How to Ask for a Review: 15 Templates for SMS, Email and WhatsApp

Short answer: a good review request is short, personal, sent within a day, and contains exactly one link. Below are fifteen templates you can copy as-is.

Before the templates, three rules that decide whether any of them work.

Rule 1: One ask, one link. Don't bundle a review request with a newsletter signup and a loyalty card. One job per message.

Rule 2: Name the platform. "Leave us a review" is vague. "Leave us a Google review" tells someone exactly what will happen when they tap.

Rule 3: Make the effort sound small, because it is. "30 seconds" and "one or two sentences" both raise response rates, because the honest barrier isn't willingness — it's imagined effort.

SMS Templates

1. Right after a service

Hi {name}, thanks for coming in today! If you have 30 seconds, a quick Google review really helps our small business: {link}

2. Same-day, warmer

{name}, it was lovely having you in today. If you'd share a sentence about it on Google, it genuinely makes a difference for us: {link}

3. After a delivery

Hi {name} — hope the {product} arrived safely! If you're happy with it, would you mind leaving a short review? {link}

4. After a repeat visit

{name}, that's three visits this month — thank you! We'd love it if you told other people what keeps you coming back: {link}

5. The polite reminder (send once, 3–4 days later)

Hi {name}, just a gentle nudge in case it got buried — a quick review would mean a lot: {link} Either way, thanks again!

Email Templates

6. Short and standard

Subject: A quick favour, {name}?

Hi {name},

Thanks again for choosing us for {service}. If you have a spare minute, a short Google review helps other people in {city} find us.

{button: Leave a review}

Thank you,
{your name}

7. From the owner, personally

Subject: Thank you from {business}

Hi {name},

I own {business}, and I read every review we get. If today went well, I'd be grateful if you shared a line about it — it's the main way new customers find us.

{link}

And if anything fell short, just reply to this email and I'll fix it.

{your name}

8. After a project ends (B2B or high-value services)

Subject: Wrapping up — and one small request

Hi {name},

Now that {project} is finished, thank you for the trust. If you were happy with how it went, a review would help other {industry} clients decide.

Two or three sentences about the result is plenty: {link}

9. Post-purchase (e-commerce)

Subject: How's the {product}?

Hi {name}, your order landed a week ago — hopefully the {product} is earning its place. If it is, a short review helps the next person decide: {link}

10. Annual / loyalty

Subject: A year of {name} 🎉

You've been with us a year today. If you've enjoyed it, would you tell someone else? A review is the easiest way: {link}

WhatsApp / DM Templates

11. Casual, for chat channels

Hey {name}! 😊 So glad you liked it. If you get a second, could you drop us a Google review? {link} Thanks so much!

12. Instagram DM after a compliment

Thank you, that honestly made our day! If you're feeling generous, the same words on Google would help us a lot: {link} 🙏

Difficult Situations

13. After you fixed a complaint

Hi {name}, thanks for your patience while we sorted out {issue}. If you feel we made it right, a review mentioning how we handled it would mean a lot — and if not, tell us what's still missing.

Yes, ask. A review that says "there was a problem and they fixed it fast" is more persuasive to a cautious buyer than a generic five stars.

14. The customer who says "I'm not good at writing"

No pressure at all! Even one line like "Great service, would come back" is perfect. Here's the link if you change your mind: {link}

15. In person, out loud

"If you had a good experience today, would you mind leaving us a Google review? It's the main thing that helps people find us." (Then hand them the QR code.)

When To Send

The pattern: as close as possible to the moment they felt good about it, minus the time they need to actually experience the result.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times can I ask?
Twice. The initial request and one reminder. After that you're pestering, and the risk of an annoyed one-star outweighs the upside.

Should I use a customer's first name?
Yes, wherever you actually have it. Personalised requests outperform generic ones consistently. Just don't fake familiarity you don't have.

Can I offer a discount for leaving a review?
No. Google, Yelp and most platforms prohibit incentivised reviews, and it can get all your reviews removed. Thank people instead — a genuine thank-you note costs nothing and doesn't break the rules.

What if they leave a bad review after I ask?
Then you learned something you needed to know, publicly and early. Respond well, fix the cause, and the review does less damage than the unaddressed problem would have.

Make the Link Worth Tapping

Every template above ends with a link. Make that link a page you're proud of — your business name, your best reviews, one clear button to add another.

Kudo builds that page from your existing Google reviews in about two minutes, free at getkudo.co.