27 - How to Get More Google Reviews Without Feeling Awkward Asking

How to Get More Google Reviews Without Feeling Awkward Asking

How many customers did you actually ask for a Google review last week?

Not how many reviews you received — how many people did you ask?

Google reviews are one of the most powerful forms of social proof for a trade business, particularly if you're working with residential customers. Before someone even picks up the phone, there's a good chance they've already Googled you, checked your reviews and compared you with other tradies in the area.

But getting more reviews shouldn't rely on someone in the office remembering to ask every few months.

It needs to become part of your job completion process.

In this episode of the Hey Tradies podcast, Amanda shares a simple process for consistently asking for Google reviews without it feeling awkward or pushy — including how to involve your field team, automate your follow-up and make asking for a review part of every suitable job.

In This Episode

• Why Google reviews are so important for residential trade businesses
• Why you should start asking for a review while you're still on site
• A simple script your field team can use with customers
• Why asking once often isn't enough
• How to follow up by text, email and after payment
• Using Fergus alongside your email marketing or CRM system to automate review requests
• Why you should give customers a direct review link instead of making them search for you
• How to make Google reviews part of your job completion checklist
• Getting your field team involved — and even turning reviews into a team competition
• Why you should track how many customers you ask, not just how many reviews you receive
• Responding to positive and negative reviews professionally
• Why consistent recent reviews can become an incredibly valuable marketing asset

Make Asking Part of the Process

Don't wait until you suddenly decide your business needs more Google reviews.

Build the request into your normal customer journey:

Finish the job → Check the customer is happy → Ask for the review → Send the direct link → Invoice → Follow up after payment → Respond when the review arrives.

Your customer might genuinely want to leave you a great review but forget.

They're busy too.

That's why multiple friendly reminders can make such a difference.

Get Your Team Involved

Google reviews don't have to be the office team's responsibility.

Give your field team a short, simple script they can comfortably use before leaving site and make it part of your job completion checklist.

You could even create a team incentive when a customer mentions a team member by name in their review.

It's not just about getting another five-star review. It gets your team thinking about the entire customer experience.

This Week's Action Step

Create one simple Google review script for your business this week.

Share it with your team, give everyone easy access to your direct Google review link and add “Ask for Google review” to your job completion process.

Once you're doing that consistently, look at how you can automate the follow-up.

Work With Virtual Coastie

If customer follow-up, invoicing and admin are still relying on you remembering to do everything, we can help you build better processes.

Through Fergus Power Hours, Fergus implementation and our monthly support, Virtual Coastie helps trade businesses put practical systems in place so the right things happen consistently — without you having to remember them at the end of another long day.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with another tradie. And if you're enjoying the Hey Tradies podcast, follow the show and leave a quick rating on your favourite podcast app.