How often you ask for reviews is a question that sounds simple but has real stakes. Ask too frequently and you create friction and resentment. Ask too infrequently and you leave reviews on the table that could be driving more business right now.
Here's the framework that gets the frequency right.
The One-Ask-Per-Transaction Rule
The default rule for most businesses: ask once per transaction, with one follow-up.
An initial request, followed by a single follow-up 48 to 72 hours later if the customer hasn't responded, is the standard cadence. Beyond that, you're in diminishing returns territory. Customers who haven't responded after two messages aren't going to respond after a third, and the additional message does real damage to how they feel about your brand.
Why this rule works:
- Each transaction represents a discrete experience worth evaluating
- The follow-up captures the significant percentage of people who intended to review but got distracted
- Stopping after two messages respects that a non-response is a signal
The Exception: Repeat Customers
For customers who return regularly, applying the per-transaction rule creates a review request every single visit, which is absurd. Imagine going to the same coffee shop weekly and getting a review request each time.
For recurring customers, the right frequency depends on the relationship:
Regular frequent customers (weekly or monthly visitors): Ask once per year, ideally around a natural moment of gratitude (anniversary of their first visit, after a milestone experience, around the holidays).
Seasonal or project-based customers (annual or quarterly engagement): Ask at the completion of each major engagement. A landscaping customer who hires you for spring and fall cleanups can be asked after each one, since each represents a discrete completed project.
Long-term service contracts (monthly or annual retainers): Ask once per contract year. The exception is if the relationship or service has materially changed, which creates a natural new context for feedback.
Suppression Lists and Why They Protect Your Brand
A suppression list is a database of customers who should not receive review requests. Every review management system should maintain one.
Who belongs on it:
- Customers who have already left a review: No need to ask again after they've converted
- Customers who have explicitly opted out: If someone unsubscribes from your review requests or asks to stop receiving messages, they go on this list permanently
- Customers with active complaints or disputes: Never send a review request to someone who is currently in a dispute with your business. The request itself will feel tone-deaf and could inflame the situation
- Customers you've assessed as likely to leave negative reviews: If internal notes indicate a customer had a poor experience that wasn't fully resolved, suppress the request
Maintaining a clean suppression list prevents the most common ways that review request programs create brand damage.
The 12-Month Recycle for Long-Term Customers
For customers who've been with you for more than a year and left a review at some point in the past, a 12-month recycle is appropriate in most industries. The reasoning: their experience has continued to evolve, they may have new perspectives to share, and a fresh review has more recency value to your profile than their year-old one.
The ask in this context should acknowledge the history: "Hi Name, it's been over a year since your last visit. We've made some improvements we're really proud of and would love to hear how we're doing now if you have a moment."
This framing signals awareness and respect for the relationship rather than a generic blast.
How to Handle Customers Who Opt Out
When a customer unsubscribes from review requests or explicitly tells staff they don't want to receive them:
- Add them to your suppression list immediately and permanently
- Honor the opt-out across all channels (if they opt out of SMS, don't send email instead)
- Do not interpret opt-out as a negative signal about their experience. Many perfectly satisfied customers simply don't want marketing messages.
The FTC's rules around text message marketing (and GDPR for European-adjacent compliance considerations) give customers the right to opt out. Honoring opt-outs is both a legal requirement and a basic respect issue.
Frequency Guidelines by Business Type
| Business Type | Recommended Frequency |
|---|---|
| Restaurant / cafe | Once per 3 to 6 visits, or once per 6 months for regulars |
| Home services (one-time) | Once per project, with one follow-up |
| Salon / spa | Once per 5 to 8 visits, or seasonally |
| Healthcare | Once per care episode or annual wellness visit |
| Retail (e-commerce) | Once per order, suppressed after first review |
| Professional services (ongoing) | Once per contract year |
| Hotel / accommodation | Once per stay |
The goal is a cadence that feels natural given the relationship, not one that maximizes the number of messages sent. More messages is not the goal. More reviews, from customers who feel respected, is the goal.
Laudy manages suppression lists, follow-up timing, and review request frequency automatically so you never have to worry about asking too much or too little. Try it free at /signup.