The difference between a review request that gets ignored and one that converts is usually not your star rating — it is the message. Good review request templates are short, personal, direct, and give the customer a single frictionless action to take.

This guide gives you copy-paste-ready templates for SMS and email, broken down by vertical and situation, with the TCPA compliance context baked in so you can use them confidently.

Before You Copy Any Template: Compliance First

TCPA (SMS): You cannot legally send a review request via text message unless the customer has given you prior express written consent to send them commercial messages. That means:

  • An opt-in checkbox on your booking form, intake form, or point-of-sale system — not pre-checked, actively selected
  • Your business name appears in the message
  • Every message includes opt-out instructions ("Reply STOP to opt out")
  • Sent only between 9 AM and 9 PM in the recipient's local time zone
  • No protected health information (PHI) in the SMS body — this applies to dental, chiropractic, medspa, and any HIPAA-adjacent vertical

CAN-SPAM (Email): Your email must include your business name, physical address, and a way for the recipient to opt out. Do not send from a personal Gmail account with no unsubscribe path.

For a complete TCPA breakdown for review requests, see TCPA and SMS review requests.

For the customer's review link (the URL in each template), see how to create and share your Google review link.

SMS Templates

SMS works best under 160 characters (one segment). Where the template runs longer, trim to your actual business name and a shortened review link. All templates assume the customer has already given explicit SMS opt-in.

General Service Business (Plumbing, HVAC, Auto Repair, Locksmith)

Standard — same day or next morning:

Hi [First Name], thanks for trusting [Business Name] today. If you have 60 seconds, a Google review would mean a lot to us: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

After a bigger job (replaces equipment, significant repair):

Hi [First Name], glad we could get that [job] sorted for you. If everything looks good, we'd love a Google review — it really helps: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

Dental Practice

Hi [First Name], thanks for coming in today. We hope you're feeling comfortable! If you have a moment, a Google review helps us reach more patients: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

Note: Do not mention the procedure, patient status, or any health detail in the SMS body. Keep it generic.

Chiropractic or Medspa

Hi [First Name], hope you're feeling great after your visit! We'd love a Google review if you have a moment — it means a lot to us: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

Same rule applies: no mention of specific treatments, diagnoses, or conditions.

Restaurant or Food Service

Hi [First Name], thanks for dining with us at [Business Name]! We'd love to hear what you thought — leave us a quick Google review: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

Law Firm

Hi [First Name], it was a pleasure working with you. If you're comfortable doing so, a Google review would help others find the right representation. Here's the link: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

Note: Some state bar rules restrict attorney advertising and solicitation. Verify that your state allows SMS contact with former clients for this purpose before sending.

Follow-Up SMS (3–5 Days After No Review)

Use this only once, and only if the customer has not already left a review. Send via a different touch (email follow-up if the first ask was SMS, or vice versa).

Hi [First Name], just following up from [Business Name]. If you have a spare minute, a Google review makes a real difference for a small business like ours: [link] Reply STOP to opt out.

Email Templates

Email gives you more room for a personal note. Keep the body under 150 words. One CTA only — do not add links to your website, social media, or other platforms in the same message. Every competing link reduces conversion.

General Service Business — Standard

Subject: Quick favor, [First Name]?

Hi [First Name],

Thanks for choosing [Business Name] for [service, e.g., "your water heater install"] this week. We hope everything is running great.

If you have a minute, we'd really appreciate a Google review. For a local business like ours, reviews are one of the best ways new customers find us — and honest feedback from customers like you matters most.

[Leave us a Google review →] (linked to review URL)

Thanks again, [Name] [Business Name] [Phone] | [Address]

You're receiving this because you opted in to follow-up messages from us. [Unsubscribe]

Dental Practice

Subject: How was your visit, [First Name]?

Hi [First Name],

Thank you for coming in to see us at [Practice Name]. We always appreciate the trust you place in our team.

If you have a moment, leaving a Google review would help other patients find a practice they can count on. It only takes about a minute.

[Share your experience on Google →]

Warmly, [Doctor or Practice Manager Name] [Practice Name]

[Unsubscribe | Address]

Auto Repair

Subject: How's [First Name]'s [vehicle make]?

Hi [First Name],

Thanks for bringing your [vehicle] into [Shop Name]. We hope everything is running the way it should.

If you're happy with the work, a Google review helps other drivers find a shop they can trust. It takes less than a minute:

[Leave a Google review →]

If anything doesn't seem right with the repair, please call us first — we stand behind our work.

[Name], [Shop Name] [Phone] | [Address]

[Unsubscribe]

Note the last paragraph: inviting customers to call if there is a problem — before they leave a review — is good customer service, not review gating. The difference: you are not routing unhappy customers away from Google, you are offering a resolution path that appears in every message. The review link is always present, unconditionally.

Restaurant Follow-Up (Email List Subscriber)

Subject: We'd love your thoughts, [First Name]

Hi [First Name],

Thank you for dining at [Restaurant Name] recently. We hope you enjoyed your meal.

If you have a moment, sharing your experience on Google helps others discover us — and we read every review.

[Leave a Google review →]

We look forward to seeing you again.

[Restaurant Name Team] [Address] | [Unsubscribe]

Medspa / Wellness

Subject: Thank you for visiting, [First Name]

Hi [First Name],

It was wonderful having you at [Business Name]. We hope you're feeling refreshed.

If you'd like to share your experience, a Google review would mean a lot to our team and help others find quality care in [City]:

[Write a Google review →]

Thank you, [Name], [Business Name] [Address] | [Unsubscribe]

In-Person Ask Scripts

Not all review requests are digital. For high-ticket services and relationship-driven businesses, a well-timed in-person ask beats any automated message.

Standard tech / service provider close:

"Really glad we could take care of that for you today. If you have a minute, a Google review helps more people find us — I can text you the link right now if that's easier."

Front desk at checkout:

"Thanks so much for coming in. We'd really appreciate it if you left us a Google review — there's a QR code on your receipt that goes right to the page."

Follow-up phone call:

"I just wanted to check in and make sure everything is going well after your [service]. [Positive response] — that's great to hear! If you'd be willing to share that on Google, it would honestly make a big difference for us."

What to Never Put in a Review Request (Any Channel)

These elements create legal or policy risk:

What to avoid Why
"If you had a great experience, please leave a review" Review gating — prohibited by Google
"Leave a 5-star review and get 10% off" Incentivized reviews — prohibited by Google and FTC
"Only if you're happy with the service" Review gating — same violation
Patient diagnosis, procedure name, or health condition (SMS/email) HIPAA exposure
"Please remove your review if we resolve your issue" Review suppression — FTC violation
Sending without opt-in consent (SMS) TCPA violation, up to $1,500 per message

Putting It Together: A Simple Two-Touch Sequence

The highest-converting approach for most local service businesses is a two-touch sequence:

  1. SMS within 1–2 hours of job close (or same day for appointments) — short, personal, direct link
  2. Email 3–5 days later if no review posted — slightly more detail, same single CTA

That is it. No third message to the same customer. No reminder the day after the first message. The customer either acted or did not — a second touch catches a different moment, not a different motivation.

For the bigger picture on building consistent review volume across all channels, read how to ask customers for reviews and how to get more Google reviews.

GBP Autopilot automates this two-touch sequence — TCPA-compliant SMS, timed correctly, followed by email — so you never have to remember to send it manually. It costs $29–49/mo, no annual contract.

Sources

[^1]: Prohibited & Restricted Content — Maps User Generated Content Policy, Google [^2]: TCPA Compliance for SMS Marketing — ActiveProspect [^3]: SMS vs. Email Open Rates — TextingOnly