Review Request Templates: Email and SMS Examples
Copy-and-paste review request templates for email and SMS: after service, after payment, reminders and B2B clients, with timing tips and rules to follow.
A good review request template is short, personal and sent at the right moment: a thank-you, one line about why reviews matter to a small business, a single direct link, and your name. Below you will find copy-and-paste email and SMS templates for the situations small businesses face most, from after a completed job to B2B clients and customers who had a rough experience, along with timing advice and the rules every request must follow.
Before using any template, get your direct review link from your Google Business Profile (or the platform you want reviews on) and replace the placeholders in square brackets.
Ground rules for every review request
- Ask everyone. Google prohibits selectively asking happy customers, so the same request goes to every customer.
- No incentives. No discounts, gifts or prize draws for reviews. Google bans them, and the FTC's rule on reviews bans incentives tied to positive sentiment.
- No suggested rating. "Please leave us 5 stars" crosses the line; "please share your honest feedback" does not.
- Consent for texts. Text only customers who agreed to receive messages, and include an opt-out.
- One link. Multiple platforms in one message lower the response rate.
Our guide on how to get Google reviews explains these rules in more detail.
Best timing for review requests
| Business type | Best moment to ask | Best channel |
|---|---|---|
| Home services (cleaning, plumbing, landscaping) | Same day the job is finished | SMS |
| Salons, spas, barbers | Within a few hours of the appointment | SMS |
| Retail and ecommerce | 2 to 5 days after delivery | |
| Professional services (accountants, lawyers, consultants) | After a milestone or project close | |
| Contractors on large projects | After final walkthrough or final payment | In person, then SMS or email |
| Recurring services | After the second or third visit, then yearly | Email or SMS |
Review request email templates
1. Standard request after a completed service
Subject: Thanks, [First name] - a quick favor?
Hi [First name],
Thanks for choosing [Business name] for your [service]. It was great working on [specific detail, e.g. your kitchen backsplash].
If you have a minute, would you share your experience in a Google review? Reviews help local customers find us, and we read every one.
[Review link]
Thank you,
[Your name], [Business name]
2. Request after payment
Subject: Payment received - thank you, [First name]
Hi [First name],
We have received your payment of [amount] for invoice [number]. Thank you for paying so promptly.
If you were happy with the work, a short Google review would mean a lot to our small team: [Review link]
Best regards,
[Your name]
This pairs naturally with our thank-you for your payment messages, and the subject line ideas in invoice email subject lines help these emails get opened.
3. B2B client after a project
Subject: Wrapping up [project name]
Hi [First name],
Now that [project name] is live, thank you again for the trust you placed in us. Working with your team on [specific result] was a highlight of our quarter.
Would you be willing to leave a short review about working with us? Two or three sentences on what we helped with is perfect: [Review link]
If you would rather provide a written testimonial for our website instead, just reply to this email.
Thanks,
[Your name]
For website testimonials specifically, see our testimonial request email templates.
4. Product purchase
Subject: How is your [product] working out?
Hi [First name],
Your [product] arrived a few days ago, and we hope you are enjoying it. Could you take a minute to share an honest review? It helps other customers choose with confidence.
[Review link]
Questions or problems? Reply here and we will help.
[Business name]
5. Friendly reminder (send once, 3 to 5 days later)
Subject: Quick reminder from [Business name]
Hi [First name], just a gentle reminder in case our last email got buried. If you have a moment to share your experience, here is the link: [Review link]. No worries if not - thanks again for your business.
SMS review request templates
Keep texts under about 160 characters where you can, identify your business at the start, and include an opt-out.
| Situation | Template |
|---|---|
| After a job | Hi [Name], it's [Your name] from [Business]. Thanks for having us today! Would you leave a quick review? [Link] Reply STOP to opt out |
| After an appointment | Thanks for visiting [Business] today, [Name]! If you have a sec, we'd love your honest review: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out |
| After payment | [Business]: Payment received, thank you [Name]! Happy with the work? A short review helps us a lot: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out |
| Reminder | Hi [Name], [Business] here. In case you missed it, here's our review link: [Link]. Thanks either way! Reply STOP to opt out |
| Long-term client | Hi [Name], it's been a year of [service] with [Business] - thank you! Would you share your experience? [Link] Reply STOP to opt out |
If you already send invoices by text, the review request can follow the payment confirmation; our guide on sending an invoice by text covers consent and formatting.
In-person review request script
A spoken ask, followed by a link, beats a cold email. Keep it natural:
"I'm really glad you're happy with how it turned out. We're a small local business and most of our new customers find us on Google. Would you be willing to leave a quick review? I'll text you the link so it only takes a minute."
Then send the link within the hour. Train every customer-facing team member to use a version of this script, and make sure they ask every customer, not only the ones who seem delighted.
Adding a review request to invoices and receipts
A single line in the notes of a final invoice or payment receipt reaches every customer automatically. Examples you can paste:
- "Thank you for your business! If you were happy with our work, we would appreciate a Google review: [Review link]"
- "Enjoyed working with us? Share your honest feedback here: [Review link]"
- "Reviews help local customers find us. Leave yours in one minute: [Review link]"
Keep the payment details, due date and amount at the top, and place the review line at the bottom so it never competes with getting paid.
Template for a customer who had a problem
When something went wrong, fix it first. Do not exclude this customer from your normal request, but send it only after the issue is resolved, and make the message about the resolution:
Hi [First name], thank you for your patience while we sorted out [issue]. We appreciate you giving us the chance to make it right. If you would like to share your experience, good or bad, here is our review link: [Review link]. Your feedback helps us improve. - [Your name]
This keeps you within the rules because you are not filtering who gets asked; you are timing the request sensibly.
Worked example: testing two templates
A pest control company sends 200 review requests in a month, half with a generic message and half with a personalized one that names the technician and treatment. Figures are illustrative.
| Version | Requests | Reviews | Response rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: "Please review our service" (email) | 100 | 8 | 8% |
| B: "Thanks for having Luis treat your yard today" (SMS) | 100 | 21 | 21% |
Version B wins on two counts: it arrives by text the same day, and it mentions a real person and job. The company switches all requests to B, adds one reminder, and tracks the rate monthly. Small changes to timing and personalization usually matter more than clever wording.
Common mistakes in review requests
- Long messages that bury the link
- Links to the profile page instead of the review form
- Asking for "5-star" reviews
- Sending to a whole customer list at once instead of after each job
- Texting customers who never agreed to receive texts
- Forgetting to reply to the reviews that come in
Short templates by industry
| Industry | Opening line to personalize the request |
|---|---|
| Cleaning | "Hope you are enjoying the fresh house after today's deep clean, [Name]." |
| Auto repair | "Your [car model] is running smoothly again - thanks for trusting us with it." |
| Photography | "Your gallery from [event] is ready - we loved capturing it." |
| Accounting and bookkeeping | "Now that your [year] return is filed, thank you for working with us." |
| Fitness and coaching | "Congratulations on finishing your first eight weeks with us." |
| Landscaping | "The new planting at [street] looks great - thanks for choosing us." |
Follow the opening line with the same short ask and single link. Specific openings remind customers what you did for them, which is what a good review describes.
Turning templates into a routine
The best template fails if no one sends it. Build the request into the end of every job: crew lead asks in person, office sends the text when the job is marked complete or the invoice is paid, and a reminder goes out automatically if your software supports it. Review the numbers monthly and update the wording a couple of times a year.
Since payment is the natural end of a job, add a single review line to the notes of your final invoice. You can do that with our free invoice generator - no sign-up required, and the invoice downloads as a PDF ready to send.
Frequently asked questions
What should a review request email say?
Keep it short and personal: thank the customer by name, mention the specific job or purchase, explain in one line why reviews help your business, include one direct link to the review form, and close with your name. Do not offer anything in return for the review, and do not suggest what rating to leave. The whole message should take under 30 seconds to read on a phone.
When is the best time to send a review request?
Send it soon after the customer has experienced the value: the same day a service is completed, a day or two after a product is delivered, or right after a final invoice is paid. For ongoing services, ask after a milestone or a few months into the relationship. Requests sent weeks later get far fewer responses because the experience is no longer top of mind.
Do I need permission to text customers asking for a review?
Yes, you should have the customer's consent to receive text messages from you, usually collected when they book or at checkout. Include your business name and an opt-out instruction such as 'Reply STOP to opt out'. US texting rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and carrier registration requirements apply to business texting, so check your texting provider's compliance guidance.
How many times should I ask for a review?
Usually twice at most: one initial request and one friendly reminder three to five days later. More than that starts to feel like pressure and can annoy customers. If they do not respond after a reminder, let it go. For long-term clients, you can ask again after a significant new project or a year later, but not after every invoice.
Can I ask only happy customers for a review?
No. Google's policies prohibit selectively soliciting positive reviews, often called review gating. Send the same request to every customer. You can still ask for private feedback, but you must not use it as a filter that sends only satisfied customers to Google. Asking everyone also gives you more honest feedback about where your service needs work.
Should the review request go in the invoice?
A short line in the notes of a final invoice or payment receipt works well, because the customer is already reading a message from you and the job is finished. Keep the payment details first and the review request below them, so it never distracts from paying. For unpaid or disputed invoices, wait until the issue is resolved before asking.
Invoice Creator Editorial Team
Guides on invoicing, cash flow and small-business finance from Invoice Creator, operated by Next Software Development Company. Content is reviewed for accuracy against the fields our own invoice generator produces.
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