Templates

After-the-job scripts, for the work that follows

Six messages for after the invoice is paid — a same-day thank-you, a review ask (with one nudge, then a stop), a referral ask, a seasonal check-in, and a low-key win-back — fill in your details once at the top of this page and every script below rewrites itself.

The job that comes after this one is usually already in your client list — a client who was happy doesn’t automatically send more work your way just because they were happy. Repeat and referred work is the cheapest work a solo operator will ever win, and it almost never happens on its own; someone has to actually ask.

These six scripts cover the whole arc after a job is done: a same-day thank-you, a review ask while it’s fresh (with one follow-up nudge, then a stop), a referral ask once a client’s come back a second time, a seasonal check-in for recurring work, and a low-key win-back for a client who’s gone quiet. Fill in your details once at the top of this page and every script below updates to match.

None of this needs a sales voice. The same idea runs through all six, and through the payment and quote scripts in the other packs in this library: say the thing plainly, make the ask specific, and give the other person an easy way to say no.

Scripts

Script 01 · Same day, job done

Subject: Thanks, [Client name] — job’s done

Hi [Client name], Thanks for having [Your business] out today — [what you did], all done. [Anything to keep an eye on / care instructions], and if anything comes up, just reach out. Invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] is on its way separately, due [Due date] — nothing else needed from you right now. [Your name]

Why it works A same-day thank-you, while the work’s still fresh, reads as care rather than a sales pitch — and keeping it separate from the invoice means “thank you” and “please pay me” don’t get mashed into one slightly awkward message.

Script 02 · 2–3 days later

Subject: Quick favor, [Client name]?

Hi [Client name], Glad it worked out — if you have two minutes, a review would mean a lot: [review link]. A line about [what you did] is even more useful to the next person than a star rating on its own. No pressure at all if now’s not a good time. [Your name]

Why it works Asking while the work is still fresh gets a more specific, more useful review than asking weeks later, and naming “no pressure” up front keeps the ask from reading as an obligation.

Script 03 · One nudge, then stop

Text

Hi [Client name], just a quick one — if you get a spare minute for that review, here’s the link again: [review link]. No worries either way!

Why it works One short nudge covers the case where the first ask got buried in an inbox; a second one after that reads as pressure, not a reminder.

Script 04 · After the second job

Subject: A small ask, [Client name]

Hi [Client name], Thanks again for having [Your business] back — a second job from the same client means a lot. If you know [anyone else on the street who could use similar work], I’d really appreciate the introduction; feel free to just forward this along as-is. [Your name]

Why it works Naming exactly who you want the introduction to — not just “anyone” — gives a client something concrete to act on instead of a vague ask they’ll mean to follow up on and forget.

Script 05 · 6 or 12 months on

Subject: Time for [the annual service / next clean / next shoot]?

Hi [Client name], It’s been about [6 months / a year] since [Your business] was last out for you — usually about when [the annual service / the next clean / a seasonal shoot] is due. Want to get something on the calendar? No rush if the timing’s not right yet — just flagging it before it slips. [Your name]

Why it works A reminder tied to an actual service interval reads as a helpful heads-up, not a pitch, because it’s genuinely useful information the client would otherwise have to track themselves.

Script 06 · A year of silence

Subject: Checking in, [Client name]

Hi [Client name], It’s been a while since [Your business] did any work for you, so just checking in — no particular reason, and no obligation either way. Happy to help if something’s come up; if not, no worries at all, and thanks for the work we did get to do together. [Your name]

Why it works One low-key message with an easy no costs nothing, and occasionally reopens work that lapsed for reasons that had nothing to do with the work itself.

Questions

Can I offer a discount in exchange for a review?

No — offering an incentive for a review breaches most platforms’ policies (Google’s policies prohibit offering payment, discounts, or free goods and services in exchange for a review outright), and in the US the FTC’s Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials makes it unlawful to give compensation or other incentives conditioned — expressly or by implication — on a review expressing a particular sentiment. Disclosing the incentive doesn’t fix that. Incentivize referrals instead — a discount for a friend a client sends your way is a different thing, and it’s allowed.

What if I don’t think they’ll leave a good one?

Ask everyone the same way — deliberately asking only your happiest clients, sometimes called “review gating,” is against Google’s review policies. If you’re worried about a specific job, ask privately first what went wrong, fix what you can, and then ask for the review once it’s resolved, rather than quietly skipping the ask for that client.

How soon after the job should I ask for a review?

While it’s still fresh — two to three days after, once the client’s had a chance to actually see or use the finished work, but before the details fade. Waiting weeks tends to get a vaguer review, if you get one at all.

What if a client doesn’t respond to a check-in or win-back message?

Leave it there. One message with an easy no is the whole play — following up again reads as pressure, and pressure is exactly what makes a quiet client go quieter.

Want to stop relying on remembering?

You send these yourself — no software writes a thank-you worth reading. The part that actually slips is knowing a message is due at all: which client came back a second time, who is six months past their last visit, who has gone quiet for a year. BizBinder’s client book keeps who you did what for and when, and “what’s due this week” puts follow-ups on the same list as your jobs and invoices, so the moment to send one stops depending on your memory.

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