How to get more google reviews for your trade business

If you’re a tradesman or run a small local business, Google reviews can be one of the most valuable parts of your online presence.

Think about what you do when you’re looking for a business you’ve never used before. You Google them.

You look at their star rating. You read a few reviews. And you probably feel more confident choosing the business with plenty of genuine, recent feedback from happy customers.

Your potential customers are doing exactly the same thing.

The good news? You don’t need some complicated marketing strategy to start getting more reviews.

You just need to ask.

Here’s how to do it properly. No download. No email address required. No paywall. Just follow the guide.

Why Do Google Reviews Matter for Tradesmen?

Hiring a tradesman involves trust. You’re potentially asking someone to come into your home and carry out work costing hundreds or thousands of pounds.

Before making that decision, people want reassurance. Reviews give them that.

Compare: ★★★★★ 4.9 from 86 reviews with: No reviews

Even if both tradesmen are equally good at their job, which business would you feel more confident contacting? Reviews provide potential customers with evidence that other people have used your business and had a good experience.

They can also help your business stand out on Google Search and Google Maps.

Step 1: Make Sure You’ve Got a Google Business Profile

You need a Google Business Profile before customers can leave Google reviews for your business. If you haven’t got one yet, start there.

We’ve created a completely free: Google Business Profile Set Up Guide for Tradesmen that walks you through the process step by step.

Once your profile is verified and up and running, you can start building your reviews.

Step 2: Get Your Google Review Link

Don’t tell customers: “Google us and leave a review.” Make it easy for them.

Google allows businesses to create a direct review link or QR code that customers can use to leave a review.

To find yours:

1. Open your Google Business Profile.

2. Select Read Reviews.

3. Select Get More Reviews.

4. Copy your review link.

You can then save that link somewhere easy to find. Keep it somewhere you can quickly copy and send to customers.

The fewer steps you give somebody, the more likely they are to actually do it.

Step 3: Ask at the Right Time

Timing matters.

The best time to ask for a review is normally when the customer is happy with the work you’ve just completed.

You don’t need to make it awkward. Simply say: “Glad you’re happy with everything. Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps a small business like ours.”

Then send them the link. That’s it.

Step 4: Send Them a Message

People are busy. Even a customer who genuinely intends to leave you a review might completely forget about it five minutes after you leave.

Send them a message containing the direct link.

For example:

Hi Sarah, thanks again for using us. If you’re happy with the work, we’d really appreciate a quick Google review. It helps other local customers find us and only takes a minute. Here’s the link: [REVIEW LINK]. Thanks again!

Now they don’t need to search for your business. They just click.

Step 5: Don’t Wait Weeks to Ask

You’ve finished the job. The customer is happy. Ask.

Don’t wait six weeks and suddenly message: “Remember when we fitted your bathroom?”

The experience is fresh in their mind immediately after the work has been completed. Make asking for a review part of finishing the job.

Job complete → invoice → review request.

Once it becomes part of your normal process, you don’t need to remember it every time.

Step 6: Ask Every Genuine Customer

Don’t only ask the customers you’re absolutely certain will give you five stars. You want genuine reviews from genuine customers.

If somebody has used your business and had a genuine experience, you can ask them for feedback. Over time, this builds a much more natural review profile.

Step 7: Don’t Buy Google Reviews

Don’t do it.

A business with 47 suspicious five-star reviews appearing within two days doesn’t necessarily look impressive. It can look fake.

You want reviews from actual customers talking about actual experiences. Those reviews are considerably more valuable.

Step 8: Don’t Offer Discounts or Freebies for Reviews

Don’t offer: £10 off for a five-star review. Free service if you review us. Entry into a competition for leaving a review.

Google prohibits businesses from offering incentives in exchange for reviews. Your reviews should represent genuine customer experiences.

Ask for them. Don’t buy them.

Step 9: Make Your Review Requests Personal

Avoid sending something that feels like an automated corporate email if that isn’t how you normally communicate.

If you’ve spent three days working in someone’s house, you probably know their name. Use it.

Hi John, glad you’re happy with the new bathroom… feels much more natural than: DEAR VALUED CUSTOMER.

You’re a local business. Talk like one.

Step 10: Respond to Your Google Reviews

Someone has taken time out of their day to say something nice about your business.

Respond. It doesn’t need to be an essay.

For example: Thanks Sarah! Really appreciate the review. Glad you’re happy with everything 👍

Or: Thanks John. It was a pleasure doing the work for you. Hope you enjoy the new bathroom!

Your responses are public, so potential customers can see that you actually engage with your customers.

What About Negative Reviews?

Don’t panic. And definitely don’t start an argument. Even good businesses occasionally receive negative feedback.

Read what the customer has said. If you’ve genuinely made a mistake, acknowledge it and try to resolve it. If you disagree, respond calmly and professionally.

Something like: Hi John, sorry to hear you weren’t happy with your experience. We’d like to look into what happened and see if we can resolve this. Please give us a call so we can discuss it properly.

is considerably better than: THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED AND YOU KNOW IT.

Remember: You’re not only replying to the person who left the review. You’re also replying for every potential customer who might read it in the future.

Should You Ask Customers to Mention What Work You Did?

Don’t tell customers exactly what to write. Their review should be their own.

But you can make your request slightly more useful by saying: “If you’re happy with the work, we’d really appreciate a review about your experience.”

Customers will often naturally mention what you did.

For example: “Smith & Sons fitted our new bathroom and we’re really happy with it…”

That’s much more useful to future customers than 50 reviews simply saying: “Great.”

How Many Google Reviews Do You Need?

There’s no magic number. Don’t obsess over reaching 100 reviews.

Start with getting the next one. Then the next one.

The important thing is building genuine reviews consistently over time.

Five genuine reviews are better than none. Twenty are better than five.

And recent reviews show potential customers that people are still actively using your business.

Create a Simple Review System

You don’t need to remember to invent a review request after every job. Create a process.

For example:

1. Complete the job

↓

2. Make sure the customer is happy

↓

3. Send invoice

↓

4. Send review request

↓

5. Follow up once if appropriate

↓

6. Thank them if they leave one

That’s it. The easier you make the process, the more likely you’ll actually stick to it.

Google Review Checklist for Tradesmen

☐ Google Business Profile set up

☐ Business verified

☐ Direct review link saved

☐ Review request message saved

☐ Customers asked after completed jobs

☐ Review link sent directly

☐ Genuine customers only

☐ No incentives offered

☐ New reviews responded to

☐ Negative feedback handled professionally

☐ Review requests made part of your normal process

Free Google Review Request Template

Copy this:

Hi [NAME], thanks again for using [BUSINESS NAME]. If you’re happy with the work, we’d really appreciate it if you could leave us a quick Google review. It really helps a small local business like ours and only takes a minute. [REVIEW LINK] Thanks again!

Simple. No begging. No awkward sales pitch.

Don’t Have Time to Keep Chasing Reviews?

You absolutely can manage your reviews yourself. Save your review link, save the template above and make sending it part of your normal process. That’s why we’ve made this guide completely free.

No paywall. No email address. No paid download.

But if customer follow-ups are one of the things that keep getting forgotten because you’re busy actually doing the work, that’s something we can help with too.

At Toucan Do Business, we help tradesmen manage the office side of their business, including customer communication and follow-ups. Because getting the work done is only one part of running the business.

Fancy a Brew? ☕ Book your free coffee consultation and let’s talk business.