5 Stars: How to Get Reviews For Your Small Business Or Startup

Does your business deserve a five-star rating? Do you work your tail off to make sure you get the best customer service reviews, only to get nothing? Most startups and small and medium businesses (SMBs) are missing out on a structured approach to getting reviews. So, as a business owner doing everything, how are you supposed to ask for reviews without scaring your customers away?

If you’re still crossing your fingers and hoping happy customers will leave reviews on their own, you’re in the right place. This article will showcase how to get five-star reviews for your growing business, with little to no budget. Let’s dig in. 

What we’ll cover:

• What are customer reviews and why do they matter?
• Why small businesses struggle to get reviews
• When and how to ask for reviews
• Tools and techniques to collect reviews at scale
• Turning reviews into revenue growth
• Get reviews for your small business the smart way

What are customer reviews and why do they matter?

A customer review is shared authentic feedback about real experiences with your business. Ratings or reviews can be on Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, and industry-specific review sites. They can also be simple testimonials, business referrals, or simply an Instagram post. Reviews are everywhere, and your business should be too. 

Reviews build credibility, improve local search rankings, provide valuable customer insights, and serve as social proof that influences buying decisions. They act as a filtering system that customers use to quickly assess whether your business meets their needs and standards. Products with several reviews significantly outperform those without any customer feedback. And, for SMBs competing against larger companies, grabbing positive reviews boosts customer experiences and gets you on the map.

Why small businesses struggle to get reviews

Many small businesses don’t have a set process, worry about negative feedback, or simply forget to follow up. The truth is, most customers are willing to write a review‌ — ‌they just need a nudge. Here’s what usually holds SMBs back:

• No consistent workflow to request reviews
• Fear of negative responses
• Limited time or tools to track and manage

According to the latest edition of Salesforce’s Small and Medium Business Trends Report, 76% of small businesses that embrace smart technology trends are experiencing growth. Using customer relationship management (CRM) to collect and manage data (such as customer information and reviews) is one of the easiest ways to build trust and increase visibility.

When and how to ask for reviews

So, how do you ask for a review without sounding pushy, and when is the right time to ask? Here are some tips, tools, and strategies to win over your customers with the right review components. 

Find the perfect moment

The right time to ask for a review is typically after a customer has had a positive experience with your brand, such as after a successful purchase or after they’ve had time to fully use what they’ve bought. It will depend on the product and industry — but there are a few things to consider.

For instance, an ecommerce business might request reviews a few days after a product has been delivered, while a service provider might ask after a subscription is renewed. Timing is important as it increases the likelihood of receiving constructive and enthusiastic feedback when the experience is still fresh in the customer’s mind.

Choose the right channels 

The best approach depends on two things: your customer communication preferences and your business model. To effectively ask for reviews, you can choose the channels that are most convenient for your customers online and start there. Try your three top channels: email, social, and web. 

Email campaigns are a popular choice because it allows for personalized requests and can be automated based on customer interactions. Social media, where customers are already actively engaged with your brand, offers a natural space to ask for feedback. And, your website, which is where your customer reviews will live for all to see. 

Give it a personal touch

The best review requests feel human and thoughtful. Instead of sending a generic “Please leave us a review”, try something more specific and relatable. Keep it easy, genuine, and relevant to their experience.

For example: “Thanks again for partnering with us, it was so nice working with you on (Project name). If you have a minute, we’d love to hear how it went — your feedback could really help others looking for similar support.”

Tools and techniques to collect reviews at scale

According to our research, 75% of SMBs are experimenting with AI, and 91% report it’s helping drive revenue. That means that you can rely on smart tools to gather reviews, too. 

Here are a few review management tools to try:

• Trustpilot for collecting and managing customer reviews across multiple platforms
• Yotpo for gathering reviews and user-generated content
• ReviewTrackers for monitoring and analyzing online reviews
• Salesforce helps you keep customer relationships organized and gives context to understand their feedback.

Build your review collection system

Map your customer journey and identify when customers are happiest with your service. AI-powered automated email can be timed to key moments, like after a purchase or resolved support case. The key is to ask consistently without overwhelming customers.

A CRM works as your single source of truth. It doesn’t collect, or publish reviews, but it gives you the full picture of customer interactions and context behind their feedback. And, with AI, you can spot patterns in that data and refine when and how you ask for reviews.

Use a CRM to track your reviews

A CRM helps you see the bigger picture behind customer feedback. It brings together all interactions, from purchases to support conversations, so you can identify when customers are most engaged and what experiences drive positive reviews. Starter Suite gives small teams simple tools like email campaigns and contact tracking. Pro Suite adds automation and deeper insights for growing businesses. AI helps spot patterns in this data, making it easier to time feedback requests and connect reviews to your broader customer journey.

Turning reviews into revenue growth

Collecting reviews is just the starting point. The real value comes from how you respond and what you learn. Responding shows that you care and builds long-term trust.

Personalize and automate responses that build trust

Agentforce can now handle responses for you. Thank people for positive reviews and address any negative ones transparently. A short, specific reply can turn a complaint into a second chance. Agentforce can also draft replies that sound human, acknowledge concerns, and offer a way forward. This saves time while keeping your responses consistent across platforms.

Use reviews in your marketing

It’s time to turn a review into a return. Showcase customer testimonials and reviews on your website to build trust with potential customers and improve conversion rates. Share positive reviews on social media platforms to create engaging content and encourage user-generated content.

You can even use detailed customer reviews to create case studies or testimonials that can be used in sales materials and marketing campaigns. And, always encourage customers to leave reviews on your business listing to improve your local search engine rankings. 

Turn reviews into business intelligence

Reviews provide valuable business intelligence beyond marketing value. They reveal what matters to your customers, what’s missing, and what’s worth doubling down on. AI tools like Salesforce can analyze patterns, like repeated complaints and help you fix issues permanently.

Higher star ratings don’t just look good‌ — ‌they bring in more revenue. Reviews help you get found, get clicked, and get chosen. They improve local search visibility, improve click-through rates (CTR), and offer social proof that lowers customer acquisition costs (CAC).

Get reviews for your small business the smart way

Getting reviews can be simple with the right tools and techniques. With a little human connection and an AI touch, you can be the five-star business you were born to be. And, Salesforce helps you automate this process with incoming review requests, responding faster, and turning customer feedback into real business results. Whether you’re just starting or scaling fast, there’s a Salesforce CRM that fits your needs.

Start your journey with Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations and try out Agentforce 360 today.

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.

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