Reading online reviews is the fastest way for customers to find out what a business is like and whether it’s right for the customer or not. If you don’t have online reviews, you’re missing out on a large part of your audience. The question then is how to ask for a review. Most people don’t like to solicit praise, so this can seem awkward. We came up with 19 ways to ask for reviews and provided templates to make this a little less awkward.

How to Ask for a Review: 19 Strategies and Templates

1. Automated Email

If you’re wondering how to ask for a review, an automated email is generally the easiest way. If you have a sizeable email list, you can reach many customers at once. Make the email sincere, straightforward, and easy. Tell your customer what you’re looking for, why it’s important, and how they can quickly and easily help you out. Here’s an email template for asking for a review. It’s ideal to fill in blank areas with customization tags, but this is not required.

Subject line: How are we doing?

Hi [customer’s first name],

Loyal customers like you are really important to us and we appreciate your continued support. We were wondering if you could help us out today and write a [Google / Facebook / Yelp / etc.] review. This helps other customers like you find us and it really helps our business. Tell us about your latest experience, or something you love about [your business name]. Go right to our page using this link—leaving a review takes less than a minute! [Insert link here]

Thank you so much,

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your business]

 

Featured Resource: Google Review Link Generator

Business Owner's Guide to Google Reviews Blog CTA

Get your Google Review Link + Google Review Resources for Business Owners

 

2. In-Person

If you don’t know how to ask for a review online, or you don’t have a large or engaged email list, an in-person request can also be effective. This is ideal for business owners who like to engage with customers face-to-face and know their customers well. It might be helpful to give the customer a card with an applicable link on it, so they can more easily find your page. You probably already have a good way to ask for a review, but if not, you might say something like this,

Hi, [Customer’s name] it’s great to see you again. If you have a minute while you’re here, I was hoping you could do me a favor. We’re trying to get some more [Google / Facebook / Yelp / etc.] reviews on our page—could you put one in? Just put this link in your smartphone or search for our page. We’d really appreciate it!

3. Facebook

Knowing how to ask for a review on social media can be extremely helpful. If you share your latest events and happenings on Facebook and customers regularly engage with you, they’re more likely to leave a review. Since they’re already online, including the appropriate link means they can leave a review in just a few clicks. Here’s a template for asking for a review on Facebook:

Hey everyone!

We love hearing that we’re doing a great job at [your business’s name]—it really makes our day. We’ve heard a lot of nice things from our awesome customers, and we were hoping you all could share with [Google/Facebook/Yelp/etc] too.

Would you write us a review? It takes less than a minute! Just click the link and talk about what you love about [your business’s name], or your most recent visit. Here’s the link; [insert link here]

Thanks for being awesome

—Your friends at [your business’s name]

4. Twitter

If Twitter is more effective for your business, you can ask for a review on this platform as well. Knowing how to ask for a review on Twitter is slightly different than Facebook, since tweets are much shorter, and customers generally consume a lot more of them. This means you’ll probably have to post this a few times to get a response. Here’s an example tweet you might use to ask for a review:

Do you love [your business’s name]? Would you write us a review? You’d make our day. Click the link and talk about what you love about [your business’s name] >>> [insert link here]

5. LinkedIn

Many B2B companies and some B2C companies use prefer LinkedIn for social media engagement. Just like the previous two examples, it’s important to know how to ask for a review on this platform specifically. LinkedIn generally calls for a more professional voice and slightly longer posts, which probably makes sense with your business’s voice and brand. Here’s an template for asking for a review on LinkedIn.

We at [your business’s name] have had a great year so far, and we owe it to our terrific customers. We love hearing about a job well-done, and we were hoping you all could share your thoughts on [Google/Facebook/Yelp/etc] as well. If you haven’t already, would you share your experience in a review? Click the link below to write a review (it takes less than a minute!)

[insert link here]

Thank you

—Your friends at [your business’s name]

6. Receipts

Maybe you don’t have time to chat with customers regularly and you don’t use an email list. You can also ask for reviews on the bottom of your receipts. Program your machine to leave a small message on the bottom of each receipt, including your Google review link, or anywhere else you want to gather more reviews. You might use one of these:

  • How was your visit? Tell us [insert link]
  • Show your support [insert link]
  • Did you love your visit? Leave us a review! [insert link]
  • Local support keeps us going. Leave a review here [insert link]
  • Support local business—Leave a review here [insert link]
  • Tell your friends about us and leave a review! [insert link]
  • Help others find us—Leave a review here [insert link]

 

Featured Resource: Google Review Link Generator

Business Owner's Guide to Google Reviews Blog CTA

Get your Google Review Link + Google Review Resources for Business Owners

 

7. Chalk Board

A message board in your store is not only a great place to show today’s specials—you can also use it to get messages and requests out to your customers. This makes it a great place to ask for reviews. Just like on your receipts, make your message short and sweet, and include the applicable link if you can. Consider a message like this:

  • It’s a great day to leave a review for your favorite place! [insert link]
  • Love your [product]? Tell others and leave a review! [insert link]
  • Help your friends find your favorite spot—leave a review [insert link]
  • Don’t keep us a secret—tell your friends and leave a review! [insert link]
  • Tell your friends about this awesome place you discovered—leave a review! [insert link]
  • Do your good deed for the day—leave us a review [insert link]
  • Did we do a good job? Say something nice—leave a review [insert link]
  • Give your celebrity endorsement on [Google/Facebook/Yelp] [insert link]

8. Menu

If you use a menu, a list of services, or something similar that all of your customers see, this is a great place to ask for reviews. Once again, you’ll want a short and eye-catching statement. Try one of these:

  • Love our [product]? Leave a review at [insert link]
  • Are you a big fan? Tell us! Leave a review here [insert link]
  • Come here often? Leave a review! [insert link]
  • We recommend the [product]. So do our reviewers! Add yours [insert link]
  • Visited us before? We’re glad you’re back. Care to leave a review? [insert link]
  • Good reviews help other customers like you find us! Add yours [insert link]
  • We’d love to hear from you! [insert link]
  • Tell us about your favorite thing here! Leave a review [insert link]
  • We all like to hear nice things. Leave a review! [insert link]
  • Compliments to the chef? Put them online and leave a review! [insert link]

9. After-Sale Email

Most businesses send a customer a follow-up email after making a purchase to make sure everything went according to plan. This is a great time to ask for a review. Here’s a template for asking for a review in an after-sale email.

Subject line: How was your purchase?

Hi [customer’s first name]

We’re just checking in to make sure that you received your [product / service] and everything is top-notch. If you have any questions or you need anything, feel free to contact us at [contact information].

If you’ve enjoyed your [product / service] so far and you feel we’ve done a good job, we’d love to get your feedback. Click the link to leave a review [insert link]. It will only take a moment and helps us out a lot.

Thank you!

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Company name]

10. Check-In Email

A check-in email with your customer is similar to the previous after-sale email, but a bit different. This email is designed to re-engage customers you haven’t heard from in a while, or keep loyal customers from losing interest. If you’re not sure how to ask for a review using this email, start with the example below. This email template for asking for a review includes a customer feedback section, however you should only use this email if you’re also prepared to act on the customer feedback that you receive.

Subject line: Just checking in

Hi [customer’s first name],

How are you? We hope that things have been going well for you lately, and we hope that [Business name] has been at least a small part of that. Your happiness is important to us, and we’d like to know what you’re looking for, so we can deliver it!

Based on your most recent [purchase / experience] is there anything you would change or add? Let us know! [Insert feedback box / invitation to reply to email / link to survey / etc.]

Can’t think of anything you’d change? That’s great. Tell us about your experience in a [Google / Facebook / Yelp / etc.] review. It takes less than a minute and we would love to get your opinion. Use this link to go right to our page.

Cheers,

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Company name]

 

Featured Resource: Google Review Link Generator

Business Owner's Guide to Google Reviews Blog CTA

Get your Google Review Link + Google Review Resources for Business Owners

 

11. NPS® Email

An NPS email is similar to a check-in email, except it’s specifically aimed at gathering your Net Promoter Score, which is a good indication of your customers’ overall attitude towards you. After you send an NPS request email, you can send a follow-up email to everyone who responded, or those who responded positively only. Keep in mind that this practice, called review-gating, is prohibited in Google’s review policies and many other review sites as well, so make sure you know what’s allowed and what isn’t before sending this request to happy customers only. Here’s a template for asking for a review after an NPS survey.

Subject line: Thank you for your feedback

Hi [customer’s first name],

Thanks for filling out our survey! We appreciate it. Your response helps us to do better!

While you’re here, we were wondering if you would share your thoughts in a review? It takes less than a minute and we would love to see your thoughts out in the open. Use this link to leave a review.

Thanks!

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Company name]

Net Promoter®, NPS®, NPS Prism®, and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Satmetrix Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld. Net Promoter Score℠ and Net Promoter System℠ are service marks of Bain & Company, Inc., Satmetrix Systems, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.

12. Big Event

Maybe you’re holding a fundraiser, opening a new store, releasing a new product, celebrating a 10-year business anniversary, or celebrating another big event. Since there will be a lot of buzz around your business, this is a good time to ask for a review. You do this in an invitation email, a sign near or around the event, on a card, or in-person at the event itself. Or, you might use a variety of these strategies. If you use an email, try customizing this review request template:

Subject line: You’re invited!

Hi [customer’s first name]

We’d like to welcome you to our [event]! There’s nothing you need to bring but yourself—and some friends, if you like! We’ll have [event details] and you can look forward too [further details]. Here’s the information:

[Event time and place]

See you there!

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Company name]

P.S. This is a big day for us that we’d really like to share with others. Would you write a review about your experience with us? This helps other customers like you find us! Here’s the link straight to our page: [insert link]. Thank you!

13. Contest

A contest or sweepstakes is a good way to get customers’ attention and gather reviews. However, keep in mind that many websites to not allow this, so it’s ideal for gathering reviews or testimonials for your own site or marketing materials. If you’re using Boast, you can invite customers to submit a video testimonial to your website straight from their smartphone. Here’s an email template you might send to let customers know:

Subject line: Share your thoughts and win a [prize]

Hi [customer’s first name],

Your happiness is important to us and we’d like to know what we’re doing well and how we can improve. If you leave a review on our site, we’ll enter you to win a [prize]! Just use this link [insert link to landing page], submit a review using your smartphone, and you’re entered to win! Our winners will be drawn [contest details], so be sure to submit before then!

Good luck!

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Company name]

14. Promotional Gifts

Many businesses give away small branded items like pencils or pens, notepads, magnets, coffee cups, pins, or other items so customers can remember the business’s phone number or other contact details. This is also a good place to put your link to a review. You probably won’t have much space, but placing an invitation as simple as “leave us a review!” as well as the applicable link can be a helpful reminder.

 

Featured Resource: Google Review Link Generator

Business Owner's Guide to Google Reviews Blog CTA

Get your Google Review Link + Google Review Resources for Business Owners

 

15. Postcard

In the age of email, paper postcards have become more impactful. Knowing how to ask for a review via write paper mail compared to email is important. It’s helpful to include a business milestone or another event, instead of simply soliciting reviews. Choose a postcard with a funny, cute, or interesting photo, so customers will want to keep it for a while. On the written side, you might include something like this:

Hi [customer’s first name]

[Business name] is turning [years in business] this year! We owe it to fantastic customers like you. If you bring in this postcard, you’ll receive a [discount or reward] the next time you come in.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Your friends at [Business name]

P.S. Want to send some love back? Leave us a review here [insert link] so other awesome customers can find us! Thank you!

16. Blog

If you regularly post news and events to your blog, this is also a good place to ask for reviews. How to ask for a review on your blog is different than email or other means, mostly because you have more space. You can tell your customers what reviews mean to your business, how they are helpful, and even provide step-by-step directions. Remember to highlight important points, so customers who are skimming the information can get the gist.

While we obviously won’t write an example blog post here, you might include this short paragraph in your review request blog post, or any other blog post.

[Near the beginning or middle of your blog post] Thanks for stopping by and keeping up with the latest from [Business name]. Today we’re talking about online reviews, which means we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a review here [insert link]. It takes less than a minute!

[At the end of your blog post] Thanks for reading! In case this is feeling a little one-sided, we’d love for you to contribute too! Write us a review here [insert link] and tell us what you think of [Business name].

17. Business card

Business cards are quick, useful reminders you can give customers to help them remember your name, business name, or contact info. This is also a great place to add a review reminder. Much like the promotional items we talked about previously, business cards don’t leave much space, so simply add a statement like “leave us a review here [insert link].”

18. Resolving a complaint

Some customer complaints are inevitable, and they’re not always bad. If a customer complains, you’ll know if there’s a problem you need to fix. Remember that it’s better for a customer to make a complaint directly to you rather than leave a bad review. If you can resolve this complaint and provide fantastic customer service in the meantime, you might just create a loyal customer. After all, average service is pretty normal, but when a business goes above and beyond to resolve a problem, it makes an impression.

Here’s an email template for asking for a review after you’ve resolved a complaint.

Hi [customer’s first name],

We take a lot of pride in a job well-done and if something goes wrong, we want to fix it. We noticed that you recently encountered a problem and contacted our customer service reps. Was your problem resolved? We sure hope so. If not, we want to correct it. Reply to this email or visit us at [customer service contact information or a link] so we can fix it right away.

If your problem was resolved and you were blown away by our customer service reps, we’d really love to hear about it! Leave us a review and talk about your experience, so we can thank our wonderful service staff. Here’s the link to our review page; [insert link]

Thank you!

[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Company name]

19. In-store kiosk

With an in-store kiosk, you can get your customers’ attention and allow them to leave a review at the same time. You might mount a tablet, laptop or smartphone in your store, or even create a video booth where customers can record their reviews. By fixing an app to kiosk mode, you can make sure that customers only use the device for reviews. Place a sign and instructions near the device so customers know that they are free to use it and how they can leave a review. You sign might read something like this:

Hey folks!

At [Business name] we love to hear from our customers. Here’s your chance to share your thoughts!

Click the app and enter your information to leave your review! Start recording, tell us what you love about [Business name], then submit the review when you’re done. Or, if you’re not sure about your recording, you can delete it and try again. Remember to keep it PG! Watch our website and social media in the next few days and you might see your review!**

**We want to share your thoughts with all our fans. By submitting your review, you give [Business name] permission to post your video to our website, social media, and other marketing materials. If you have questions, feel free to contact us.

 

Featured Resource: Google Review Link Generator

Business Owner's Guide to Google Reviews Blog CTA

Get your Google Review Link + Google Review Resources for Business Owners

 

Now that you have 19 ways to ask for a review, look through the list and find which are best for you. You can try multiple different ways at any one time. Remember, the customers who appreciate you will be happy to leave a review, but they might need to be asked more than once.

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