Most managed service providers (MSPs) know they should collect Google reviews.
But few realize how much money they’re leaving on the table by treating them as an afterthought.
After reviewing the marketing data for hundreds of MSPs using our platform, mspsites.com, I’ve noticed a clear pattern:
Once an MSP crosses 100 Google reviews, their conversion rate from website visitor → booked call jumps by over 40 percent.
That’s not luck. That’s leverage.
So why do so many still struggle to build a steady flow of reviews?
Because they think of it as a “favor” to ask for, instead of a system to install.
The psychology behind why reviews work
Business owners don’t believe marketing copy.
They believe other business owners.
When a prospect searches “IT support near me” and sees one MSP with 117 reviews and another with 11, the decision is over before the first click.
Reviews are digital word-of-mouth, the most persuasive kind, and they build trust long before your salesperson ever says a word.
Why most MSPs fail at review collection
It’s rarely a lack of effort. It’s a lack of process.
- Engineers are too shy to ask after closing a ticket.
- The “Leave us a review” link is buried three clicks deep.
- The moment of client satisfaction passes before anyone captures it.
Reviews have to live inside your workflow, not outside of it.
When collection depends on memory, it dies in good intentions.
The “Catch Me at My Best” play
This is one of the most effective (and most human) review strategies I’ve ever seen.
I first got the idea while staying at a campground last summer. On every picnic table, they had a small sign with a QR code that said:
“Catch Me at My Best”
If you had a great experience with a staff member, please recognize them by name in a Google review.
It wasn’t about the company. It was about the people.
So I adapted it for MSPs.
Now, instead of a generic “leave us a review” link, each engineer’s email signature includes a banner that says:
This small change reframes the request from “help our company” to “help celebrate a person who helped you.”
And that shift makes all the difference.
Clients love shouting out individuals who go above and beyond.
Those reviews tend to be longer, more detailed, and more genuine, which in turn helps your MSP stand out on Google and boosts team morale when their names start appearing in five-star reviews.
The follow up call
I know many MSPs hate getting on the phone, but trust me, this simple system that works wonders:
- Follow up on closed tickets within 48 hours:
“I’m calling to follow up on the ticket you submitted earlier this week. It looks like it was closed, but we didn’t receive any feedback from you so I wanted to make sure that everything was completely resolved.”
- If the issues was not completely resolved:
“I’m glad I called back then. I can re-open that ticket for you. What issues are you still facing?”
- If the issues was resolved:
“I’m glad to hear (engineer name) was able to help you with that. Would it be okay if I sent over a link to leave a Google review about your experience? If you mention (engineer name) by name it will help them out.”
The key is timing.
Ask right after the client feels the win, when gratitude is highest and friction is lowest.
Automate it inside your PSA
Your tech team already closes tickets.
Let your system close the loop.
Set up a workflow so that when a ticket is marked “Resolved – Happy”, an automated review request goes out immediately.
Use conditional logic to skip unhappy responses, and rotate which engineer’s name or signature appears in the message.
That’s how the best MSPs quietly collect 10–15 new reviews every month without adding more to anyone’s to-do list.
How to start your own review flywheel
- Pick a single trigger event.
Ticket close, project handoff, or quarterly review.
- Make the request emotional, not transactional.
“Catch me at my best” beats “Please leave feedback.”
- Assign ownership.
Someone must track weekly review counts. What gets measured gets multiplied.
- Celebrate progress publicly.
Shout out engineers whose names appear in reviews. Recognition breeds repetition.
Within weeks, the team starts competing for stars, and clients start noticing.
From “nice to have” to sales weapon
When prospects see 100 + five-star reviews, each mentioning fast response, friendly engineers, and smooth projects, they assume one thing:
“If everyone says they’re great, they’re probably great.”
That means your sales team begins every call halfway to the close.
Instead of proving credibility, they can focus on matching fit.
It’s the quietest competitive edge you’ll ever build.
The challenge
The truth is, most MSPs already have the potential to dominate locally.
They’ve got the skills, the team, and the clients who love them.
What they’re missing is the system.
When you combine the right tools with the right process, like automating review collection, building emotional connection through your engineers, and turning reputation into results, everything clicks.
That’s exactly what we’ve built inside MSPSites.com.
It’s the platform, playbooks, and coaching that turn marketing from guesswork into a growth engine, and it’s working for hundreds of MSPs right now.
If you’re ready to plug in the missing piece of your marketing puzzle, book a 1:1 growth call with my team and see how fast it can start working for you.
Photo: prostock_studio / Shutterstock
