Overview
At RaveCapture, we send millions of emails every month, collecting data to find key insights into what works best for our customers. By analyzing these emails, we’ve developed proven best practices for increasing your email open rates and conversion rates, particularly for review requests.
In this guide, we’ll share these insights along with practical examples, including five unique product review request templates to help you go beyond the basics.
WHY Email Best Practices Matter
Emails are a critical communication channel for your business, and optimizing them can lead to substantial benefits:
Increase Open Rates: A compelling subject line boosts the chances of your email being read.
Drive Customer Engagement: Well-crafted emails with personalized content encourage customers to leave reviews and provide valuable feedback.
Boost Conversion Rates: A higher review rate builds trust, enhances SEO, and can significantly increase sales.
Foster Customer Loyalty: Thoughtful, well-timed emails demonstrate that you care about your customers’ experiences, improving brand loyalty.
By following these best practices, your emails can become powerful tools for driving growth and engagement.
1. Subject Line Optimization
The subject line is the first thing your customer sees, and it plays a crucial role in getting them to open your email. Based on our data, here are some key tips to improve your subject line:
Include your company name for brand recognition.
Ask a question to spark curiosity.
Avoid using all uppercase letters, as it can appear spammy.
Incentivize with a special offer (e.g., a coupon).
High-Performing Subject Line Examples:
"How was your experience at insert_company_name?"
"Are you enjoying the insert_product_name from insert_company_name?"
"What did you think about insert_company_name?"
"Please review your experience at insert_company_name."
Additionally, adding your company name in the “From” field and creating a Custom Sender Domain will increase brand trust and open rates. Learn more here.
Pro Tip: A/B test your subject lines with and without elements like emojis or symbols. Overuse of these can negatively impact open rates, but subtle use can add personality.
2. Email Content
Once the customer opens your email, the next step is to engage them with clear, concise, and personal content. From our insights, here’s what works best:
Keep it short and to the point.
Incentivize with a coupon offer to boost engagement (e.g., 10% off for leaving a review).
Mention the product name they purchased for relevance.
Use a personal tone—you’ve already made the sale, now you just need a friendly ask.
Customize buttons and colors to align with your branding.
Example Template for High Conversions:
"Hi insert_customer_name,
Thank you for your recent purchase at insert_company_name. We’d love to hear your feedback on insert_product_name!
As a token of our appreciation, we’ll send you a coupon for 10% off your next order after your review is submitted. You can even upload a photo for a 15% discount!
Thanks again,
insert_company_name"
Tip: Mentioning a Coupon Event (e.g., discounts for leaving reviews, uploading photos, or sharing on social media) can further increase conversion rates.
3. Timing Your Review Requests
Timing is critical when sending review requests. Based on our data, these average send delays generate the best response rates:
7 Days
14 Days
For Product Reviews, ensure that the customer has had enough time to use the product before asking for feedback. For Company Reviews (e.g., service or shopping experiences), a shorter delay (0-3 days) works best as you want to capture their review/testimonial as close to their experience as possible.
Secondary CTA & Follow-Up: Ensure Every Customer Has a Chance to Review 🚨
Shipping delays, holiday craziness, or poor timing are common reasons customers might not respond to your review request email. Now, with the Secondary CTA & Follow-Up feature, you can give customers the option to request a follow-up, ensuring they have another opportunity to share their feedback when the time is right.
WHY is This Feature Important?
Engaging customers at the right time can significantly improve review collection rates and strengthen customer relationships. This feature ensures that customers who need more time to experience your product or service can opt-in for a follow-up review request, leading to:
Increased review submissions by accommodating customer timing preferences.
Better-quality reviews from customers who’ve had ample time to use the product.
Improved trust and satisfaction by showing customers you value their thoughtful input.
How to Set Up the Secondary CTA & Follow-Up Feature
Follow these steps to enable the Secondary CTA & Follow-Up feature in your Product Review campaigns:
Go to your Product Review Campaign.
Locate the setting under your email template. Check the box to enable the feature.
Set the delay time. Choose the number of days before the follow-up review request is sent.
Customize the button text. Edit the CTA button text to match your brand's tone.
Save your settings.
Note: This feature is available in the Default Product Review Campaign and for Product-Specific Campaign forms.
What Happens When a Customer Requests a Follow-Up?
After selecting the follow-up option, the customer is directed to a webpage similar to your Thank You Page, featuring this message:
Thank You!
We’ll send you a follow-up review request soon.
We understand you might need more time to receive or use your product before sharing your feedback. Look out for another review request in the coming days, and we appreciate your thoughtful input!
2. The thank-you page will also include:
A link to your website.
A link to your public RaveCapture store page.
3. Once the follow-up is selected, the system will:
Recreate the initial review request (not the Smart Reminder).
Wait for the specified number of days to resend the review request.
Restart the Smart Reminder sequence (if enabled) after the follow-up request is sent.
This follow up is different from a Smart Reminder as it recreates the initial review request email. The CTA for a follow up will only be available on the first-initial review request and is not available on Smart Reminders.
Enable it today to create a seamless review experience for your customers!
4. Smart Reminders
Customers are busy and like any of us they might open an email, but forget to respond to it. That’s where Smart Reminders come in. RaveCapture automatically sends follow-up emails to gently remind your customers to submit a review.
Best Practices for Smart Reminders:
Send at least 1-2 follow ups (reminders).
Space them 2-4 days apart.
Cap the reminders at 3 emails to avoid overwhelming customers.
Example Reminder Setup:
Initial Review Request: Sent 7 days after order fulfilled
Reminder 1: Sent 2 days after Initial Request
Reminder 2: Sent 3 days after 1st Reminder
Reminder 3: Sent 5 days after 2nd Reminder
NOTE: Figure out what's right for your business. Products which take time to set up and might not be used right away will need a longer Send Delay than products customers will use right after delivery. A/B each week or month what delays work best.
Pro Tip for Holidays: Increase the send delay of your requests by 2x the normal delay, considering the business of the Q4 season so you catch most customers outside of the holidays.
5. Five Product Review Request Email Templates
Incorporating strategies that go beyond the basic template can make a big difference in your review request campaigns. Below are five proven email templates that integrate personalization, timing, and clear calls to action.
Template 1: The Straight Shooter
Subject:
Your thoughts on insert_product_name?
Body:
Hi insert_customer_name,
You recently purchased insert_product_name from us, and we’d love to hear your honest thoughts. It’ll just take a minute!"
[In-email form with questions]
Best, insert_your_name
Template 2: The Problem Solver
Subject:
Did insert_product_name solve your problem?
Body:
Hello insert_customer_name,
Did insert_product_name help with [specific need/problem]? Share your experience!"
[In-email form with questions]
Warm regards, insert_your_name
Template 3: The Social Proof Booster
Subject:
Join 10,000+ happy customers in reviewing insert_product_name
Body:
Hi insert_customer_name,
You’re part of a growing community! Leave your review and enter to win a $50 store credit."
[In-email form with questions]
Cheers, insert_your_name
Template 4: The Storyteller
Subject:
Your insert_product_name story – we’d love to hear it!
Body:
Dear insert_customer_name,
How has insert_product_name fit into your life? Share your story!"
[In-email form with questions]
Cheers, insert_your_name
Template 5: The Feedback Loop
Subject:
Help shape the future of insert_product_name
Body:
Hello insert_customer_name,
Your feedback directly influences our product development. What’s working and what’s not?"
[In-email form with questions]
Best, insert_your_name
Conclusion
Maximizing email conversion rates requires a mix of great subject lines, compelling content, and strategic timing. By using Smart Reminders, testing different templates, and personalizing your emails, you can increase both your open and review response rates.
Need help? Contact our support team via live chat or at support@ravecapture.com.