EdgeDailySubscribe

MoveUpdated Oct 23, 2026Edited by Jaco Van EedenChecked Oct 23, 2026

Text every customer a review request within an hour of the job

Within an hour of finishing a job, text every customer a short thank-you with your official Google review link. Ask everyone, not just the happy ones, and never offer anything in return. A text arrives while the job is fresh, and it takes the customer one tap.

Why this works

Plenty of customers who’d leave a good review never get round to it, especially if the ask comes a week later in an email. A text sent the same day reaches them while they still remember your name and the job. The link takes them straight to the review box, so there’s nothing to search for.

Steps

  1. Get your official review link. In your Google Business Profile, open your reviews and choose Get more reviews. Copy the link it gives you. On a desktop browser you can also save a QR code for invoices and leave-behind cards.
  2. Write the text once. Use the script below, or build yours with the review request builder. Keep it to two sentences and one link.
  3. Save it as a phone shortcut. Put it in your phone’s text replacement or snippets, or as a saved reply in your job software, so it takes five seconds to send.
  4. Send it after you’ve left, within the hour. Don’t stand over the customer while they write it. Google’s policy says businesses shouldn’t pressure people into reviews on site.
  5. Send it to every customer. Asking only the customers you think liked the job breaks Google’s policy, and the FTC has warned it can be deceptive.
  6. Reply to every review you get, good or bad, within a few days. It shows the next customer that someone is paying attention.

The script

Hi, it's [your name] from [business name]. Thanks for having us out today. If you have a minute, an honest review helps other people find us: [your review link]

What it takes

  • Time: 10 minutes to set up, then about 5 seconds per job
  • Cost: nothing
  • Tools: your phone and your Google Business Profile

The rules to stay inside

  • Ask everyone. Google prohibits selectively asking for positive reviews.
  • No rewards for reviews. Google bans discounts, payments or freebies for posting a review. The FTC’s rule also bans incentives tied to a positive or negative review.
  • No reviews from your own people without a clear disclosure. That includes staff and family, under the FTC rule.
  • Never hide or bully away bad reviews. See the FTC rule check for the full list.

Trade notes

  • Plumbers and HVAC: emergency calls are your best moment. Send the text once the customer has water or heat back.
  • Cleaning and lawn care: for recurring customers, ask once after the second or third visit, not every visit.

Sources