Getting a good review feels like a performance review you actually want. That little hit of dopamine when someone says, “This was exactly what I needed.”

We all know reviews are important. But knowing they’re important and actually getting them are two different things.

Most business owners are terrible at asking for them. It feels awkward. Salesy. So we don’t do it, or we do it half-heartedly and then wonder why no one follows through.

Here’s what’s actually happening. 

Your clients aren’t avoiding leaving you a review. 

They’re just not thinking about it. 

When they love your work, their brain goes to referrals. So when someone in their network asks “Who do you know that does X?”, they will give your name. Most don’t even consider posting a review online.

Think about your own habits. How often do you spontaneously leave a review for a business you genuinely love? I’m guessing not very often. 

And you understand how important reviews are, and you’re still not leaving them regularly, so we can’t expect our clients to.

That means the responsibility is on you to ask and to make it easy.

Create a strategy to collect reviews.

1. Start by picking one central place to send everyone.

You can collect reviews on Facebook or through a Google Form, but my recommendation is Google Business.

87% of consumers use Google to find local businesses, which means your Google Business profile is often the first impression someone gets of you.

Your social accounts, your website, your online presence all feed back into Google and signal that you’re active and trustworthy. Centralizing your reviews there makes that signal stronger.

2. Guide them on what to say.

Left to their own devices, most people write “highly recommend, great to work with” and move on. That’s a nice thing to receive, but it won’t convince anyone who doesn’t already know you.

Ask them to talk about:

• What their situation looked like before they worked with you
• What it was like to work with you
• And what things look like after working with you

That before-and-after is what helps a future client see themselves in the story. Give them those prompts when you send the link so they’re not staring at a blank box, wondering what to write.

3. Build the ask into your process so it happens without you having to remember.

• Send an automated follow-up email two or three days after wrapping up with a client. Include the prompts and a direct link.
• Add a QR code to your invoices that goes straight to your Google review page.
• Add a “leave a review” button on your website.
• Put the link in your email signature.
• When someone sends you a glowing email or DM, ask if they’d be willing to post it as a Google review.
• If you see clients in person, have your QR code somewhere visible.
• Ask in your weekly email to your list.

4. Put your review to work.

Reply to every single one. It shows potential clients you’re attentive, and it tells Google your profile is active. 

Display them on your website. There are plenty of plugins that automatically pull your Google reviews. 

Take your best ones and turn them into content. Write a post that tells the story behind the review. 

Build an Instagram highlight that shows what it actually looks like to work with you. 

A strong review keeps working for you long after it’s posted.

Here’s me putting this into action.

If you’ve worked with me one-on-one, attended a workshop or one of my trainings, bought a GPT, or you just enjoy these emails, would you leave me a Google review?

Maybe these emails give you one thing to think about each week. 

Maybe the Buyer Persona GPT helped you finally put words to what you actually do. 

Maybe you came to a workshop and left with something you used the very next day. 

Whatever your experience was, that’s the review I want.

As of right now, I have 24 Google reviews. I’ll report back next week on how many I received just from asking. 

And while I’m at it, I’m going to spend some time this week leaving reviews for some of my favourite businesses too, because if I’m going to ask, I should be doing it myself.

Happy to be on this journey with you!