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Ask for a Review

When to use this

You just closed a deal and your client is thrilled. That's the moment to ask — not weeks later when the feeling has worn off. But a generic "please leave me a review" rarely lands well. Use this to write a short, warm message that's easy to send and easy for them to act on.

It works for any closing: buyer, seller, rental, or referral.

The prompt

Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Fill in the brackets.

You're helping me ask a satisfied client for an online review after closing.
Write a short, warm, personal message I can send by text or email.

Details:
- Client name: [first name or first names]
- One highlight of the deal: [e.g. "we found them a home in a tough market,"
  "I helped them sell above asking," "we closed in 21 days"]
- Where I'd like the review: [Google / Zillow / both]
- Tone: [friendly and warm / professional / casual]

Rules:
- Open with something personal — reference the highlight, not a generic
  "it was great working with you."
- Keep it under 80 words.
- Include ONE clear call to action with a placeholder for the direct review
  link: [YOUR GOOGLE REVIEW LINK] or [YOUR ZILLOW REVIEW LINK].
- Do NOT offer or imply any reward, discount, gift, or incentive for leaving
  a review.
- Do NOT ask them to only leave a positive review — the ask must be open
  to honest feedback.
- End on a warm, low-pressure note. No guilt, no urgency.

Before and after

What you start with — your rough idea before the prompt:

Hey! If you have a second, would you mind leaving me a Google review? It would really help me out. Thanks so much!

What you get back:

Hi Sarah and James — finding you that corner unit in a market this tight was genuinely one of my favorite moments this year. If you're up for it, I'd love it if you shared your honest experience: [YOUR GOOGLE REVIEW LINK]. No pressure at all — I just wanted you to know how much this one meant to me.

The rewrite names a moment they'll actually remember, makes the ask feel personal, and leaves zero pressure.

Make it yours

  • Send it while it's fresh. The day of closing or the day after works best. Waiting a week cuts response rates in half.
  • Text over email. A short text gets read and acted on faster. Save email for clients who prefer it.
  • Make the link one tap. Go to your Google Business Profile or Zillow agent page, copy the direct review URL, and paste it in before you send. A link that takes two steps loses people.
  • One platform, not both. Asking for reviews on two platforms in the same message feels like homework. Pick the one that matters most to your business right now.
  • Customize the highlight. Swap in the exact detail that made this deal memorable. The more specific it is, the more it sounds like you.

Watch out for

Don't offer anything in exchange. The FTC's Rule on Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (effective October 2024) prohibits offering payment, discounts, gifts, or any incentive in exchange for a review. Google's policy says the same: no "payment, discounts, free goods and/or services in exchange for posting any review." The prompt enforces this, but double-check any edits you make before you send.

Don't screen clients before you ask. Review gating means sending the ask only to clients you expect to be happy, while skipping the ones who had a rough experience. Google explicitly prohibits it: "discouraging or prohibiting negative reviews, or selectively soliciting positive reviews from customers." Ask everyone, or set a neutral policy — for example, every closed transaction. The prompt keeps the ask open to honest feedback, which is the right posture.

Reviews must be genuine. Both the FTC and Google require reviews to reflect real, firsthand experience. Don't coach clients on what to say, ask them to mention a specific detail, or suggest a rating. Let them write what they actually experienced.