Quick Summary

Ask every customer right after the job, by text, with the direct review link from your Google Business Profile. Don't offer discounts or gifts for a review, don't ask only the happy ones, and don't have staff or family post reviews. Google removes those reviews, and the FTC's 2024 rule makes some of them illegal.

Ask while the job is still fresh

The best time to ask for a review is the same day you finish the work. The customer just watched your crew clean up, the new fence is standing, the AC is blowing cold again. They're happy and they remember your name. Wait two weeks and you're competing with everything else on their phone.

Most owners don't skip reviews because they think they're unimportant. They skip them because nobody asks. The truck pulls out, the invoice goes out, and the moment passes. If you put the ask into the end of every job, the same way you put the invoice in, it gets done.

Asking in person is fine. Just don't stand there waiting while they write it. Google's policy says businesses shouldn't require or pressure people to leave a review on the spot. Mention it before you leave, then send the link so they can do it on their own time.

Don't tell customers to "look us up on Google and leave a review." Half of them will land on a competitor with a similar name, and the other half won't bother. Send the direct link that opens your review box.

Google gives you that link for free. Go to your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews. You'll see a link you can copy and a QR code. Google notes the QR code can only be made from a computer browser, not a phone, so grab it once on a desktop and save it.

Copy the link into the notes on your phone so it's ready every time. Customers do need to be signed in to a Google account to leave a review. If someone doesn't have one, Google says they can make one with any email address, not just Gmail.

Send a text, and keep it short

Google suggests putting the link on receipts, in thank-you emails and at the end of a chat. For a contractor or home service company, a text from the owner or the tech who did the work usually beats all of those. People read texts. They often don't read emails from businesses.

Here's a sample you can copy. Change the bracketed parts and keep the rest plain.

"Hi [first name], it's [your name] with [your company]. Thanks for having us out today. If you have a minute, would you leave us a Google review? It helps other folks in [Daphne] find us. Here's the link: [your review link]. Thanks again."

That's it. No paragraph about how much reviews mean to a small business. No smiley faces. Send it from a real number the customer recognizes, and send it once. If they don't answer, one friendly reminder a few days later is plenty.

Ask every customer, not just the happy ones

This is the rule owners break most without knowing it. Google's policy says businesses may not "selectively solicit positive reviews from customers." That covers the common trick of texting a survey first and only sending the Google link to people who rated you a 5. It also covers just skipping the customer who complained about the cleanup.

The FTC's guidance on its review rule says asking only happy customers isn't banned by the rule itself, but warns it could still violate the FTC Act. Between the two, the safe and simple habit is to ask everybody.

That sounds scary if you've had a rough job or two. It shouldn't be. A profile with a few honest 4s and a calm, polite reply to the one bad review looks more real than a wall of perfect 5s. If a customer is unhappy, call them and fix it. Don't hold back the link.

What Google won't allow, and what the FTC banned

Google's rules on reviews are stricter than most owners expect. Its policy treats an incentive offered in exchange for a review as fake engagement, and those reviews get removed. The FTC finalized its own rule on fake reviews and testimonials in August 2024, and it went into effect on October 21, 2024. The FTC can seek civil penalties for knowing violations.

Here's what to stay away from, from one or both sets of rules:

  • Offering a discount, gift card, free service or entry in a drawing for a review. Google bans it outright, even if the review can say anything.
  • Paying for reviews, or buying them from anyone, in any form.
  • Reviews from you, your employees, former employees or relatives. Google removes content based on a conflict of interest.
  • Asking for reviews that say specific things, or telling staff to collect reviews that do.
  • Discouraging bad reviews, or threatening people to get one taken down.
  • Posting reviews from several accounts, or having one person post them for you.

Why staff and family reviews don't help you

It's tempting to ask your brother-in-law in Fairhope and the guys on your crew to get the count going. Don't. Google's policy lists current or former employment and family relationships as conflicts of interest, and that content comes down. The FTC rule also covers insider reviews that don't clearly disclose the connection.

There's a practical problem too. A new business with eight 5-star reviews from people who share a last name doesn't fool anybody in Baldwin County. Your real customers are the only reviewers worth having, and you already talk to them every day.

If you'd rather hand it off

Asking every customer by text and answering every review is simple, but it's one more thing at the end of a long day. Mellonstock's review management runs $150 to $400 a month, usually about $250. Every customer is asked for a review by text or email, every review is answered within 1 business day, and it covers Google, Facebook and other sites, with your reviews shown on your website.

Steve Wilson does every job himself from Daphne. If you want your profile looked after along with your reviews, Google Business Profile management is $200 a month, month to month. Call or text 251-404-3393, or reach out through the contact page.

Key Takeaways

  • Ask for the review the same day you finish the job, while the customer is still happy and remembers you.
  • Send the direct review link from your Google Business Profile by text instead of telling people to search for you.
  • Ask every customer, because Google doesn't allow businesses to ask only the customers they expect to be happy.
  • Never offer a discount, gift or anything else in exchange for a Google review.
  • Reviews from employees, former employees and family are conflicts of interest that Google removes.
  • The FTC's rule on fake reviews took effect October 21, 2024, and knowing violations can bring civil penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I offer a discount for a Google review?

No. Google treats discounts, free goods or services, and payments for reviews as fake engagement and removes those reviews, even if the customer is free to say anything.

Open your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews. You can copy the link there, and download a QR code from a computer browser.

Can my employees or family leave us a review?

They shouldn't. Google's policy treats employment and family ties as a conflict of interest and removes those reviews.

Is it okay to only ask customers I know are happy?

No. Google's policy bans selectively asking for positive reviews, and the FTC says the practice could violate the FTC Act. Ask everyone.

How often should I remind a customer?

Send the link once after the job, and one friendly reminder a few days later if they haven't left one. After that, let it go.