If the 'Customer is King', then the 'Customer's Review' is gold. So, if you own a lash salon, you must make the most of your online presence, sharing excellent customer feedback for the world to see.
We live in a time where Google is our anchor, and we are only a click away from unravelling the world around us. So, it won't be a surprise to learn that 90% of shoppers make their purchasing decisions based on online customer reviews and Google Star ratings. Needless to say, these favourable reviews not only rank positively with Google's algorithm to position you on the top of their page but are great at building your brand reputation and attracting an ever-proliferating clientele.
Let's explore why customer reviews for salons matter and how you can encourage customers to drop them for you.
Why reviews for lash salons matter
Help build trust and beat competition
Imagine a potential customer looking for a lash salon near them. The more customer reviews you receive, the more chances you have of Google bumping up your page visibility on search engines locally, making you the most likely salon to be chosen by the searcher. Not to forget that these reviews will also help undecided customers to build trust and credibility in your business even before they visit your business. You will only need a Google Business page account and a website to register your salon with your address and contact number.
Help control damage
Visibly connecting with your customers online shows that you are attentive and value your customers' opinions. While it's easy to respond to positive reviews, negative reviews can bum you out. Don't fret! You can't make everyone happy, but beware that a negative review can undermine your business' credibility. The best way is to respond to it on the same platform for others to read. Provide a solution to their complaint, take a neutral stance, be understanding, and let them know how much clients mean to your business. This will help your business control the damage.
Help to improve business
Customer reviews are an excellent way to reflect where your business stands. If your positive comments outweigh the negative ones, you know you are on the right path. However, it is also essential to focus on negative criticism. It could be a good resource to touch on customers' pain points and improve as a business. Sometimes, reviews also spark conversations, which may generate innovative ways to take your business forward.
Help build your brand
There are few better ways to show your brand's values and mission than on an online platform. When you respond to customer reviews, you open a communication line. You may want to use this as an excellent opportunity to showcase what your brand stands for— customer satisfaction and excellent service. In addition, if a potential customer is reading through all the comments, your business' helpful comments can aid them in forming a favorable opinion about your business values.
How do you get customers to post reviews?
Here is the tricky bit. Often, a satisfied and happy customer may need persuasion or quite a few reminders to write a review for you, and a disgruntled customer will often jump online to vent their frustrations, sometimes even before sharing their grievances with you first. Creating a body of amazing reviews balances out the few negative ones you may receive and can't control.
When you have a loyal clientele
As a lash artist, you have your 'tribe' of loyal clients, and you share a great camaraderie with them. They should be your first group of clients who will be willing to write a glorifying review for you. Start the conversation face-to-face when they are at their appointment and if you think it may slip their mind upon leaving your salon, send them a reminder email or SMS to review you online at a later time. To make things easy, send them the link and ease the process. When your client walks out of your salon with the best lashes in town, they will likely not have to think about them again until refill time; therefore, if you can grab them at a captive moment, that will help get a review. You can ask them to write up that review for you while they are waiting for their appointment, enjoying the surrounds of your beautiful salon.
When you have a new client
You have a new client, and she returns to you for her subsequent infill. You can clearly tell they are satisfied with your service; this could be an excellent opportunity to request them to write a review for you while the experience is fresh for them. Or how about incentivizing your client? Perhaps you'd be happy to offer a small discount or a gift at their service if they write you a lovely review before they leave? This could also work as an effective trigger to write a glowing review for you.
When the process is easy
Your service is extraordinary, and your clients are happy but getting them to review your salon may be an out of depth situation for them. One reason could be that the whole process may seem tedious and unnecessary. However, easing the process can encourage them to take the step. For example, create a QR code that leads them to the page. Or send them an SMS or email with the link. You could also create an attractive corner at your salon, enticing your client to take a photo and record a testimonial video about their experience. This approach would help you get instant testimonials.
When you start a campaign
As part of your marketing plan for your business, create a campaign to get customer reviews. Start by creating a template that can be sent to your clients immediately after their appointment with you. Have a fixed and easy set of questions that they can answer and rate your service. If you want to give away discounts or products to your clients as an incentive to write reviews, you will have to calculate a cost that does not dig a hole in your pocket. Take these incentives into account in your budget to avoid a loss in your business.
Create profiles on popular customer review sites Google My Business, Yelp, Reddit, TripAdvisor, and The Yellow Pages. You may not see results immediately, but you may be surprised by just how many people leave reviews over time. Every person has their favourite platform, so don't miss out on opportunities by choosing only one. Don't forget to monitor them regularly.
Remember, your clients are your greatest spokespersons. Client reviews are the best way to tell the world what an excellent business you are running. So, keep them coming and stop at nothing to get them.
