What should a contractor's review request text message say?

Keep it short — 3 sentences max. Include the customer's name, a genuine thank-you, a direct link to your Google review page, and a reason why reviews matter to your business ('it helps our small business a lot' works well). Don't oversell it or make it feel like a corporate template.

When should I send a review request text?

The same day as the job, ideally within an hour of finishing. Review conversion drops sharply after 48 hours. The moment the customer is happy with the result is your best window — don't let that goodwill fade.

Can I send review request texts in bulk?

You can, but steady trickles outperform bulk blasts. Sending 30 review requests on the same day looks unnatural and gets lower response rates than 5-6 per week consistently. Google's algorithm also watches for sudden spikes in review activity.

Is it okay to follow up if a customer doesn't leave a review?

One follow-up is fine, sent 3-5 days after the first message. More than one starts to feel like pressure and can damage the customer relationship. If they don't respond to two messages, let it go.

Do review request texts work better than emails?

Yes, significantly. Text open rates run above 90% and are read within minutes. Email open rates for service businesses typically run 20-30%, and many go to spam. For review requests specifically, the immediacy of a text — combined with a direct link — dramatically outperforms email.

Free Review Request Text Generator for Contractors

Michael Carpenter · July 8, 2026

The best review request is one that goes out the same day the job closes, via text, with a direct link. Not an email that sits in a spam folder. Not a verbal ask that the customer forgets by the time they're home. A text, within the hour, with one tap to leave the review.

Use the tool above to generate a message for your trade and copy it directly into your phone. The whole process takes 30 seconds.

Why the wording of your review request matters

Most contractors who ask for reviews get a much lower response rate than they should — not because customers don't want to help, but because the ask doesn't make it easy enough. The most common mistakes:

Too long. A four-paragraph email explaining why reviews are important is asking the customer to read, not act. Three sentences and a link is all you need.

Too corporate. "We value your feedback and would appreciate if you could take a moment to share your experience on Google" reads like a bank, not a person. Write like you talk.

No direct link. Telling someone to "find us on Google" and leave a review adds three extra steps between goodwill and action. Every extra step cuts your conversion rate. Send the exact link that opens the review box.

Sent too late. A review request sent a week after the job lands when the customer has already moved on. Send it the same day, within an hour of finishing.

Message templates by trade

If you'd rather start with a template and customize it yourself, here are working examples for the most common trades:

HVAC:

"Hi [Name] — glad we could get your AC back up and running today. If you have a quick second, a Google review would mean a lot to us. Here's the direct link: [link]. Thanks again, [Your Name]"

Plumbing:

"Hi [Name] — appreciate you calling us today. If everything's working well, we'd love a Google review — it really helps our small business. Direct link here: [link]. — [Your Name] at [Company]"

Electrical:

"Hi [Name] — thanks for trusting us with the work today. If you have a minute, a Google review goes a long way for us. Here's the link: [link]. — [Your Name]"

Roofing:

"Hi [Name] — hope you're happy with the job. We'd really appreciate a Google review if you have a moment — it helps homeowners like you find us. Direct link: [link]. Thanks, [Your Name]"

Landscaping:

"Hi [Name] — thanks for having us out today. If everything looks good, a quick Google review would really help us out. Here's the link: [link]. — [Your Name]"

The difference between asking once and building a system

One review request sent to one customer is a nice gesture. A review request that goes out automatically after every job — with a follow-up to anyone who didn't respond — is a system that compounds month over month.

The contractors ranking at the top of Google Maps didn't get there by sending occasional review requests. They built a process. The specific tool doesn't matter as much as the consistency: every closed job gets a same-day text, a follow-up goes out 3-5 days later, and responses get replied to within 24 hours.

At low job volume, this is easy to do manually — save the link, copy the message, send the text. When you're closing 15-20 jobs a week, tracking who's been asked and who's followed up on becomes its own job. That's when automation starts paying for itself.

Forge's review request feature handles this automatically — the text goes out the same day the job closes, the follow-up fires 4 days later to anyone who didn't respond, and you get a notification when a new review comes in. Most contractors see their review count double within 90 days.