First customers
How to get reviews for a new business
Get your first reviews with no track record: ask at the moment of success, make it a two-minute link, offer a small thank-you, and start with the customers most invested in you.
- 3 August 2026
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How do I get reviews for a brand new business with no customers yet?
Ask your first 10–20 customers directly, one at a time, right after their first success with the product — not on a delay and not in a generic mass email. A direct personal ask converts 30–50% of happy customers into a review; an automated email sent days later converts under 5%. A small thank-you (discount, credit) roughly doubles response.
Last updated 3 August 2026
| Method | Timing | Typical response rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal ask right after success | Immediately | 30–50% |
| Automated email, same day | Day 0 | 10–15% |
| Automated email, one week later | Day 7+ | Under 5% |
| Ask with small incentive attached | Any of the above | Roughly double the base rate |
Do this
The steps, in order.
- Step 1
Identify the moment of first success
The point where the customer got the result they wanted — not signup, not payment. Reviews written from a moment of genuine satisfaction read as more credible and are easier to get.
- Step 2
Ask one person at a time, by name
A message to 'all users' gets ignored. 'Hey [name], glad the setup worked out — would you mind leaving two lines on [platform]?' gets answered.
- Step 3
Send a direct link, not a homepage
Link straight to the review form pre-loaded if the platform allows it. Every extra click loses a chunk of people who said yes.
- Step 4
Offer something small in return, disclosed honestly
A discount on the next month or a small credit, offered for any honest review not just a positive one, where the platform's terms allow it.
- Step 5
Ask again from a different angle later
Someone who didn't respond to an email might respond to a text or an in-app prompt. Vary the channel, not the frequency of nagging.
Worth knowing
The bits people get wrong.
With zero customers, the first few reviews have to be earned one conversation at a time; there's no volume shortcut. Treat the first 10 as a manual, high-touch process rather than trying to automate a system that doesn't have enough customers yet to run through it.
Check the review platform's rules before offering incentives — many prohibit paying for positive reviews specifically, though rewarding the act of leaving an honest review (regardless of star rating) is usually fine.
Questions
Follow-up questions.
How many reviews does a new business need to look credible?
Somewhere around 5–10 genuine reviews is usually the point where visitors stop treating the absence of reviews as a red flag. Below that, even one or two honest reviews help more than none.
Is it okay to ask customers directly for a review?
Yes, direct personal asks are standard practice and typically convert far better than automated requests. What crosses the line is offering payment specifically for positive reviews, which most platforms prohibit.
Should I ask unhappy customers for reviews too?
Address the problem first. Asking an unresolved unhappy customer for a review usually produces the negative review you were trying to avoid.
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