Why should I be using ratings in my product emails?

Think back to the last time you bought something new. You probably did a little bit of research beforehand.

Maybe you opened up your favorite search engine and typed in “best product” or “product reviews.” Perhaps you went to YouTube, checked out a few videos, or went to Amazon and checked out what people said.

After all that research, you probably came away with a pretty good idea of the best products for your needs.

Chances are they had something pretty important in common.

Good ratings and reviews.

Let’s face it; no one goes to a website and wants to check out all the products that get one or two stars. We want to check out the best, the five-star stuff, before we buy.

The same goes for your customers too. They want to get the best you have to offer the products with the highest ratings and reviews. Makes sense, right?

Now, consider making things really easy for them, right from their inbox. You can do that by including ratings in your product emails.

Here’s why it matters.

Social proof

Ok, let’s go back to that shopping example from above. Let’s say you need a new set of tires. You’ve got a few options. You can call the local tire shop and ask the person behind the counter, go on the shop’s site and see if they’ve got any highly rated tires, or ask your buddy who just bought new tires for his car.

Most people will do some sort of combination, but when it comes to swaying your opinion, two things will likely stand out; the reviews on the website and what your buddy thinks.

It’s all about social proof.

Research has shown that people are often more likely to trust the word of their peers over that of a brand. So while the tire expert behind the counter might know exactly what she’s talking about, seeing those reviews on the website next to each tire is more likely to trigger a positive response.

Those ratings, especially when your customers leave them, are invaluable. They help showcase the quality of your products, and they also help convince other customers to buy too. It’s a double whammy of positive stuff.

Spread the word

Unsurprisingly, when you get good product ratings, you don’t want to hide them away where your customers can’t see them. Sure, putting these reviews on your website is a good start. But, you can also take things a step further and include them in your product emails too.

This is a great way to personalize your emails and help establish a rapport with your customers. Imagine that they’ve been checking out some sneakers on your site but left a few options in their cart.

You don’t want any abandoned cart ignored, so you send out an email to re-engage your customer and, hopefully, get them to take action. So, why not include the product ratings of the sneakers they’ve left behind in your abandoned cart email?

Seeing that one pair has tons of five-star reviews from customers might be enough to push them over the edge and want to pull the trigger to buy. After all, if people just like them love these sneakers, there’s a pretty good chance they will too.

That’s just one example of what you can do with ratings in product emails. Here’s where you can really get creative. Use product ratings in your sales, abandoned cart, and new product update emails.

You can highlight them in loyalty emails, too. Why not entice your customers by letting them know they’re just one purchase away from a new rewards tier, oh and by the way, here are a couple of highly-rated products that can get them to that next level.

Product review emails can also work with your post-purchase emails. Remind your customers when you send your receipts and shipping emails of the awesome products they bought. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to include a few related products and their reviews in those emails too.

Are you starting to see how it can work?

Adding product reviews to your emails is just another way to give your customers the quality information they want in a personalized manner. It’s a great way to encourage action and build trust with them over the long term.