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How To Ask For A Google Review: A Complete Guide

Apr 19, 2022
7 min read
SEO Title | How To Ask For A Google Review: A Complete Guide
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Asking for Google reviews is essential if trying to grow your pest controllawn care, or pool care business. Reviews are far more impactful than any marketing copy you come up with. Approximately 63.6% of consumers will check Google for a review before doing business with you. This is more than Facebook, Yelp, or any other major review platform.

Furthermore, people trust the reviews they read. One study revealed that 79% of consumers trust reviews as much as they would a personal recommendation from a friend or family member.

Of course, a single review will not be enough to bring in new customers. Another study found that 70% of online shoppers read a minimum of one to six online reviews before deciding to do business with an unknown entity.

So, what are the benefits of getting high-end service Google reviews for your field services business?

  • Trust: Project yourself as a local brand that consumers can trust. An unknown business is risky, and modern customers don’t like to take risks with their money.

  • Marketing: Businesses with lots of reviews are more likely to stand out than those with few reviews because that’s what customers are searching for when deciding which pest business to go with.

  • Automated Promotions: The power of reviews is that your customers are doing your marketing for you. There’s nothing more powerful than word-of-mouth marketing, and if your current and former customers are spreading the word, it’ll be way easier to close new business.

  • Improvement: Even great reviews may possess some valuable feedback on how you can improve. Most people are unlikely to call you and tell you directly what they were unhappy with, but they might reveal it in a review.

  • Improve Your SEO: Did you know that 46% of all Google searches are local? For local searches, high-end service Google reviews are the leading ranking factor. The more reviews you have, the higher you’ll rank in these searches.

In short, knowing how to set up Google reviews and collecting as many of them as possible can help you advance your local field service business in any number of ways.

How To Ask For A Google Review From Customers

Working out how to request a Google review is not always as straightforward as it seems. It’s not uncommon for business owners to wonder whether they will annoy their customers, or how best to contact them to increase their chances of success.

Here are some techniques for obtaining GMB reviews for your company after services have been completed.

Ask In Person

Many technicians might be nervous to ask for Google reviews directly, but it remains one of the most effective strategies to acquire them. Once things have wrapped up, your technician will probably come face-to-face with the client for an inspection of the work. This is an excellent opportunity to ask them to leave a review and to direct them where to do so. Most of your customers will be receptive to leaving a positive review if they’re happy with your services.

Submit SMS Review Requests

If you’re using a platform like FieldRoutes, you may already have an automated system for sending out appointments and payment reminders via email. There’s nothing wrong with chasing those follow-ups with a request for a review via SMS. Just remember, SMS review requests should include a shortened link where they can leave a review. This is a fairly common and simple way to obtain more GMB reviews.

Send An Email Review Request

Email review requests are another easy and effective option. Create a template, fill it in with the relevant customer’s details to personalize it, and then wait. It can even be an entirely separate email, or you can submit it alongside the final receipt. Keep in mind that a personalized call to action via email can improve your conversion rates by up to 202%.

If you’re a FieldRoutes customer, it’s even easier. Customers can automatically be sent a follow-up email after service, and this is a great time to ask for the review.

Include A Call To Action On Your Website

Make getting free Google reviews the heart of your business. While your main website and content pages should always be focused on informing visitors and encouraging them to pick up the phone, complete a contact form, or make a purchase, your customer portal—if you have one—is another story.

Many businesses have some sort of customer-only website where they can check their balances, review services, and make payments. This is the perfect place to ask for reviews. It’s such a simple tweak to make that could reward you with some extra GMB reviews.

When Should You Ask For A Review?

Like most things in life, when it comes to reviews, timing is everything. Unfortunately, this is an area where business owners often struggle. So, when exactly is the correct time to ask for a review?

Generally, you should only ask directly once to avoid bothering your customer. Overall, the best time to ask for any form of review is when a company has reached peak satisfaction. In other words, they should be delighted with your work, and your opportunity to ask for Google reviews is in the immediate aftermath.

Here are some general rules for asking for reviews:

  • Ask when your customers are satisfied, but no longer than a week after completing a service.

  • Request feedback after a customer has made a payment.

  •  Send a message when a customer is least likely to be occupied, such as during the evening hours.

If asking for a review in person, your team should be mindful of how a customer could be feeling. They may be satisfied with your work, but if something went wrong at the office that day, or they’re experiencing personal problems, it could make them less than aggregable.

Teach your technicians to be empathetic to how a customer’s day might have gone and train them to choose their spots wisely. If a customer’s patience is wearing thin, it may not be the best time to ask for a review.

Asking For Google Reviews: Tips For Success

Now that you know how to ask for a Google review, how do you increase the chances of actually getting one?

Not everyone will respond to you asking for Google reviews. It’s natural. Only 10% of consumers will leave an online review for a business. If your review rates are anywhere near this level, you are already doing great.

Ask After A Milestone

There’s no rule that you have to wait until you’ve finished doing business with someone before asking for a review.

Understand that customers primarily write reviews because they want to communicate their customer experience to others. Plenty of people will post reviews online even when they’re still working with a business.

If you’ve got a long-term lawn care contract, you might choose to ask for a review:

  • After taking payment

  • When sending an appointment reminder

  • Completing an initial service

Experiment with different milestones to ask for Google reviews and see what results you get.

Keep it Personal

Personalization is a priority for everyone in the modern business landscape. Nobody wants to feel like a number. They want to feel special. For this reason, you must keep things personal.

Include the customer’s name, keep it casual, and mention other defining features, such as the service you recently provided.

It’s also wise to personally reply to every customer response you receive. It takes more time, but this personal touch helps a local business create a memorable experience.

Remember, not everyone knows how to leave a review or where they need to go. Make it easy for them by linking directly to where they can leave a Google review.

If all they have to do is click and leave a rating, you’ve turned a potentially awkward experience into a two-click adventure.

It’s such a simple option that can tip someone on the fence.

Explain The “Why” In Your Request

Don’t assume your clientele knows why reviews are so important to you. Not everyone has run a business or understands the impact of Google reviews.

Take a few seconds or write out a few sentences to explain why a review is so helpful for you and why you’ll be supremely grateful if they can spare a couple of minutes of their time to leave one.

Your most loyal customers will take this to heart and are more likely to leave a review, especially if they know it will help our one of their favorite local businesses.

Examples For How To Ask For A Google Review

Asking for Google reviews is nerve-wracking for business owners with little experience. How do you do it without sounding annoying or fawning?

If you’re running a field services business, use this master email template and in-person script to increase your chances of winning a review from your customers.

Email Template

Hi, [Customer Name Here],

Thank you for your recent [Type of Service] with us. We value all our customers, and that includes you. We’re always looking for ways to provide a better service every time, so we’d love some feedback on how we did.

If you have two minutes, we would love for you to write a few words in a Google review [Link to Google] about your experience with [Name of Employee] on [Day of the Week/Date].

It couldn’t be easier to leave your review. Just click on the button below and tell us your thoughts.

[Insert Google Review Link Button]

Thank you in advance for choosing us as your [Type of Service] of choice. We appreciate you, and if you have any questions about any of our other services, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always available!

Hope to see you again soon,

[Your Name]

Why does this email template work? It hits all the main points of personalization, it gets to the point quickly, and the two links ensure that all it takes is a click to leave a Google review. You’ve kept the tone friendly and personable without coming across as corporate.

Feel free to make any tweaks to suit your unique voice and branding better.

In-Person Script

The following script implies that you recently finished a job well done and the customer is happy with your work. If your team has noted that the customer has expressed satisfaction, tell them to enact this script or a variation.

Customer: [Expressing satisfaction]

You: We’re happy that you’re happy. We try to do our best. Thanks for giving us your feedback.

Customer: I love the lawn, and I’ll definitely use you again.

You: We always appreciate it. Hey, if you’ve got the time, we’d love it if you would leave us a Google review. These reviews help other customers put their trust in us. With so many [lawn care] businesses in the area, we know how tough it can be to choose the right company. It’ll only take two minutes, and it’d really help us out.

It’s that simple. Ask directly, explain why a review is so valuable to your field services business, and reinforce that it couldn’t be easier to leave a review.

Conclusion

Knowing how to ask for a Google review correctly will increase your chances of obtaining more reviews in the first place.

Much of the process can be automated through FieldRoutes, the industry’s leading field service business management platform. We are able to handle businesses of all sizes - small businessmedium size, and even enterprise field service businesses. Take care of everything from marketing to route optimization with this cloud-based solution.

To learn why so many businesses choose us, request your free demo now.

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