Most businesses don't have a review problem because customers don't like them. They have a review problem because nobody ever asked. Asking well is a habit, not a script, and it doesn't require sounding like you're begging.
Ask at the moment the work is freshest
The best time to ask is right after the job is done and the customer is standing there looking at the result, not three weeks later in a follow-up email they'll skim past. If you're doing the work in person, ask out loud before you leave. If it's a phone-based service, ask in the same call or text thread where you already have their attention.
Make the ask specific, not general
"If you have a minute, we'd appreciate a Google review" is easy to ignore because it asks for effort with no clear payoff. A better version names what you actually want them to mention: "If you get a chance, a quick review mentioning how fast we got here would help other people in the same situation." Specific asks get more specific, useful reviews.
Send the link, don't make them find it
Every extra step between "yes, I'll do it" and actually leaving the review loses people. A direct link to your Google Business Profile's review form, sent by text right after the job, converts far better than "just search us on Google."
Never offer anything in exchange
Offering a discount, a gift card, or anything of value for a review violates Google's own policies on fake engagement and can get a business profile suspended entirely. See review gating: what it is and why it's against the rules for what's actually off-limits and why it's not worth the risk.
It's fine to ask everyone, even repeat customers
Some businesses hesitate to ask a customer they've served multiple times, worried it looks repetitive. It doesn't. A fresh review dated this year carries more weight with future customers than one from three years ago, since recency is one of the things people actually check.
Questions
How soon after the job should I ask?
Same day, ideally within the hour. Waiting even a few days measurably lowers the response rate.
What if a customer says yes but never follows through?
One polite follow-up text a few days later is reasonable. More than that starts to feel like pressure, and pressure is what makes review requests feel pushy in the first place.
Should I ask in person, by text, or by email?
Text tends to outperform email for response rate, since it's read faster and the link is one tap away. In-person asks work well when you're already there, followed by a text with the direct link so they don't have to remember to search for you later.