The short answer: the businesses with the most Google reviews simply ask every happy customer, at the moment the job is done, with a direct link sent by text. Make it a fixed part of finishing a job, keep the message short and personal, and reply to every review you get. Most people are happy to leave one — they just need to be asked and shown where.

Why reviews matter so much

They help you rank in Google Maps. The number, freshness and quality of your reviews are part of how Google decides who shows in the top three.
They win the comparison. When someone is choosing between three tradies, 40 recent five-star reviews beats 4 from two years ago.
They answer questions for you. Customers mentioning “on time”, “tidy” and “fair price” do your selling.

Step 1: Get your review link

In your Google Business Profile, find “Ask for reviews” or “Get more reviews”. It gives you a short link that opens the review box directly. Save it in your phone.

Step 2: Ask at the right moment

The best time is right after the job, when the customer has just told you they’re happy. A week later, the moment has passed. If they say “this looks great”, that’s your cue.

Step 3: Send a short, personal text

Something like this works well:

“Hi Sarah, thanks again for having us today. If you’re happy with the new deck, would you mind leaving a quick Google review? It really helps a small local business like ours. Here’s the link: [your link]. Cheers, Mike”

Use their name, mention the actual job, and keep it short. Text gets far better responses than email.

Step 4: Make it a habit, not a campaign

A burst of 20 reviews in one week, then nothing for a year, looks odd and does less than a steady trickle. Ask after every job. If you finish five jobs a week and half leave a review, you’ll have more than 100 within a year.

Step 5: Reply to every review

Thank people by name and mention the job. For a bad review, stay calm, apologise for their experience, and offer to sort it out offline. Future customers read your replies more than the complaint.

What not to do

Don’t offer discounts or freebies for reviews. It breaks Google’s rules and can get reviews removed.
Don’t write fake reviews or ask friends to pretend to be customers.
Don’t only ask the customers you’re sure will give five stars (“review gating”). Ask everyone.

Make it automatic

If you’re likely to forget, automate it: a text that goes out with your review link when a job is marked complete in your job management software. It’s one of the simplest automations you can set up.

Reviews are one part of getting found locally. For the rest, see the Google Business Profile checklist, or get a free audit of where you stand.