The job is over, and you’re ready to move on to the next job site—but wait! Did you ask for a review?
There’s a critical window for requesting reviews from happy customers. The sweet spot is right after the project when the client is blown away by your work.
Reviews are a major boost to your credibility. Social proof is especially important for home, building, and landscape professionals. You need to convince prospects to trust you with their home! What better way than to demonstrate past successes with praise directly from previous clients?
Here’s a quick guide to soliciting reviews from happy customers, including tips, scripts, and next steps.
Why online reviews matter when you work in or near a home
People are sensitive about their homes, and for good reason!
Clients are not just hiring you for a job—they are trusting you with their home, family, and investment.
Reviews prove that you have been trusted by others. 94% of people say that online reviews affect their hiring decisions for home service professionals. Furthermore, people will spend about 31% more on a business that has excellent reviews.
If you work in or near a home, social proof builds credibility and wins bids before you even speak to a prospect.
- Landscape architects and designers: Try to get reviews with photos to help prospective clients envision the transformation, or add to your portfolio.
- Builders: Solicit reviews that highlight communication, timelines, and craftsmanship to help separate you from “fly-by-night” contractors.
Ask at the right time (and make it personal)
Step one: Timing. Ask for a review at the exact moment when the client is most satisfied—right after project completion or final walkthrough.
Step two: Personalize the request. Mention their specific project instead of using generic language: “It was a pleasure working on your kitchen. If you have a moment, a quick review would mean a lot to us.”
Use the communication method that works best for your client:
- Text: “Thanks again! Mind leaving a quick Google review? [Link]”
- Email: Include a short, friendly message with a bold CTA button.
- Verbal: Ask in person at handoff, then follow up digitally.
Remind them why reviews help: “Reviews help future clients feel confident choosing us for their homes.”
Make it ridiculously easy to review you
If you people have to figure out how to review you, they just…won’t. Don’t make clients hunt.
Share a direct, clickable link to review platforms like your company’s Google Business Profile, Houzz, or Yelp listing, and Facebook page. You could also use a branded one-click review page hosted on your website. If you’re feeling fancy, try a QR code that you can print on invoices or project folders.
Google forbids incentivizing positive reviews. However, you can offer rewards for any review.
“Leave us any review and receive 10% off your next service.”
“Leave a review and you’ll be entered into a quarterly gift card draw for all reviewers.”
Follow up politely
It’s reasonable to send a gentle email reminder a few days after the ask, especially if you asked in person. Make it quick, with a subject line like “Thanks again—one last thing!” or “Quick favor?”
Respond to every review, even the bad ones
Sometimes, not even good work can win over a tough client.
You can’t control the types of reviews you get. You can control your responses.
The good news is that your thoughtful reply to nasty or unfavorable reviews can still earn you credibility. A thoughtful reply shows you care, which matters even if the review itself was poor.
Not sure how to respond? Try this:
For happy reviews: “Thank you for trusting us with your project! We loved bringing your [backyard oasis] to life.”
For bad reviews: “Thank you for your feedback — we’re truly sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience. We take pride in our work and would appreciate the chance to make things right; please contact us directly so we can address this with the care it deserves.”
Stay professional, never defensive. Acknowledge, take it offline, and demonstrate your standards.
Review and next steps for building and design professionals
Is earning reviews part of your ongoing business strategy? If not, it should be!
✓ Set a goal to earn 1-2 new reviews per project.
✓ Train your team to ask for reviews naturally at the end of a successful project.
✓ Incorporate review generation into your digital footprint (ask us how!)
You work hard to make your customers happy. Make sure you’re capturing those good reviews to help grow your business.