Reviews from clients can be an uplifting ego boost or a much-needed reality check. Either way, they are an important temperature check for your business. In addition to providing you with vital feedback, reviews are an integral part of the growth and success of your salon. For you, it’s an indication of what you’re doing well and where you have room for improvement. For new clients, it’s an opportunity to hear about others’ experiences before deciding to give you their business.
What can you do to get more reviews? Follow along for some sure-fire ways to generate more feedback from your clients and watch your business soar.
It may go without saying, but great service gets great reviews. Always show up and strive to provide the best experience possible. This goes for starting off strong with new clients and maintaining exceptional service for long-time patrons – consistency is key to earning positive reviews and building up a reputation that customers can trust and will want to share.
Your clients are doing you a favor by taking extra time to leave you a review – the easier that process is, the better chances you have at stacking up that favorable feedback. Platforms such as Facebook or Google offer great exposure for client reviews, but if a client needs to create an account, log in, or take time searching for your business online, the odds of them making it through that review process begin to dwindle.
Make it nearly effortless for clients to leave reviews with an easy-to-follow link that shows up in their digital receipt. With the GlossGenius app, you can toggle on the setting that automatically asks for reviews under Settings > Booking Controls & Notifications > Client Notifications > Ask Clients to Review. From that point on, review reminders are included in the receipt email and/or text so that those rave reviews are just a click away. It’s also good practice to verbally remind them that the link is there following each appointment.
If your more subtle reminders aren’t enough, you may want to consider adding incentives to start generating more client reviews. Sometimes people need a little extra encouragement and it’s a win-win situation when you can do something nice for your clients in exchange for their kind words about you.
If you’re able to extend a small discount, an add-on service, or a free product sample, let clients know that you’re offering that to everyone who leaves a five-star review. If you’re not interested in putting up a discount or product for each review, you can host gratitude drawings on a weekly or monthly basis – every client who leaves a five-star review is entered into a raffle for a complimentary service or product of your choosing to show your appreciation.
Next to reflecting on the client feedback you receive, making sure your reviews are seen is one of the most important aspects to employ. A new client or an existing client considering a new service needs to be able to easily find those recommendations. To automatically upload reviews to your custom booking site from the app, go to Settings > Website > Show Reviews. Turn your review notifications on as well so you can be sure to check out the responses you receive in real-time. With notifications, you can promptly thank clients for their positive feedback and show off those stellar quotes on your social media pages with a template style that matches your brand.
On the flip side, notifications also allow you to swiftly address any less-than-ideal incidents that arise. We all have off days, and whether you’re experiencing some growing pains or just had a client taking out a bad day on you, you may decide there’s some feedback that doesn’t have a place on a public forum. If you need to hide a review, simply go to the specific review within the app and tap Hide Review Online.
No credit card required.
