Why Your Business Isn’t Getting Reviews (And What to Do About It)

You’re doing great work. Customers are happy. Your service is solid. So… why aren’t the five-star reviews rolling in?

It’s a frustrating disconnect. Reviews are a powerful marketing currency, but getting them can feel like pulling teeth. Especially for small businesses. 

Here’s the good news: Getting little to no reviews doesn’t mean you’re bad at what you do. Usually, it’s because you haven’t made it part of your everyday process.

Let’s fix that.

The Real Reasons You’re Not Getting Reviews

1. You’re not asking (or you’re not asking clearly or consistently enough). You might assume that a happy customer will leave a glowing review unprompted. But most of the time, they won’t. It’s not because they didn’t love your work. It’s because life gets busy. You have to ask directly. You have to make it easy. And you have to do it more than once.

2. You’re waiting too long. There’s no “perfect” time to ask for a review. Don’t let that keep you from asking at all. The best moment is often right after something goes well: a project gets delivered, a service wraps up, or a customer thanks you. That’s when they’re most energized and likely to follow through.

3. You’ve made it harder than it needs to be. If your customer has to go searching for your profile, figure out what to say, or create an account to leave feedback, they probably won’t bother. Don’t leave that much friction in the process. Give them a direct link and simple instructions.

4. You haven’t built review requests into your workflow. If you’re treating reviews like a nice-to-have instead of a built-in step in your customer journey, you’ll always be playing catch-up. The key is to assign ownership of your company reviews to someone, standardize the process, and make review collection a natural part of your business rhythm.

What to Do About It

Here are a few things you can start doing this week:

1. Create a short, repeatable request. This isn’t about being robotic—it’s about being ready. A short message like this one works great:
   

“Hey [Name], it was great working with you! The whole team here at  [Business Name] really appreciates the support. If you’re willing to leave us a review, I’d be so grateful. It helps other customers find us more easily. Here’s the link: [Insert link]”

Text it. Email it. Say it out loud. Whatever works best for you, just ask. 

2. Pick your moment and go for it. Your client says something kind after their haircut, during a class, in a Zoom call, or in a thank-you email? That’s the moment.  Train your team to recognize that window and jump on it.
   

3. Use automation (if you’ve got it). If you’re using an appointment booking system, CRM, or email platform, you may be able to send automated review requests after appointments or purchases. Just make sure it still feels personal—not spammy. One trick for making it seamless? Add it to your thank-you message on paid invoices and payment receipts. 
   

Where to Send Them

For most local businesses, your Google Business Profile is the best place to send customers. It’s free. It’s easy. And the reviews show up when people search for your business by name on Google. Even if you don’t have a physical storefront, a complete Google profile helps you stand out in Maps and Search. It builds instant credibility with potential customers.

Not sure how to set that up? We’ve got you.

We put together a step-by-step guide to help you create and optimize your Google Business Profile. Whether you're just getting started or looking to clean up an old listing, this guide is for you.

Download the ebook: Creating Your Google Business Profile: A Step-by-Step Guide for Local Business Owners.