Getting more reviews without being awkward

Most small business owners know reviews matter. Most also find asking for them a bit uncomfortable. It can feel like fishing for compliments, or like bothering a customer who’s already paid.

The good news is that most people are happy to help a local business they liked. They just need asking at the right moment, in a way that takes them seconds. This guide covers how.

Why reviews are worth the effort

There are two reasons.

They help you show up. Google’s page on local ranking says that “more reviews and positive ratings can help your business’s local ranking.” Reviews are one of the few things on that list you can actively work on.

They help people choose you. When someone sees three businesses on the map, reviews are often what tips it. In BrightLocal’s 2025 survey of around a thousand consumers, just 4% said they never read online reviews of local businesses. The same survey found 96% were open to writing one. That survey was of people in the US, but there’s little reason to think Suffolk customers are very different.

Make it easy

The biggest reason people don’t leave a review isn’t that they don’t want to. It’s that it takes effort to find where to do it.

Google’s tips on getting reviews suggest asking customers to use a link or scan a QR code that takes them straight to your review form. You can create both from your Business Profile once it’s verified. (If you haven’t set that up, start with our guide to setting up your Google Business Profile.)

Then put the link where customers already are:

• At the end of your invoice or receipt email
• In a text after a job is finished
• On a small card or sign by the till, with the QR code
• In your email signature

Ask at the right moment

The best time to ask is when the customer has just told you they’re happy. That might be when they thank you at the door, say the food was lovely, or reply to your invoice with “great job, thanks”.

At that point, asking doesn’t feel like fishing. You’re giving them an easy way to say what they’ve just said to you.

What to say

Keep it short and honest. You don’t need a script, but here are a few that work.

In person:

“I’m really glad you’re pleased with it. If you’ve got a minute, a Google review would help us a lot. I’ll text you the link.”

By text or email after a job:

“Thanks again for having us round on Tuesday. If you were happy with the work, a quick Google review would really help a small business like ours: [link]. No worries if not.”

On a card at the till:

“Enjoyed your visit? A Google review helps us more than you’d think. Scan here.”

Notice what these don’t do. They don’t ask for five stars, offer anything in return, or put pressure on. “No worries if not” matters.

Reply to every review

Replying shows customers that someone is listening. Google’s tips suggest you keep replies short and simple, stay professional and polite, and be “conversational, not promotional”. It also suggests replying promptly and mentioning something specific the person said.

For a good review, a line or two is plenty:

“Thanks, Sarah. Glad the new kitchen lights are making a difference. Give us a shout if you need anything else.”

Handling a bad review

Every business gets one eventually. How you reply is read by every future customer who sees it, so it’s worth getting right.

• Wait before you reply. Don’t answer while you’re annoyed.
• Thank them and acknowledge the problem. Even if you think they’re being unfair.
• Don’t argue in public. Offer to sort it out directly, with a phone number or email.
• Keep it short. A long defence looks worse than the original complaint.

For example:

“I’m sorry your visit wasn’t what you hoped, Mark. That’s not the standard we aim for. Could you give me a ring on 01502 000000 so I can put it right?”

(That number is an example, not a real one.)

A calm, helpful reply to a bad review can do more for your reputation than another five-star one.

The rules you mustn’t break

This is where a lot of well-meaning businesses get into trouble. Both Google’s rules and UK law apply.

Don’t offer anything in return for a review. Google’s content policy doesn’t allow offering incentives “such as payment, discounts, free goods and/or services” in exchange for reviews. The Competition and Markets Authority’s guidance for businesses also says businesses must not offer money or gifts to customers to write positive reviews. No prize draws for reviewers, no discount on the next visit.

Don’t only ask the happy ones. Google’s policy also rules out discouraging negative reviews or “selectively” asking for positive ones. So don’t send a “how did we do?” message and then only pass the review link to people who say they’re happy. Ask everyone, in the same way.

Don’t write your own, or get staff and family to. Google’s policy covers reviews based on a conflict of interest, including current or former employment. The CMA’s guidance says businesses must not pretend to be customers or pay others to write fake reviews, and warns that misleading practices can lead to large fines and may be a criminal offence.

Don’t buy reviews. Anyone selling you a batch of five-star reviews is selling you a risk to your listing and to your business.

A simple routine

You don’t need a system. You need a habit.

1. Get your review link and QR code.
2. Add the link to your invoice or receipt email.
3. Ask in person when someone’s clearly happy, and text the link.
4. Reply to every review within a few days.

Do that every week and the reviews will come. Not all at once, but steadily.

What next

Reviews help people find you and choose you. Your website is often the next place they go before they decide to get in touch. The free website health check looks at your site and tells you, in plain English, what might be putting people off.

If you’d like help with your Google profile and reviews, see getting found on Google.