What makes a request work
Before the scripts, five rules that quietly do most of the work:
- •Time it right. Ask right after a happy moment — job done, problem solved.
- •Keep it short. A wall of text kills response rates. Two or three sentences, max.
- •Include a direct link. Never say “search for us.” Drop a one-tap link. Create one with our free Google review link generator.
- •Personalize it. Use their name and reference the actual job.
- •Ask everyone. Cherry-picking only happy customers is review gating — don’t.
SMS templates
Text messages get opened almost immediately and reply at far higher rates than email. Keep them warm and one tap away from done. (Only text customers who’ve agreed to be contacted, and give an easy opt-out.)
SMS 1
Hi {name}, thanks for choosing {business} today! If we did a good job, a quick Google review would mean the world to us: {link}
SMS 2
Hey {name}, it was great working with you! Would you mind leaving us a 30-second Google review? Here’s the direct link: {link} — thank you!
SMS 3
{name}, thanks again! Reviews help other locals find us. If you’re happy with the work, we’d love a quick review here: {link}
Email templates
Email gives you room for a warmer, more personal note. Put the link high and make it unmissable. Notice the second script also opens a private channel for anything that went wrong.
Email 1
Subject: Quick favor, {name}?
Hi {name}, Thanks so much for choosing {business} — it was a pleasure working with you. Reviews from customers like you are how other local people decide to give us a try. If you have 30 seconds, we’d be really grateful for a quick review on Google: {link} Thank you! {your name}
Email 2
Subject: How did we do, {name}?
Hi {name}, We hope everything went smoothly with {service}. Your feedback genuinely helps us improve and helps other customers find us. Would you mind sharing a quick review? It takes less than a minute: {link} And if anything wasn’t perfect, just reply to this email — we’d love the chance to make it right. Thanks, {your name}, {business}
Email 3
Subject: Thank you from {business}
Hi {name}, Thank you for your business! If we earned it, a Google review would help us more than you might think — it’s the single biggest way new customers find and trust us. Here’s a direct link so you don’t have to go hunting: {link} We appreciate you. {your name}
In-person & QR scripts
The in-person ask has the highest conversion of all — pair it with a QR code so customers can act before they leave.
Said out loud
“It was great working with you today. If you have a second, we’d really appreciate a quick Google review — I can text you the link right now so it’s easy.”
Printed on a card or receipt
Loved your visit? Scan the QR code to leave us a Google review — it takes less than a minute.
Follow-up templates
Send one gentle reminder a few days later. This single follow-up often recovers as many reviews as the original ask.
Follow-up 1
Hi {name}, just a gentle nudge in case you missed my last note — if you have a moment, a quick Google review would really help {business}: {link}. No worries if not!
Follow-up 2
Hey {name}, I know things get busy! If you were happy with our work, here’s the review link one more time: {link}. Thanks so much either way.
How to personalize at scale
Templates are a starting line, not a finish line. The businesses that win swap in the customer’s name, the specific service, and a detail only a real person would mention. Doing that by hand for every customer is where good intentions die on a busy week.
That’s exactly what ServiceVouch automates: it fires a personalized request the moment a job is marked complete, sends the one polite follow-up for you, and quietly routes anyone unhappy to a private feedback channel first. Prefer to grab a link and send it yourself right now? Use the free review request template generator.