Every salon owner wants to grow their salon business. They spend hours perfecting an Instagram post and working with their marketing team. One thing most salon owners don’t realise is that there is a powerful marketing tool sitting right in front of them.
If there is one growth vehicle that can accelerate your salon business, it is online reviews. If you’re not asking your clients to leave a review for your business, you are missing out big time.
And, we don’t mean AI-generated reviews or bots. We mean real reviews by real people. Did you know? When a potential new client has to book an appointment, they look at reviews. They will trust those reviews and consider them as good as personal recommendations as if made by their friends or family.
In this blog, we aim at discussing how real online reviews can make a difference to your beauty business and how you can use it to increase your bottom line.
Key Takeaways
- Learn the key strategies to get more online reviews for your salon
- Don’t wait to ask clients for a review. Prompt them immediately after their appointment.
- Use feedback management on beauty salon software to filter positive reviews from negative ones.
8 Tips to Collect Online Reviews from your Salon Clientele
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Optimise your ‘Google My Business’ Profile
First things first – Optimise your Google My Business profile. Make sure that all the details you’ve listed are up-to-date and consistent. NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) should be updated.
The photos you upload should also be high-quality. Besides client photos, upload some photos of your salon interiors, and team. Your services and pricing menu should also be listed clearly.
Google is the #1 place where potential clients search for your salon. Thus, having all the key details updated is of utmost importance. Once you’re listed on GMB, it becomes easier for potential clients to leave a review.
The kind of Google reviews you have can make or break your salon business.
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Don’t Shy Away from Asking for Reviews
As a salon business, you need to give your clients a reason to leave you a great review.
Start by providing them with a service that will compel them to leave a positive review. Studies suggest that even the happiest clients won’t leave a review if not prompted. Thus, don’t shy away from asking for a review.
If you’re wondering which is the best time to ask – we have you covered:
- The best time to ask for a review is right after the appointment. Nothing works better than in-person requests.
Ask the stylist or front-desk manager to prompt the client during checkout. However, ensure they are not pushy. Make the process effortless for them by guiding them to your salon software.
- You can even do an automated text/email follow-up thanking them for their visit along with a link to leave a review.
- Place a ‘leave a review’ sign in your waiting area thereby reminding clients to leave a review of their experience. You can have a QR code too which clients can scan to be redirected to your Google My Business page.
- Add personal touches to their visit by giving them a handwritten note or a free product sample. This compels them to say good things about your salon.
Once you find the right time to ask your clients for reviews, you will never miss reminding clients.
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Automate the Feedback Collection/Review Process
When you ask clients to leave a review, make it simple for them. Integrate automation into your salon operations. Use salon management software for this. It allows you to send automated review requests after an appointment.
By streamlining the process and making it simple for your clients, the likelihood of a client leaving a positive review increases.
In case you’re sending them an email, ask them a series of open-ended questions that would urge them to leave a review.
Remember, you need to make it easy for your clients. Timing matters when you’re asking for reviews. If you send them an email or SMS days after the service, they might not even leave a review. Thus, time it accordingly when the recall in their mind is high.
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Incentivise Reviews
Clients will do anything for a freebie or an incentive. A small reward can go a long way and motivate clients to leave a review. However, don’t make it seem like you’re giving the client a bribe.
It should come naturally. A few tactics you can use are – run monthly giveaways for reviewers, a discount on their next appointment, a free add-on service, extra loyalty points or access to a VIP event or launch.
When you offer incentives for reviews, it is important to keep it ethical. Platforms like Google and Yelp discourage incentivised or fake reviews.
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Prompt Clients to Tell a Story
A client can leave a review. However, what makes the review special? Don’t just ask to describe their experience. Instead, ask them to narrate a story through their review.
For example, ask clients to answer specific ‘before and after’ questions or how the particular stylist or technician makes them feel. Detailed reviews always speak directly to potential clients who have the same or similar pain-points.
When they read that you’ve addressed another person’s query properly, they’re more likely to book with you thereby increasing your business.
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Respond to Each & Every Review
As a hair salon owner, you only grow when you respect negative feedback as much as you respect positive feedback/reviews.
When you respond to each and every review, it builds a sense of trust and professionalism. Every client likes to feel seen and appreciated especially when they’re taking out their valuable time to leave a review.
When someone leaves a positive review, take time to thank them personally and mention the stylist along with the service they availed.
In case of a negative review, it is very important to stay calm, acknowledge the problem and offer to fix it. When you start getting defensive, it can negatively impact your salon image.
Research suggests that when salon owners take time to respond to negative reviews, their ratings improve overall instead of decline.
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Highlight Positive Reviews on your Website & Social Media Pages
Reviews and feedback speak for itself. You don’t need any marketing. Don’t let great reviews simply sit on your Google profile. Repurpose them by turning them into Instagram posts, website testimonials and by tagging them on your stories.
Create eye-catching review graphics so that when potential clients visit your beauty salon software to book an appointment, they’re smitten by the reviews and are compelled to book.
Ask clients for their permission, and pair reviews with their photos. When you turn reviews into marketing content, you can grow your salon business exponentially.
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Build a Review Culture Within your Salon
Don’t just encourage clients to leave a review. Encourage your salon employees to keep the reviews coming in.
In order to make reviews a part of your salon workflow, make it a point for the stylists to ask for reviews naturally. You need to train them to do so. It’s also a good idea to celebrate positive reviews with your team and incentivise those who are able to bring in the most number of reviews.
You can easily manage employee commissions on the best salon software in India.
Conclusion
Consider reviews as your digital word-of-mouth. Gone are the days when reviews were just “nice to have”. Today, they’re a secret weapon to build your salon clientele.
When you build an online review culture, you will see how clients start walking in through the door. To support your efforts in growing your salon business is Salon360, salon software.
The feedback management system helps you automate the entire process so that your new clients can only see the positive reviews. For your review drive to be positive, it’s important to ask consistently, respond promptly and showcase smartly.
Are you ready to change the face of your beauty business with salon management software? Request a free demo.
