A review request template is a structured framework that guides customers toward leaving feedback on Google, Facebook, or other platforms. This walkthrough shows you what elements belong in an effective template, how to fill them out for your business, and how to deploy the finished message without sounding robotic or pushy.
Every review request template starts with a greeting that uses the customer's first name and references the transaction. Next comes context: a one-sentence reminder of what they bought or experienced, anchoring the request to a real interaction. The third element is the ask itself—short, clear, and ideally under 15 words. Fourth is platform guidance: either a single link to your preferred review site or a brief menu of two options like Google and Facebook. Fifth is friction reduction, typically a note that the review takes under a minute or a sentence acknowledging that even a star rating helps. Sixth and optional: social proof or incentive disclosure. If you mention that reviews help future customers or if you're offering a thank-you gift, state it plainly and comply with Canadian advertising and anti-spam rules. These six pieces form the skeleton. Fill them with your business voice and the template becomes repeatable without feeling canned.
Start by deciding which review platform matters most. Local service businesses typically prioritize Google because it feeds the Local Pack; e-commerce stores may split attention between Google and Trustpilot or Facebook. Write the context line to mirror your customer's language—if you run a dental clinic in Ottawa, reference the cleaning or the specific procedure by name. For the ask, avoid hedging words like maybe or if you have time; instead write We'd love your feedback on Google or Your review on Facebook would mean a lot. Insert the platform link as plain text in parentheses or as a call-to-action button if you're using email software that supports it. For friction reduction, choose one: This takes less than 60 seconds, Even a quick star rating helps, or If now isn't convenient, we'll remind you in a week. Test both direct tone and softer tone across customer segments. If you serve Quebec clients or operate federally, prepare a French version that mirrors structure and warmth without word-for-word translation.
If you're sending the template by email, ensure you have implied or express consent under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. Transactional follow-ups within a reasonable window—typically 2-7 days post-purchase—usually qualify as implied consent, but include an unsubscribe mechanism to stay safe. If you offer any reward, discount, or entry into a draw in exchange for a review, disclose it in the template and on the review platform if their terms require it; Google and most platforms forbid incentivized reviews, so tread carefully or limit incentives to participation in feedback surveys that live on your own site. For businesses in Quebec or those subject to federal language rules, provide a French version of the template that feels natural, not machine-translated. Use merci for thanks, avis for review, and match the formal or informal tu/vous register to your brand. Keep both versions in a shared document so your team sends the right one based on customer preference or postal code.
Email remains the most common channel because it allows rich formatting, link tracking, and easy automation through CRMs like HubSpot or simpler tools like Mailchimp. Schedule the email 2-4 days after service completion for local businesses or 5-7 days after delivery for physical products, giving the customer time to use the item but before the memory fades. SMS works well for mobile-heavy audiences—keep the message under 160 characters, use a shortened link, and send during business hours to avoid annoyance. In-person handoff suits retail or hospitality: print a small card with a QR code linking to your Google review page and hand it to the customer at checkout or on their way out. For recurring clients, space requests at least 90 days apart to avoid fatigue. Automate the send in your CRM or booking software so the request fires without manual intervention, but build a suppression list for customers who've already reviewed or who've opted out.
Merge fields let you personalize at scale. Insert first name, service type, staff member name, or appointment date into the template so each message feels specific. For example, Hi Sarah, thanks for trusting us with your furnace tune-up last Tuesday. If your CRM tracks the technician or stylist, add their name: Marcus mentioned you had questions about the new filter—we hope everything is running smoothly. Another tactic is conditional logic: if the customer bought a high-ticket item, reference it; if they booked a recurring service, acknowledge the relationship. Personalization also includes sender identity. Send the email from the owner's name or the specific team member who served them, not a generic info@ address, because reply rates and trust climb when a real human is on the other end. None of this requires rewriting the template for each send; it requires a well-structured CRM and five minutes of setup.
Run a simple two-variant test every quarter. Version A uses a direct single link: Leave us a Google review here. Version B offers choice: Share your feedback on Google or Facebook. Track click-through and completion rates in your email platform or via UTM parameters on the review-page URL. Typically, single-platform requests convert higher because they reduce decision friction, but choice can work if your audience is split across platforms. Also test tone: formal versus conversational, gratitude-heavy versus benefit-focused. After six months, templates start to feel stale—customers who interact with you repeatedly will notice if the wording never changes. Refresh the context line, swap the friction-reducer, or adjust the closing sentence. Archive old versions in a templates folder so you can resurrect winning elements later. The goal is not a perfect forever-template; it's a living asset that adapts as your customer base and platform landscape shift.
Send from a personal address or a named sender—owner@yourbusiness.ca or firstname@yourbusiness.ca—rather than info@ or noreply@. Customers are more likely to open, read, and respond when they see a human name in the From field. If your CRM does not support named senders easily, set the reply-to address to a personal inbox so responses land somewhere monitored.
Thank them immediately, even if the platform is not your priority. Reply to their review, then send a brief follow-up: We saw your kind words on Facebook—if you have a moment, a Google review helps more locals find us. Include the Google link. Most customers will not post twice, but the polite nudge occasionally works, and you preserve goodwill either way.
Google, Yelp, and most major platforms prohibit offering anything of value in exchange for a review because it biases the feedback. You may offer an incentive for completing a private survey on your own site and then invite survey respondents to leave a voluntary, unprompted review. Disclose the incentive clearly and never condition it on star rating or positive sentiment to stay compliant.
Treat the reply as a gift. Acknowledge the issue, apologize if warranted, and offer a resolution offline—phone call, refund, or service redo. Once resolved, you can ask if they would consider sharing updated feedback publicly, but never pressure. A private complaint handled well often becomes a stronger testimonial than an unsolicited five-star review because the customer feels heard.
Quebec consumer-protection and language laws require French versions for businesses operating there. Federally regulated industries—banks, airlines, telecoms—also face bilingual obligations. Outside those cases, a French template is optional but courteous if you serve francophone customers in Ottawa, northern Ontario, or New Brunswick. Monitor your customer database; if more than 10 percent prefer French communication, build the template.
Once per transaction or service cycle is safe. For one-time purchases, send a single request 3-7 days post-delivery and do not repeat. For recurring clients—monthly lawn care, quarterly bookkeeping—you can request a review after the first interaction and again 12 months later if their experience has evolved. Always suppress customers who have already reviewed from future campaigns to avoid redundancy and irritation.