Why a reminder makes sense
When a customer doesn’t leave a review, it is most often because they forgot. One polite reminder is enough for many of them. Two or three reminders, however, annoy people and can have the opposite effect.
The single-reminder rule
- 1
Send the first request right after the service, through the channel you already use with the customer.
- 2
Wait a few days before reminding. A customer who didn’t answer straight away won’t answer better the next day.
- 3
Send a single reminder, shorter than the first message, with no reproach.
- 4
If you get no answer, stop. The customer keeps a nicer memory of you than of being pestered.
Template: gentle reminder
“Hello [first name], just a small reminder in case my message the other day slipped past you. If you have a minute, your review on Google helps us a lot: [link]. Thank you and have a lovely day!”
Avoid wording that makes people feel guilty (“I haven’t heard from you”).
When not to remind
If the customer says no, don’t remind them. If they told you about a problem, sort the problem out first, without tying its resolution to a review.
Don’t remind only the ones who seem happy: Google forbids sorting the customers you ask. Apply the same rule to everyone.
Go further
The guide on asking by text or WhatsApp gives three templates for the first message.
See the text message templates