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How to Write Simple and Effective Review Request Emails

Customer reviews are one of the most effective sales boosters. Millions of people worldwide search for products and services based on the experiences of other buyers. That is why a review request can help your business grow. Consider it a buyer request to evaluate the quality of your products and services and leave some feedback.

According to a study by BrightLocal, 87% of consumers read online reviews before making a final choice. That is why you need to motivate your audience to talk about the quality of your offers. But it is also important for you to know how to ask for a review to avoid turning a simple request into an intrusive marketing trigger. Your feedback request message should be simple, elegant, and discreet. Think of it as a friendly reminder.

Asking for reviews is like asking people which direction to go to see a house. No one will show you the right way until you ask. But never ask for customer feedback, as you cannot dictate anything to your customers. Plenty of soft and subtle approaches motivate people to talk more about your products and services.

A good email review can change the game dramatically. Moreover, the only way to implement an effective marketing strategy is based on the audience's opinion. Achieving a positive reputation is only possible through involving thousands of people in the review process. We will focus on the main insights, tactics, and effective tips for boosting your online presence.

The Importance of Requesting Feedback via Email

Many young entrepreneurs wonder about the feasibility of requesting feedback via email. This action seems rudimentary to them. Why do you need to request a review? What is the benefit of such an action? Let's look at the facts. According to a study conducted by Bazaarvoice, nearly 90% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase decision. For many people, the opinion of previous customers is of key importance.

Let's say you want to sell more products and services. In addition to key marketing approaches, you need to rely on testimonials. But how can such an aspect as a feedback request help you? According to the Bazaarvoice research, review request emails can boost review volume by up to 50%, with 70% of customers receiving a request to leave a review. Sounds good, right? Even considering the error of 5%-7%, this is a very good indicator.

As you can see, business reputation is based on customer trust, so motivate your customers to leave feedback. There are many ways to ask for reviews. You can leave indirect motivation on the website, product description pages, or even email your customers. These messages can be templates or personalized if a very important customer has social influence. There are many advantages of email requests that you will soon learn about!

Key Elements of an Effective Review Request Letter

As you can see, you need an email request as an important part of promoting your brand. You are asking, so don’t waste your customers’ time. Start with a clear email subject line like “We’d Love Your Feedback!” People receive dozens or even hundreds of messages daily, and you must get straight to the point immediately.

Personalization is part of the review request email culture. It makes the email feel tailored to your customer. That’s why you must add their first name and reference the product or service they purchased. This step shows your attention to detail and that you care about your reputation. People will feel that each specific feedback is part of the corporate culture.

The main message should be straightforward and focused on the request. Perhaps you need a sample email asking for feedback, so don't neglect free examples.

Here's a good example that has every chance of interesting your customers.

Hi Arthur! Thank you for purchasing our welding machine! We hope you’re enjoying it. Your feedback helps us improve and assist other customers in making informed decisions. Please take a moment to leave a review by clicking the link below. Thanks so much for your time and support!

Here's a bad example:

Dear Customer! Please review the product you purchased. Click here to write a review. Thank you.

Sounds hopeless, doesn't it? Know how to write email for requesting something. The first (successful) example is personalization. The message is concise and clearly explains the value of the feedback. The request format looks correct and shows your customer as a valuable unit for forming an informed choice of other people.

How to Create an Attractive Subject Line

A catchy subject line is a key part of your review request email. It determines whether your email will be opened or end up under the rubble of other spam emails. Consider the subject line a trigger for initial emotions and an attention-grabbing tool. Just like a bright storefront, interesting-looking emails are sure to be opened. That is why it is so important to approach the subject line correctly for your review request.

Your goal is to boost your Email Open Rate. This metric refers to the percentage of email recipients who open a particular email out of the total recipients. For example, if out of a thousand recipients, 200 click on the review request email subject line and open the email, your email open rate will be 20%. This is why subject line optimization is so important. So, here are tips for writing effective subject lines:

Be concise and keep your subject lines short (under 50 characters).
Pique the recipient’s interest without revealing too much.
Include the recipient’s name or reference to their recent purchase.
Add phrases like “Share your feedback” or “Tell us what you think.”
Avoid spam triggers like “free” or “urgent” to avoid the spam filters.

As you can see, everything is much simpler than it seems at first glance. Here are some good subject lines as an example:

How was your experience with our watermelon soup?
Your feedback matters to us, Bobby!
Help us improve – share your thoughts!

Follow this direction, and you are unlikely to go astray. In any case, your subject lines will look natural and unobtrusive. Also, try A/B testing to find the best lines, analyze performance, and include some email marketing tools to improve your feedback email strategy.

Personalizing Emails to Increase Response

Using first names in the emails can make subscribers warmer and more likely to reply. Writing the email so the recipient feels that the material is new and closely related to them will increase the chances of the email being opened and responded to.

Personalization brings a feeling of value and recognition to the recipient. It is a sign that the business is interested in its consumers as people, not just statistical figures. These feelings of individuality can help to make the recipients more receptive to the contents of the email. Here are ways to personalize emails

Use the customer's name.
Mention the purchase or interaction.
Create a sense of individuality.

Here is an example of a personalized email:

Subject Line: Hi John, How's Your New Coffee Maker?
Body: Dear John, We hope you enjoy your new coffee maker. We’d love to hear your thoughts on how it’s working for you. Share your feedback!

This personalized approach acknowledges John’s recent purchase, making the email relevant and increasing the likelihood of a response. As you can see, just a few details make the letter valuable and motivate the recipient to act.

Writing the Key Message and Call to Action

The body of all review requests is about the key message and the call to action. It is a fact that the way these are written can help decide whether the recipient will open the email or delete it immediately. The first message should be brief but rather concise and easily understandable and should convey the main intention of the mail.

First, it is necessary to indicate clearly what you expect and why you need it. Stress how the recipient’s input will be useful in enhancing your products or services and useful to other clients. This makes the request seem more personal and emphasizes the importance of their input.

Example: Thank you for choosing our home renovation service!

A motivational call to action must prompt the recipient to do what the message wants. It should be clear, geared towards a specific action, and not be complicated. It is important to use active verbs such as ‘Share,’ ‘Leave,’ or ‘Tell us’ to give the impression of importance. Ensure that the button or link with the CTA is significantly different in color or design from the rest of the email.

Here is how to ask customer to leave a review: “Share your feedback now” or “Leave a review today”

Avoid using fancy or formal terms and terminologies that are difficult to understand. Do not use any technical terms or any complicated words. It is also important to let the recipient know the impact of the action taken. Appending such words as “today” or “now” can also help persuade people to act. Place the CTA in an area where it would be conspicuous. Pick the best way to ask for a review and enjoy the results!

Gratitude and Closing the Letter

The ending of a letter that asks for feedback is not just about the letter’s correctness. It’s about the impression left at the end of a request. You must always say thank you with a clear intention of respecting the recipient's opinion.

One of the most effective strategies that may be used to foster and strengthen customer relations is that of being grateful. Giving the customers credit for their time and input makes them feel you appreciate them. It can make them more willing to devote the time to doing it. Gratitude also helps to build up goodwill. Thus, subsequent communications are likely to be more friendly.

Do you need the best review request emails? Here you go! Being particular about the reason behind the thank you is recommended when extending appreciation. Instead of the standard “Thank you,” you could say, “Thank you for choosing our makeup services and for sparing time to write to us,” it would sound more genuine. As you can see, you should gently ask a customer for a review.

A proper closing tone that reflects friendliness and politeness can ensure a good closing of your letter. It should be friendly but at the same time business-like and should invite further business. In the same way, saying, ‘We always love to hear from you!’, or ‘Thank you once more for your support; we are here to assist you if needed’ does not close the door for further communication.

Example: “Thank you again for being a valued customer. We truly appreciate your feedback. If you have any further thoughts or questions, please contact us anytime. Warm regards, MG Kelly”

Mention the product or service the feedback pertains to. Use a tone that is both friendly and professional. Encourage them to reach out if they have additional thoughts. That’s how to ask for 5 star review!

Optimization of Email Sending Time

What is the best time to send email packages? Emails are most likely to be opened when they are sent at the right time. Mailshake’s research shows that messages sent on Tuesdays and Thursdays have a higher open rate, especially if sent between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. It is also advised not to send emails on Monday, as people are still coming to work after the weekend, and on Fridays, as people are leaving work early on Fridays. So, your review request should not make them feel uncomfortable.

From the research done by Cloodot, it is clear that emails sent within 1-3 days of the purchase are more effective because the customer still recalls the purchase. That’s how you can boost the Open Rate (the percentage of people who open your email) and response rate (the number of people who will act after reading your message).

Testing and Optimization of Letters

The efficient techniques of testing and optimization of the feedback request emails are important to be discussed. Mailerlite AB testing, in which two versions of an email are sent to two parts of your audience, identifies which has a higher open rate and response rate.

Email optimization is fine-tuning different aspects, including, but not limited to, the subject line, the body of the email, and the call-to-action based on the outcomes. Performance analysis helps evaluate the effects of these changes to enhance the process. Also, check these testing and optimization examples:

Subject Line Testing: Hi Sarah, how was your experience?
CTA Optimization: Share your thoughts today.

Use each email deliverability test to analyze the overall effectiveness of your strategy. You will likely be able to iterate several times and optimize the final result to get stable feedback.

Conclusion

Now you know how to ask a customer for a review and get positive feedback. Use all the suggested practices to expand your review network as much as possible. Don't forget that your business reputation directly depends on what your customers say about you. That's why the right review requests will help you reach the peak of your productivity. Send review request emails and implement promotional strategies. Good luck!