Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth. When a customer searches for your business type in their city, the businesses with the most positive reviews appear first on Google. A business with 50 reviews and a 4.5 star rating gets 10x more clicks than a business with no reviews.

The good news: most of your customers are happy to leave a review — they just need to be asked.

How to Ask for a Review (Without Being Awkward)

The best time to ask for a review is immediately after a customer has had a positive experience — when they are still in your shop or just after receiving their order.

In person: "I am glad you liked it. Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps small businesses like mine. I can send you the link on WhatsApp."

On WhatsApp after delivery/service: "Thank you for your order! I hope everything was perfect. If you have 1 minute, a Google review would mean the world to us: [your review link]"

How to Get Your Google Review Link

1. 1
   Go to your Google Business Profile dashboard at business.google.com
2. 2
   Click "Get more reviews" or "Share review form"
3. 3
   Copy the link and save it in your WhatsApp Quick Replies
4. 4
   Print it as a QR code (free at qr-code-generator.com) and place it at your checkout counter

How to Respond to Reviews

Google rewards businesses that respond to all reviews — positive and negative. Responding shows you are active and care about customers.

• Positive review: "Thank you so much [name]! It was a pleasure serving you. We look forward to seeing you again." (personalise with what they purchased if possible)
• Negative review: "Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry your experience did not meet expectations. Please contact us at [phone] so we can make it right." (never argue publicly)