US BUSINESS GUIDE · 2026
8 Review Request Email Templates You Can Copy and Paste (2026)
Ready-to-send scripts, timing rules, and the Google/FTC compliance lines most businesses miss.
★★★★★
83%of people asked for a review went on to leave one in 2026
BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026
Who this is for: Owners and managers at hospitality, trades, retail, and professional-service businesses who want working email scripts for asking customers to leave a Google review — plus the timing and compliance rules that keep those requests within Google's and the FTC's guidelines.
Quick Answer:
A good review request email thanks the customer, references their specific visit, and includes one direct link to leave a review — nothing else. Keep it under 100 words, send it within 24-48 hours, and never ask for a specific star rating. Eight ready-to-copy scripts are below.
Asking works. BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 94% of consumers say they're open to writing a review if a business asks, yet many businesses still don't ask consistently. The eight templates below cover the situations that come up most often — a straightforward request, a post-purchase follow-up, a hospitality stay, a trade job, and a polite nudge for customers who haven't responded.
How this guide was built: These templates are drawn from patterns across thousands of printed and digital review requests we've supplied to US businesses since founding Review Cards, cross-checked against Google's published review-request guidance and BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey data. Internal observations (what wording gets replies) are marked as such; external statistics are linked to their source. Last reviewed: July 2026.
What Should a Review Request Email Say?
Quick Answer:
A compliant review request thanks the customer, names the specific service or product, asks for honest feedback (not a specific rating), and includes one clear link. Skip incentives, skip the sales pitch, and keep it under 100 words.
Every effective request follows the same six-part formula: 1) a personal greeting, 2) a reference to the specific visit or order, 3) a short thank-you, 4) a neutral ask for honest feedback, 5) one direct review link, and 6) a low-pressure sign-off. Anything beyond that — pricing, upsells, or a request for a specific star rating — reduces both compliance and response rates.
8 Review Request Email Templates You Can Copy and Paste
Quick Answer:
Below are eight full email scripts: a simple request, a post-purchase follow-up, a service-completion email, a repeat-customer version, a hospitality script, a trades/home-services script, a professional-services version, and a follow-up for non-responders. Copy, personalize the bracketed fields, and send.
1. Simple Google Review Request Email
Best for: Any business, any transaction type | Send: 24-48 hours after service
Subject: How did we do, [First Name]?
Hi [First Name], Thanks for choosing [Business Name] on [Date/Service]. We'd love to hear how it went. If you have a minute, an honest review helps other customers find us: [Review Link] Thanks again, [Your Name] [Business Name]
2. Post-Purchase Review Request Email
Best for: Retail and e-commerce | Send: 3-5 days after delivery
Subject: What did you think of your [Product]?
Hi [First Name], Your [Product Name] should have arrived by now. We'd genuinely like to know what you think — good or bad. Leave an honest review here: [Review Link] It takes less than a minute and helps other shoppers make the right call. [Business Name]
3. Service-Completion Review Request Email
Best for: Contractors, salons, repair services | Send: Same day or next morning
Subject: Job's done — how did we do?
Hi [First Name], We finished [Service] at [Address/Location] on [Date]. We hope everything's working the way it should. If you were happy with the work, a quick review helps us a lot: [Review Link] If anything wasn't right, just reply to this email — we'll sort it out first. [Your Name] [Business Name]
4. Repeat-Customer Review Request Email
Best for: Subscription services, regulars, loyalty programs | Send: After 3rd-5th visit, not the first
Subject: You've been with us a while — mind sharing why?
Hi [First Name], You've visited us [X] times now, and we're grateful for that. New customers often ask what to expect before they book — your review would help them decide. Share your experience here: [Review Link] Thanks for sticking with us, [Business Name]
5. Hospitality Review Request Email (Hotel/Restaurant)
Best for: Hotels, restaurants, venues | Send: Within a few hours of checkout or the meal
Subject: Thanks for staying with us, [First Name]
Hi [First Name], Thank you for choosing [Business Name] for your recent [stay/visit]. We hope it was a good one. If you have a moment, we'd love an honest review of your experience: [Review Link] We read every one and use them to make the next guest's stay better. [Business Name]
6. Trades and Home-Services Review Request Email
Best for: Plumbers, HVAC, electricians, landscapers | Send: Same day, after the invoice is settled
Subject: One quick favor after today's visit
Hi [First Name], Thanks for having [Technician Name] out to your [property type] today. We hope the [repair/install] is working well. Reviews help other homeowners find a technician they can trust: [Review Link] Questions about the work? Just reply here. [Business Name]
7. Professional-Services Review Request Email
Best for: Accountants, consultants, agencies | Send: After the deliverable is complete, not at invoicing
Subject: Thanks for working with [Business Name]
Hi [First Name], It's been a pleasure working with you on [Project/Engagement]. Now that it's wrapped up, we'd appreciate your honest take on the experience. Leave a review here: [Review Link] It helps other businesses like yours know what to expect from us. [Your Name] [Business Name]
8. Follow-Up Email for Non-Responders
Best for: Anyone who didn't respond to the first request | Send: 5-7 days after the first email, once only
Subject: Quick reminder — still happy to hear from you
Hi [First Name], Just following up in case our last email got buried. If you have 60 seconds, we'd still love your honest feedback on [Service/Product]: [Review Link] No worries if you'd rather not — thanks either way for choosing [Business Name]. [Your Name]
Optional hand-off line: If you also hand customers a printed QR review card at checkout or on an invoice, you can add one line to any template above: "You may have also received a card with a QR code — either link works, whichever's easier." Don't present the card as an incentive; it's simply a second route to the same review.
Best Review Request Email Subject Lines
Quick Answer:
Plain, specific subject lines beat clever ones because they set accurate expectations. Reference the business, the visit, or a direct question rather than generic marketing language.
- How did we do, [First Name]?
- 60 seconds to help other [industry] customers
- Thanks for choosing [Business Name]
- Quick question about your visit on [Date]
- We'd love your honest feedback
- [First Name], got a minute for a quick review?
- Your [Product/Service] — how's it working out?
- One favor before we go
- Job's done — mind sharing your experience?
- Still happy to hear from you, [First Name]
How to Personalize These Templates
Quick Answer:
Personalize with merge fields from your CRM or point-of-sale system: first name, service date, technician or staff name, and product or service ordered. Two or three specific details make the email feel genuine without adding length.
Most CRM, invoicing, and email tools support merge fields (sometimes called mail merge tags) that pull the customer's name, order details, and date automatically — you don't need to personalize each email by hand. Keep personalization to specifics the customer will recognize immediately: what they bought, who served them, and when. Avoid inventing details you don't actually have.
When Should You Send a Review Request Email?
Quick Answer:
Timing depends on the industry. Hospitality and restaurants should send the same day. Trades and retail work best at 24-48 hours. Professional services should wait until the deliverable is actually finished, not the invoice date.
| Industry | Recommended Send Time | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants / hospitality | Same day, within a few hours | Experience is fresh; delay lowers recall |
| Retail / e-commerce | 3-5 days after delivery | Customer needs time to use the product |
| Trades / home services | Same day, after invoice settled | Job outcome is immediately visible |
| Salons / personal care | 24-48 hours | Allows result to settle before feedback |
| Professional services / B2B | After deliverable completion | Invoice date rarely matches satisfaction |
How Many Times Should You Follow Up?
Quick Answer:
Send one follow-up, 5-7 days after the first request, and stop there. A second reminder to someone who hasn't responded risks reading as pressure rather than a genuine ask.
How Do You Create a Google Review Link?
Quick Answer:
Search your business name on Google, open your Google Business Profile, and select "Get more reviews" to generate a shareable link. Paste that link into any template above, or convert it into a QR code for printed materials.
Google's own Google Business Profile help documentation covers the exact steps for generating and sharing this link, and Google's guidance on soliciting genuine reviews confirms that sharing a direct link or QR code is an accepted, non-incentivized way to ask.
What Should You Avoid When Asking for Google Reviews?
Quick Answer:
Don't offer incentives, don't ask only satisfied customers (review gating), don't request a specific star rating, and don't pressure customers while they're still on your premises. Google's Maps content policy and the FTC's 2024 rule both prohibit these practices, with real financial penalties attached.
Google updated its Maps user-generated content policy in early 2026 to more explicitly prohibit several practices that used to be common: Google's official policy states that merchants "should not require or pressure users to leave ratings or write reviews while on the premises," and separately bans offering incentives, discouraging negative reviews, or selectively soliciting positive ones. In practice, that rules out review kiosks or tablets at checkout, staff review quotas, and asking customers to mention a specific staff member or product by name.
Separately, the FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (effective October 2024) prohibits incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment, and can carry civil penalties per violation. Neither rule prohibits asking for reviews — both explicitly permit it. What they prohibit is engineering the outcome.
| Not allowed | Allowed instead |
|---|---|
| Asking for a "5-star review" | Asking for "honest feedback" |
| Offering a discount for a review | Simply asking, with no reward attached |
| Only emailing customers who seemed happy | Sending the same request to every customer |
| A tablet at the counter before checkout | An email, text, or take-home QR card |
| Asking staff to hit a review quota | Setting a business-level goal, not per-staff |
Email vs SMS vs Printed QR Cards
Quick Answer:
Email works well for retail, e-commerce, and B2B follow-ups. SMS gets faster responses for time-sensitive services. Printed QR cards capture the in-person moment when satisfaction is highest but attention is shortest. Most businesses get the best coverage using two of the three.
These aren't competing methods so much as different moments in the customer journey. Email suits situations where the customer has left and has time to sit down and write. SMS suits urgent, short-cycle services where a fast reply matters. A printed card — handed over at checkout, tucked into a delivery, or left on a hotel pillow — reaches the customer at the exact point of highest satisfaction, before they've walked away and moved on to the next thing. If you're weighing whether to add a physical option alongside email, our breakdown of printed review card economics covers the cost side in more detail.
How to Measure Review Request Performance
Quick Answer:
Track three numbers: request volume (how many you sent), click-through rate on the review link, and completed-review rate. Most email platforms and link shorteners report the first two automatically; the third you'll need to check against your Google Business Profile.
If you're running requests through email marketing software, both open rate and link click rate are usually built in. Completed reviews take more manual tracking — checking your Google Business Profile weekly against request volume gives a rough conversion rate you can improve over time.
Where a printed card fits in: If you also want a physical prompt at the point of service — receipts, invoices, or a card handed over at checkout — printed QR review cards start at $74.95 for 500. They work alongside these email templates rather than replacing them.
Watch
How to train your staff to ask for a review and turn compliments into reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best review request email template?
There is no single best template — the right one depends on your industry and how soon after service you send it. A short, simple template sent within 24-48 hours of a positive interaction consistently outperforms longer, more formal messages sent a week later.
How long should a review request email be?
Keep it under 80-100 words. State the ask, add one line of context about the interaction, and include a single direct link. Longer emails give the customer more reasons to defer.
What subject line should I use for a review request?
Plain, specific subject lines outperform clever ones. "How did we do, [Name]?" or "60 seconds to help other [service] customers" both work because they set accurate expectations for what's inside.
When should I send a review request email?
Send within 24-48 hours of a positive interaction for most service and retail businesses. Hospitality can send the same day. B2B and long-cycle services should wait until the deliverable has actually landed, not the invoice date.
Can I send a follow-up if a customer doesn't respond?
One follow-up 5-7 days later is standard and accepted practice. A second follow-up is rarely worth the risk of annoying the customer.
Can I ask customers for a five-star review?
No. Google's policy prohibits directing customers toward a specific rating or specific content. Ask for honest feedback about the experience, not for five stars specifically.
Can I offer a discount or incentive for a Google review?
No. Google's Maps content policy prohibits offering payment, discounts, or free goods in exchange for a review, and the FTC's 2024 rule separately prohibits incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment.
Should I ask every customer for a review, or only happy ones?
Ask every eligible customer the same way. Selectively asking only satisfied customers is called review gating, and it's explicitly prohibited under Google's content policy.
Is email or a printed QR card more effective for review requests?
They solve different moments. Email catches the customer after they've left, when they have time to write. A printed QR card captures the in-person moment when satisfaction is highest but attention is short. Businesses that use both tend to see better coverage than either method alone.
How do I create a Google review link for my business?
Search for your business on Google, open your Google Business Profile, and use the "Get more reviews" option to generate a shareable link. You can then turn that link into a QR code for receipts, cards, or in-store signage.
Sources and Methodology
- BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (1,002 US adults) — statistics on request rates and response rates. External source, linked inline.
- Google Maps User-Generated Content Policy — official prohibited/restricted content rules governing review solicitation. External source, linked inline.
- Google Business Profile Help — steps for generating a review link. External source, linked inline.
- FTC Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465) — effective October 21, 2024. External source, linked inline.
- Review Cards operational observations: internal patterns from working with US business clients on review-request wording and timing, clearly marked as internal where used.
Last reviewed: July 2026.