Using Email to Ask for Reviews
When it comes to acquiring online reviews, having multiple methods of requesting reviews in your arsenal ensures that you gather as many as possible. This is an important consideration given that not all consumers will respond to the same approach when you’re trying to get more reviews.
Email is a tried-and-tested method used by many local businesses to obtain reviews. It’s also a very accessible means of approaching your customers or clients. Email doesn’t require any specialist tools or subscriptions and it’s fast — especially if you create a reusable template to ask for reviews. What’s more, email is the preferred method of communication for the majority of consumers when interacting with brands.
To get the best results when sending emails asking for reviews, you’ll first need to ensure you’re collecting up-to-date email addresses from consumers. Secondly, you need to have a solid template for review requests that your recipients find compelling enough to then take the desired action.
How do you write an email asking for a review?
The secret to writing a great email asking for a review is to KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Your email should be short and succinct, personalized for the reader, and polite. You should also stress that their feedback is valuable and helps you to further improve your products and services.
Remember, many review platforms don’t permit rewards or incentives for reviews, so don’t be tempted to offer freebies or anything else.
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Review Request Templates
The following templates cover a wide range of business and customer scenarios. They can be used as they are or edited as required.
Generic Review Request Email Example
Use this email template when you’re reaching out to a customer that you dealt with a while ago.
Hi [Customer’s First Name],
This is [Your Name], [Your Job Title] at [Your Business Name].
A while ago you visited us at [Your Business Name]. Thanks for choosing us; I really hope you got everything you wanted out of your experience.
Your feedback is really valuable to us, so whether you had a fantastic or less-than-stellar experience, we’d really like to hear about it.
Please consider taking a moment to leave your feedback on [Your Business Name] using the link below.
[LINK TO REVIEW GENERATION CAMPAIGN]
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Review request template for a recent customer
This email is intended to be sent to a recent customer to gather their feedback while it’s still fresh in their mind.
Hi [Customer’s First Name],
We hope you enjoyed visiting us at [Your Business Name] recently.
While your experience is still fresh in your mind, we’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let us know what you thought by clicking the link below.
[LINK TO REVIEW GENERATION CAMPAIGN]
We’re always trying to do right by our customers and knowing how we’re performing helps us to continue to improve.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Review Request Email Example for Hospitality Businesses
If you’re in the hospitality business, use this email template to reach out to your guests after their visit or stay with you.
Hi [Customer’s First Name],
I hope you’re well. This is [Your Name] from [Your Business Name], the [Business Type] you visited recently.
It’s my job to make sure that everything was perfect during your [Stay/Visit], so I’m just getting in touch to see if you wouldn’t mind leaving us some feedback.
Click the link below to let us know what you thought of your [Stay/Visit].
[LINK TO REVIEW GENERATION CAMPAIGN]
Thanks, and I hope we’ll be seeing you again soon at [Your Business Name]
[Your Name]
Service-area Business Review Email Template
If your business serves a specific area, this template offers an easy way to reach out. It can be used for any service-area business and adapted for those businesses covering multiple geographic areas.
Hi [Customer’s First Name],
This is [Your Name] from [Business Name]. It was a pleasure to meet you and [Description of Work] the other day. I really hope you’re satisfied with the results.
As you might imagine, businesses like mine rely on feedback to continue to deliver an excellent service, so can I ask you to take a minute to let me know what you thought of my work?
Just click the link below to leave your feedback.
[LINK TO REVIEW GENERATION CAMPAIGN]
Thanks,
[Business Owner’s Name]
Medical Practioner’s Template for Reviews
Suitable for doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals, this template for requesting reviews from patients is carefully worded to stress that there’s no need to share personal details when reviewing the care received.
Hi [Customer’s First Name],
This is [Your Name] at [Business Name]. I hope you don’t mind me getting in touch but we’d really value your feedback on your recent experience with [Business Name].
We completely appreciate that medical visits can be of a sensitive nature, so you don’t need to be explicit about the reason for your visit. Just a few details about how you felt you were treated and what you thought of the overall experience would really help us.
Please click the link below to leave your feedback; it’ll only take a minute or so of your time.
[LINK TO REVIEW GENERATION CAMPAIGN]
Thanks,
[Your Name]
An Important Note When Requesting Reviews Via Email
Many countries have data protection laws to govern how and why personal customer data, such as contact information, can be used. Before you begin sending out email requests, ensure you have the relevant permission to do so and are abiding by appropriate legislation.
Academy Course: A Beginner’s Guide to Generating and Managing Reviews
In the United Kingdom, you’ll need to adhere to GDPR guidelines (as will any businesses outside of the UK contacting UK-based customers). In the USA, a network of privacy legislation exists, much of which is state-specific, but opt-in isn’t required for commercial email. However, the CAN-SPAM act covers commercial emails, so your emails should be sent in a compliant manner, including providing an opt-out capability.
