Why most review requests get ignored
Most businesses either never ask, or ask in a way that reads as an afterthought: a generic line stapled to the bottom of an invoice, sent to every customer regardless of how the job actually went. Customers can tell the difference between a message written for them and one written for everyone. The good news is that a better version takes about thirty seconds longer to write and asks for the same thing. Keep the ask short, name the exact platform, include one link, and mention one real detail from the job so it does not read as a template. And never offer anything in exchange.
Keep it short and make the ask obvious
A long review request reads as desperate. Say who you are, what you would like, where to go, and stop. The customer should be able to read the whole thing in the time it takes to open the link. Name the exact platform (“Google”, “our Trustpilot page”, “the App Store”) rather than a vague “leave us a review somewhere”, and give them a single link so there is no hunting involved.
- Name the platform, do not make them guess where to go.
- Include one clear link, placed where it is impossible to miss.
- Keep the whole message to a handful of sentences.
Reference the actual job
The single easiest way to make a review request feel genuine rather than templated is to mention something real: what you did, when, or how it went. It does not need to be much, one specific detail is usually enough to signal that this was not copied and pasted to every customer on your list.
Never make it feel owed, and never offer anything for it
A review is a favour, not a fee for services rendered. Avoid any language that implies the customer needs to “make time” for this or that you are chasing them. Just as importantly, never offer a discount, a freebie, or any other incentive in exchange for a review, including a positive one. Most review platforms explicitly prohibit incentivised reviews, and it undermines the point of asking in the first place.
Common mistakes
- Sending the same generic line to every customer regardless of how the job went.
- Burying the link, or leaving out a link entirely and hoping they will search for you.
- Asking for a specific star rating or writing the quote you want them to post.
- Offering a discount or freebie in exchange for a review.
- Following up so many times that the ask starts to feel like pressure.