Customer reviews are the lifeblood of an ecommerce business. They build trust, improve SEO, and drive conversions. But how do you encourage your customers to leave those all-important reviews?
The answer lies in a well crafted review request email. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore twelve effective strategies for soliciting reviews along with real-world examples to inspire your own campaigns.
Review Request Email Examples
1. The Incentive Approach: Air Plant Supply Co.
Air Plant Supply Co. demonstrates the power of offering incentives for reviews.
Key strategies:
- Offers a free Xerographica seedling and 5% off coupon for leaving a review
- Uses playful language (“an offer you plant refuse!”)
- Encourages sharing thoughts that may be featured on their site
2. The Simple and Direct Approach: PrestoDoctor
PrestoDoctor takes a straightforward approach to requesting reviews, making it easy for customers to provide feedback quickly.
Key strategies:
- Thanks the customer for their recent appointment
- Emphasizes that leaving a review only takes a minute
- Uses a clear call-to-action button (“Review your Doctor”)
3. The Casual and Friendly Approach: NOLA Til Ya Die
NOLA Til Ya Die adopts an informal tone in their review request, making the process feel more like a conversation with a friend than a business transaction.
Key strategies:
- Uses informal language: “Trust us, it really does. :)”
- Emphasizes the value of customer feedback
- Provides a simple star rating system and review form
4. The Guided Feedback Approach: Go Good
Go Good helps customers structure their feedback by providing prompts and offering an incentive for completed reviews.
Key strategies:
- Asks why the customer chose their brand
- Provides suggestion prompts for the review (taste, packaging, ease of use, etc.)
- Offers a 5% discount on the next order for submitting a review
5. The Brand Story Approach: Maya Chia
Maya Chia ties their review request into their brand story, emphasizing the impact of customer feedback on product development.
Key strategies:
- Highlights the brand’s commitment to innovation and scientific research
- Emphasizes the importance of customer feedback in product development
- Uses high-quality product images to remind customers of their purchase
6. The Patriotic Incentive Approach: Grand New Flag
Grand New Flag uses a patriotic theme and tiered incentive structure to encourage customers to leave reviews and share photos or videos.
Key strategies:
- Offers two levels of discounts: 5% for a written review, 10% for a review with photo/video
- Emphasizes personal attention (“We personally read every review”)
- Uses patriotic imagery to connect with their target audience
7. The Industry-Specific Approach: Whisker Seeker Tackle
Whisker Seeker Tackle casts a wide net for customer feedback, offering a free product as bait for reviews.
Key strategies:
- Provides a free product (Versa Rattles) as an incentive for leaving a review
- Uses industry-specific language (“changing the way you fish”) to connect with their audience
- Keeps the message short and to the point
8. The Direct Question Approach: PoolSupplies.com
PoolSupplies.com dives right in with a straightforward question about the customer’s experience with their recent purchase.
Key strategies:
- Asks a direct question about the customer’s experience with the product
- Encourages honest reviews
- Offers the option to share a photo after leaving a review
9. The Community-Building Approach: Gunner
Gunner takes a unique approach by framing their review request as a way for customers to help others in the community.
Key strategies:
- Uses the hashtag #MyGunnerStory to create a sense of community
- Explains how reviews will help potential customers make informed decisions
- Offers bonus points for specific types of photos (dog and kennel in vehicle)
10. The Project Showcase Approach: Second Skin
Second Skin motivates customers to share their experiences by turning reviews into a chance to showcase their projects and win prizes.
Key strategies:
- Encourages customers to submit photos of their projects
- Offers entry into a monthly drawing for store credit as an incentive
- Provides multiple entries for customers who submit multiple photos
11. The Personal Touch Approach: Cornet Barcelona
Cornet Barcelona uses a personal, artisanal approach to request reviews for their handcrafted products.
Key strategies:
- Introduces the email sender by name and title, creating a personal connection
- Emphasizes the artisanal nature of their products (“glasssmiths and artists put their heart and soul into every piece”)
- Frames the review request as a “small favor” and highlights its importance to the company
- Keeps the request brief, asking for just 30 seconds of the customer’s time
12. The Visual Showcase Incentive: Metal Tech 4×4
Metal Tech 4×4 combines visual appeal with a strong incentive to encourage customers to share reviews and photos of their products in action.
Key strategies:
- Uses a visually striking image of their product in use to grab attention
- Offers the opportunity for customer photos/videos to be featured on their website
- Provides a tangible incentive (10% off sitewide coupon) for submitting a review with photo/video
- Emphasizes how shared experiences can inform and inspire other customers
Templates for Review Requests Emails
Product Review Request Template
Subject: Your Thoughts Matter! Review Your Recent [Product Name] Purchase
Dear [Customer Name],
Thank you for your recent purchase of [Product Name] from [Company Name]. We hope you’re enjoying your new [product].
We’d love to hear about your experience! Your feedback helps us improve our products and assists other customers in making informed decisions.
Could you take a moment to leave a review? It’ll only take a few minutes:
[Direct link to review page]
As a token of our appreciation, we’ll send you a 10% off coupon for your next purchase when you submit your review.
Thank you for your time and for being a valued customer!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Company Name]
Company Review Template
Subject: How Are We Doing? Share Your [Company Name] Experience
Dear [Customer Name],
We hope you’ve had a great experience with [Company Name] so far. Your opinion means a lot to us, and we’d be grateful if you could share your thoughts about our company.
Your feedback helps us understand what we’re doing right and where we can improve to serve you better.
Could you spare a few minutes to leave us a review?
[Direct link to review platform (e.g., Google, RaveCapture, etc.)]
By sharing your experience, you’re not only helping us grow but also assisting other potential customers in making informed decisions.
Thank you for your time and for being a part of the [Company Name] family!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Company Name]
Automating Review Requests with RaveCapture
While these templates provide a solid foundation for any review request email you craft, managing and sending them manually can be time-consuming. This is where RaveCapture comes in to streamline your review collection process.
RaveCapture allows you to automate your review request emails, whether you’re seeking product-specific feedback or overall company reviews. Here’s how RaveCapture can enhance your review collection strategy:
- Automated Timing: Set up triggers to send review requests at the optimal time after a purchase or interaction.
- Personalization at Scale: Automatically insert customer names, product details, and other personalized elements into your emails.
- Follow-up Sequences: Create automated follow-up sequences for customers who haven’t responded to the initial request.
- Analytics and Reporting: Track the performance of your review requests and gain insights to continually improve your approach.
- Integration with Ecommerce Platforms: Seamlessly connect with popular ecommerce platforms to make it easy for customers to leave their feedback.
These diverse approaches to review request emails demonstrate that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The key is to align your review request email strategy with your brand voice and customer preferences. Whether you opt for a straightforward ask, an incentive-based approach, or a community-building tactic, the goal remains the same: to gather authentic feedback that can help your business grow and improve.