Getting customers to review your business may not be as difficult as you think. I’ve encountered many simple, effective approaches that all boil down to the same thing: Ask for them.

Surprisingly, there are many different ways you can ask.

• Once, when I ordered something online, it arrived with a little slip of paper that said something along the lines of: “Thank you for your purchase. If you are happy with it, please leave a review at (url of your profile page on review service of choice).
• An auto shop was even more to the point. I told the mechanic I found him through a review service and asked if he could do an oil change within a certain amount of time. He said he could, he did and he charged a reasonable price. After I paid him, he said that if I could write a review about his service, he’d appreciate it.
• Include links on your email signature, websites and blogs to your preferred review service. A simple line, such as: “Tell us how we’re doing! Review us on [review service].” And then link to your profile so your customers don’t have to search for you.

And if a customer does write a review — particularly a positive, thoughtful one — don’t forget to thank them. When my mechanic encountered a new client and asked her how she found out about him, she mentioned my review, where I wrote that he was honest, fair and communicative. When I saw him again, he told me about the new client and thanked me. I was really pleased to hear that something I wrote had helped. The whole experience was a very positive one. And it started with a simple question.