I just came across a well organized way of asking customers/clients for reviews and I wanted to share it in case you are looking for an effective way to promote your business through Google and Yelp.

About a week after my positive experience with this business, I got a call from the business owner:

“Hello, Daria?”
“Yes, this is Daria.”
“Daria, this is <<business owner>>.  It’s the start of the month and we’re doing an audit of our reviews.  I was wondering if you would consider writing a review about your experience with us.”
“Sure.”
“Ok, great. I’ll send you an email with confirmation.”

By the time I checked my email again, the email was already waiting in my inbox.  First paragraph: Thank you for your time in writing the review + the value of the reviews in getting a business noticed.  Second paragraph: a list of questions perspective clients will look for in a review:  well crafted that match the strength of the business services that are provided. Third paragraph: links to the Google and Yelp pages where to write reviews and thanks.

This business has 36 5-star reviews from the last 3 years, which is the best I’ve seen in their expertise in this geographic area.  These glowing recommendations drive clients (like myself) to the business and setup people to have a positive experience.

This is a well crafted, well thought through process which every small business owner should consider when they are starting out and especially as their business develops.