Here’s an uncomfortable truth: most of your customers will never leave you a review. They’ll come in, get great service, pay their bill, drive away happy — and never say a word online.
Meanwhile, the handful who do leave reviews have an outsized impact on whether the next customer chooses you or your competitor down the street.
So who’s actually writing these reviews? And more importantly, how do you get more of the good ones?
The Compulsive Rater
You know this person. They review everything. The coffee shop, the dry cleaner, the gas station bathroom. Their phone is out before the transaction is even complete.
For businesses, these folks are gold — if you impress them. Give them a great experience, and they become walking billboards. They’ll recommend you to friends, family, and hundreds of strangers on the internet without you ever asking.
The Negative Hater
This is the person who rarely leaves reviews… until something goes wrong. They feel wronged, betrayed, taken advantage of. And now they’re going to tell the world.
Here’s the painful math: unhappy customers are far more motivated to leave reviews than happy ones. One bad experience can generate a scathing review, while ten great experiences might generate nothing.
The key with negative reviews isn’t avoiding them — it’s responding well. A thoughtful, professional response can actually turn a negative review into a demonstration of how much you care about getting things right.
The Genuine Greater
This is the reviewer you want most. They’re not compulsive reviewers, and they’re not angry. They simply had an experience good enough to move them to action.
These reviews are authentic, specific, and incredibly valuable. They mention real interactions, real employees, real problems that got solved. When potential customers read these, they see themselves.
Getting More of the Right Reviews
You can’t manufacture genuine reviews. But you can create the conditions for them:
Deliver beyond expectations. Not just good service — memorable service. The kind that makes someone think, “Wow, that was different.”
Make it easy. Send a follow-up text or email with a direct link to your Google review page. Remove every possible barrier.
Ask at the right moment. Right after you’ve solved a problem or delivered great news is when customers are most likely to say yes.
Actually care. Customers can smell a review-farming operation from a mile away. Focus on the experience first; the reviews follow.
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Want a marketing partner who handles the details while you run your business? Contact AMG — we’ll build a strategy that brings in the right customers and helps you keep them.
