If you run a cafe in Murray, you already know the competition is real. Between the local favourites that have been around for years and the newer spots popping up, customers have options. And more often than not, they're making their decision before they even walk through your door. They're searching "cafe near me" or "best coffee in Murray" on Google, scanning the star ratings, and picking whoever looks most trusted. That's where Google reviews come in. Not as a nice-to-have, but as one of the most practical tools you have for winning new customers who've never heard of you before.
Why Most Cafe Businesses Don't Have Enough Reviews
The honest answer is that most cafe owners are too busy running their business to think about this stuff. You're managing staff, dealing with suppliers, pulling shots, and keeping the front-of-house moving. Asking customers to leave a review feels awkward, and there's no system in place to make it happen consistently. The other issue is that happy customers don't leave reviews by default. They enjoy their flat white, go about their day, and forget. Unhappy customers, on the other hand, are far more motivated to share their experience. Without a deliberate process, your review count grows slowly while your competitor down the road quietly builds up 200 five-star reviews and starts showing up first in local search results.
The 5-Step Review System
Step one is getting your Google review link. Go to your Google Business Profile, find the "Get more reviews" option, and copy the short link. This is the link you'll be sharing with customers. Don't skip this step and assume people will find it themselves because they won't.
Need help with your cafe business online?
TrailMark Digital sets up and manages your Google presence for cafe businesses across Murray and all of Utah. Starts at $99.
Get more Google reviews →Step two is asking at the right moment. The best time to ask is right after a positive experience, not when someone is still waiting on their order or rushing out the door. If a customer says something like "that was great" or "we'll definitely be back," that's your moment. Train your staff to recognise it.
Step three is using text, not email. If you collect customer phone numbers through loyalty programs or bookings, a simple text message with your review link will get read. Email open rates for small local businesses are inconsistent. A short, friendly text that says "Hey, thanks for coming in today, we'd love it if you left us a quick review here" and then the link works far better.
Step four is following up once. If someone said they'd leave a review and they haven't, one follow-up reminder a few days later is completely reasonable. Don't hound people, but one nudge makes a real difference to your conversion rate.
Step five is responding to every review you receive. This matters more than most cafe owners realise. When you respond to reviews, Google sees it as engagement with your profile, and potential customers see that you actually care. Responding to a negative review professionally, without being defensive, shows people you're worth trusting. Even a quick "thanks so much, we hope to see you again soon" on a positive review takes ten seconds and builds goodwill.
What a Realistic Review Growth Timeline Looks Like for a Cafe in Murray
If you start implementing this system consistently, here's what you can reasonably expect. In the first month, you'll likely see a slow trickle as your team gets comfortable with asking and your text process gets dialled in. By month two and three, if you're getting a handful of reviews each week, you'll start to notice your Google Business Profile ranking improving for searches in the Murray area. By the six-month mark, cafes using a consistent review system typically go from 20 or 30 reviews to well over 100, and that volume of social proof genuinely moves the needle on how many new customers walk through your door.
The good news is you don't have to figure all of this out on your own. Reviews are one of the highest-leverage things you can work on right now, especially in a local market like Murray where the difference between first and fifth in a Google search is everything. Start with the steps above, and if you want the process automated so it runs without you thinking about it, check out TrailMark Digital's review automation service. It's built for exactly this kind of business.