A review request SMS lives or dies on three things: timing, tone, and simplicity. Send it too late and the experience has faded. Make it sound corporate and customers feel like a statistic. Make it too long and they won't read it.
The templates below are formatted to stay under 160 characters (one SMS segment), feel personal, and include the opt-out required by CASL and TCPA regulations. Replace the bracketed placeholders with your business name, customer name, and review link.
General templates (any business type)
Template 1 — Short and direct
Hi [Name], thanks for visiting [Business] today! Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Template 2 — Friendly tone
[Business]: Hi [Name]! We loved having you in. If you have 30 seconds, a Google review means the world to us: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Template 3 — Emphasis on speed
Hi [Name] — [Business] here. Takes 30 seconds: how was your visit? Leave us a quick review here: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Industry-specific templates
Template 4 — Dental / medical clinic
Hi [Name], thanks for choosing [Clinic] today. We hope your appointment went well! Share your experience: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Template 5 — Hair salon / beauty
[Salon]: Hi [Name], hope you're loving your new look! If you enjoyed your visit, a quick Google review helps us grow: [Link] Reply STOP.
Template 6 — Auto service / repair shop
Hi [Name], your vehicle is ready and we hope everything's running smoothly! Mind sharing a quick review? [Business]: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Template 7 — Restaurant / café
[Restaurant]: Hi [Name], hope you enjoyed your meal! We'd love to hear your thoughts — it only takes a minute: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Template 8 — Fitness / gym
Hi [Name]! Great seeing you at [Gym] today. If you're enjoying your membership, we'd love a Google review: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
Follow-up templates (sent 48–72 hours later)
Template 9 — Gentle follow-up
Hi [Name], just a quick follow-up from [Business]. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate a Google review: [Link] Thanks! Reply STOP to opt out.
Template 10 — Final follow-up
[Business]: Hi [Name], last reminder — your feedback genuinely helps us improve. Leave a review here: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out.
What makes a good review request SMS?
Include your business name
Customers receive texts from numbers they don't recognize every day. If your first word isn't your business name, they may assume it's spam and ignore it. Starting with "[Business]:" or "Hi [Name], [Business] here" immediately establishes context.
Use their first name
Personalization increases response rates measurably. It signals the message was sent intentionally, not blasted to thousands of people.
Keep it under 160 characters
One SMS segment means the message arrives instantly and displays without truncation. Long messages split into multiple parts and feel like an email.
Always include opt-out language
"Reply STOP to opt out" is required under Canada's CASL legislation and the US FCC TCPA regulations for commercial messages. It protects you legally and increases trust — customers are more likely to engage with a message that gives them control.
Timing matters more than copy
The best-written template sent a week late will underperform a simple message sent 2–4 hours after the customer visit. Prioritize same-day delivery, automated or manual.
Automating your templates
Sending templates manually is unsustainable at scale. With iducomm, you create your template once, set the send timing, and the system handles every customer automatically. Your review link, customer name, and business name are filled in dynamically — and opt-outs are processed instantly.