Getting reviews as a tradesperson: the ask, the platform, the follow-up

Reviews are the modern trade-directory entry. Ninety percent of customers Google you before picking up the phone. If you don’t come up with four stars and real quotes, you’re losing to someone who does.

Which platform matters most?

• Google Business Profile — the one that shows when someone Googles your name or "plumber [town]". Most leverage for local search. Free.
• Trustpilot — visible on your website, sends verification emails, good for SEO signals. Free tier exists; paid for more features.
• Checkatrade / Rated People / MyBuilder — trade-specific directories. Get leads AND reviews. Paid monthly subscription; worth it if you need lead volume.
• Facebook — still matters for local UK towns; older customers check it.

Start with Google Business Profile. Then Trustpilot. Then the trade directories if you’re short on lead flow.

When to ask

The sweet spot: the moment they say "brilliant" or "thank you so much". Right after the final walk-around, when the kitchen’s in, the boiler’s firing, the rewire’s done and everything works. They’re delighted. That’s the moment.

Not three weeks later. By three weeks later they’ve forgotten how good it was and remembered the one thing that wasn’t perfect.

How to ask

Short, specific, easy:

"Really glad you’re happy. 30-second favour? If you could pop a line on Google for us, it helps loads. Link coming through: [link]"

Then send the link. On WhatsApp, on the same message thread you’ve been using. Don’t email — they won’t open it.

Making it easy

Pre-build the link so one tap opens the review form. For Google Business Profile: sign into your profile, click "Share review form", copy the link. That’s the one you send. For Trustpilot, same — there’s a share-for-review link in your dashboard.

What to do when you get a review

• Respond to every one. Five stars: thank them by name, mention the job. One star: reply publicly, calmly, offer to make it right. Don’t get defensive.
• Share the good ones. Screenshot a great review and post it on your Facebook / Instagram / van signage. Free marketing.
• Use them on your site. Add quotes to your website (and flip data-social-on on Holdfort if you’re a customer).

What about bad reviews?

They happen. Here’s the response template:

"Sorry to hear this. I remember the job and I don’t recognise the situation you’re describing. Can we speak? I’d like to understand what went wrong and put it right if I can. Call me on [number]."

Calm, specific, inviting dialogue. Never "you’re wrong". Never sarcasm. Future customers read your responses more carefully than the reviews.

The volume math

If 20% of happy customers write reviews when asked, and you finish 4 jobs a week, asking after every job = 40 reviews a year. Ask after none = 3 reviews a year (the ones who love you unprompted). The ask does 90% of the work.

A one-sentence automation

Set a calendar reminder for the Friday after every finished job: "Ask [customer] for a review." Do it. Your five-year reputation is built in Friday afternoons.

Platform-specific ask scripts

Google Business Profile

Send this within 48 hours of finishing the job, via the same messaging thread you used throughout:

"Glad you’re pleased with the [job description]. Quick favour if you’ve got 30 seconds: drop us a line on Google here [short URL to your Google review link]. It helps a lot when people search for [trade] in [area]. No worries if you’re too busy."

Trustpilot

Trustpilot sends its own verification email, so your ask is about getting them to click through that email:

"Hi [name], you’ll get an email from Trustpilot in the next day or so asking about the work we did. If you can reply with a couple of lines, that’d be brilliant. It genuinely matters for people finding us. Thanks again."

Checkatrade / Rated People

Often the platform prompts the customer automatically. Supplement with:

"Hope the [job] is all good. When Checkatrade ping you for a review, any chance of a few stars? They rank us higher in the listings based on recent reviews, so it really helps us get found by people like you."

Responding to reviews — templates

5-star review response

"Thanks [first name]! Glad the [specific job detail, e.g. new boiler] is running smoothly. Give us a shout if you need anything else."

Keep it specific — mention the job. Generic "thanks for the review!" reads automated. A specific detail (the boiler model, the bathroom colour, the door you hung) tells future customers you actually remember your work.

1-star or unfair-review response

"Hi [name], really sorry to read this. I remember the job and I don’t quite recognise the situation you’re describing — can we speak? I’d like to understand what went wrong and put it right if I can. Call me on [number] and we’ll sort it."

Never defensive, never sarcastic, never argumentative. Future customers read these responses more carefully than the original reviews. A calm, specific, make-right response makes you look better than the negative review makes you look bad.

Getting Google to verify your business

Many tradespeople operate with an unverified Google Business Profile and then can’t work out why they never appear in local searches. Verification steps:

1. Go to business.google.com and claim your business.
2. Google sends a postcard to your registered address with a verification code. Takes ~5 working days.
3. Enter the code. You’re verified. Your profile now appears in map searches and "near me" queries.

Once verified, add: service area (postcodes you cover), photos (your van, completed jobs, portrait of you), opening hours, and a clear description with keywords like "[trade] in [city]". Review responses now count toward local SEO ranking.