a follow-up email and in a newsletter?
In the latter, your review request becomes part of the content mix in your newsletter. While you’re sharing exciting company updates, new promotions and industry insights with your clients, you can also add a line about leaving a review. Be sure to use the Google reviews link.
Use Facebook Recommendations
Did you know that your Facebook recommendations are linked to your Google reviews? The key is ensuring your business details match identically on both Facebook and Google My Business. Once this is done, Google’s algorithm will automatically link reviews on both sites.
This way, part of your social media strategy on Facebook can be to push reviews and these reviews will populate on Google as well.
Use Leave-Behinds
A leave behind is a term for materials you either physically “leave behind” for a customer, or that you email a customer after completing a service. This tactic works particularly well for home service industries, as these businesses often engage with customers in their homes or offices.
When putting together your leave behind—whether a physical folder or PDF—be sure to include:
- A value-add document. This could be a list of care maintenance tips for a new window you’ve installed, or cleaning tips for a new carpet.
- A business card. Your business card should include your name, title, business address and contact information.
- A Google review card. This card should include an engaging Call-To-Action asking clients to leave a review and clear, specific instructions outlining how to do so.