In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the process of automating review requests for your sales pipeline using HighLevel. Automating reviews is a highly requested feature, especially for businesses that rely on reviews for credibility and customer feedback. Whether you’re an agency managing client leads or a business owner, this process will streamline your workflow and ensure you request reviews after services are completed.
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Want this tutorial in video format? It’s super helpful. You can watch it below!
If you’re looking for the rest of this workshop series be sure to check out Part 1: How to Build a Lead Management Pipeline and Part 2: Lead Segmentation Automation for Opportunity Pipelines.
Let’s get started by setting up an automated review request system inside HighLevel.
Why Automate Review Requests?
Automating the process of requesting reviews ensures that every completed service is followed up with a request for feedback. This system helps increase the number of reviews you collect without the need for manual input, improving your online reputation and SEO, particularly if you’re directing customers to leave reviews on Google.
Step 1: Setting Up the Review Request System in HighLevel
First, we’ll go into the Reputation Management section of HighLevel to enable automated review requests.
- Navigate to Reputation: On the left-hand side of your dashboard, click on the “Reputation” tab.
- Enable Email Review Requests: Once in the Reputation section, go to Settings, then select Email Review Requests. By default, this feature is turned off, so you’ll need to enable it.
- Customize the Subject Line: Set the subject line for your review request email. Something like “How did we do?” works well for most businesses, but you can adjust it to fit your brand’s tone.
- Set the Timing for the Request: Choose when you want the review request to be sent after the service is completed. For example, you can send the email immediately, but you also have the option to repeat the request after a few days if no action has been taken. I recommend setting a 3-day delay with up to two retries (e.g., day 3 and day 6) to maximize response rates.
- Edit the Email Template: Open the email builder and customize the message. You can adjust the text, add or remove elements, and modify the call-to-action buttons. By default, it will use a 5-star rating system, but feel free to make any changes you find necessary.
- Insert Review Links: In the email, ensure that the button directs the recipient to your Google review page or another preferred platform. To get the Google review link, go to your business profile on Google, click “Ask for reviews,” and copy the provided link.
Once you’ve customized the email, click Save to apply the changes.
Step 2: Automating the Review Request Workflow
Now that the review request system is ready, we need to automate when it is triggered in the sales pipeline.
- Create a New Workflow: Go to the Automations tab and create a new workflow. Name it something like “Service Completed – Request Review” to make it clear.
- Set the Trigger: The trigger for this workflow will be when a lead is moved to the “Service Completed” stage in the pipeline. In the workflow builder, set the trigger to “Opportunity Stage Changed.”
- Filter by Pipeline: Select the pipeline where this automation will apply, and then specify that the trigger should activate when a lead moves to the “Service Completed” stage.
- Send Review Request: After setting the trigger, add an action to send a review request. This will use the email you customized earlier to be sent automatically after the lead reaches the “Service Completed” stage.
- Update Opportunity Status: Once the review request has been sent, update the opportunity status to “Won.” This keeps your pipeline organized by marking the lead as completed after the review request has been made.
Step 3: Customizing and Managing the Workflow
If you need more flexibility, you can add extra conditions to the workflow.
- Exclude Certain Leads from Review Requests: In some cases, you may not want to request a review from a particular lead, such as a difficult customer. You can manually move that lead to “Won” without sending a review request. Alternatively, you can add a custom field like “Do Not Request Review” and create a conditional step in the automation to bypass the review request for those leads.
- Add a Delay Before Sending the Review Request: If you’d like to give your team time to double-check whether to request a review, you can add a delay in the workflow. For example, wait two days after moving the lead to “Service Completed” before sending the review request. This provides a buffer in case your team wants to cancel the request.
Step 4: Testing the Automation
Before going live, it’s always a good idea to test the workflow:
- Move a Test Lead: Use a test lead in your pipeline, move it to the “Service Completed” stage, and check if the review request is triggered.
- Check the Review Status: Go back to the Reputation tab to confirm that the request has been sent. You’ll see the lead listed under “Pending Requests” with the option to stop the request if needed.
Final Thoughts
By setting up automated review requests in HighLevel, you’ll ensure that reviews are consistently requested from your customers without needing manual input. This process not only saves time but also helps build a stronger online presence through positive reviews.
The beauty of this system is its simplicity. It integrates directly into the sales pipeline you’re already using, making it easy to manage and modify as needed. Whether you’re an agency managing clients or a business handling your own leads, automating reviews is a critical step in maintaining customer relationships and boosting your SEO through Google reviews.
If you have further questions or need additional help with HighLevel, feel free to leave a comment or reach out for more tutorials!