Building a credible reputation in the hair and beauty industry is crucial, and with the majority of clients looking online to find their local salon, Google reviews have never been more important.
Online reviews provide a way for clients to share their experiences, which helps improve trust and credibility. Reviews can also help put your website higher on the Google search page which increases the chances of potential clients finding you. You don’t need to be a computer whizz to take advantage of Google Reviews. So how do you get more of them?
Here are three simple, yet effective ways to get more Google reviews for your salon.
Ask your clients for a review
The easiest way to get more Google reviews for your salon is to simply ask your clients for them. After a customer has had a great experience at your salon, let them know that you would greatly appreciate it if they could leave a review for you on Google.
This means you need to encourage your staff to ask as well. Make sure they’re familiar with how to leave a Google review in case a client needs help, and discuss how they can ask a client politely and professionally.
Imagine how many clients you could get to leave a review simply by getting your staff to ask their clients after each visit. The more people you ask, the more reviews you’ll get!
Automate the review process with your salon software
In case you were thinking that all of this is too much admin, think again! To make it as simple as possible, you can send your clients an automated text message or email that thanks them for visiting, asks them to leave a review and has a link to your Google review page.
This means that you aren’t relying on your staff to ask and makes it as simple as possible for your clients so they’re more inclined to do it.
To learn how to set up an automated follow-up text message or email with your Google review link, view our support guide.
Offer incentives
Everyone loves free gifts, a discount, or a chance to win a prize. Offering incentives is a great way to get more Google reviews. They don’t have to cost you a lot of money, either. You can offer clients whatever you please, and it can be changed at any time.
Whether it be 10% off all storewide products, or a free mini gift when purchasing any package, any incentive will delight your clients and make them more likely to leave you a review.
You may also want to encourage clients to include photos of their results in their reviews, which will help potential clients see how visually appealing your service is and see real results, convincing them to come to you.
Using incentives will also show other potential clients that your salon values customer feedback, which makes your salon come across as an inviting and trustworthy place that looks after its clients.
Use your salon’s marketing channels
A marketing channel is any platform you use to connect with your clients and target audience. Using all your salon’s marketing channels, such as social media, your website, email campaigns, brochures and more, ensures you’re providing clients with even more opportunities to leave a review.
Check out this blog about the best marketing channels for salons, spas and clinics for some expert advice.
Your website
First of all, add a review call-to-action on your website as that is where many of your clients are likely to go. Here are some ideas of how you can incorporate a review call-to-action on your website:
- You could put an option for them to leave a review in your website footer, which links up to your Google page and says “Let us know your experience, leave a review here”.
- Create a dedicated page on your website that asks clients to leave a Google review. This page should display a link to your Google page and could also include examples of other client reviews. You could also share this page on your social media channels.
Social media
Social media is a great way to reach out to your clients and ask them for Google reviews. Post a message on your social media profiles asking your followers to leave a review on your Google My Business page.
You can also promote incentives and run giveaways on your socials to encourage your followers to leave reviews. Additionally, it’s a great idea to use social media to thank clients who have left a review, as this will show other clients that you appreciate their feedback.
Check out these Google My Business profile tips for salons to learn more about the Google reviews platform.
Email marketing
Don’t forget about emails! As mentioned previously, sending an automated follow-up email to your clients after their appointment is a great way to let them know you want to make sure they enjoyed their service by encouraging them to leave a review.
The great thing about Kitomba’s email marketing campaigns and automated emails is that they’re all free. Plus, the emails can be automated and customised to your specific salon using the Kitomba marketing tools so you can automatically ask clients for a review after their appointment without worrying about how much these automated emails are costing you.
When sending out thank you messages you can include a link or call-to-action asking clients to leave a review. This provides your clients with yet another opportunity to leave a review if they haven’t done so already. This takes the hassle out of your clients having to type your salon name into Google and trying to figure out where to leave a review as it is only a click away.
Increase your bookings with Google reviews
If you want to enhance your online presence, get found in Google and drive more bookings for your salon, spa or clinic, getting more Google reviews will help to get you there!
To ensure your Google profile is ready to receive reviews from your customers take a look here at this Google support guide.
Use Reputation Ai
As we’ve covered in this article, the best way to get more Google reviews is to simply ask your clients wherever and whenever you can – whether that’s through digital platforms or in-person appointments. The majority of the time clients will be happy to leave you a review to show you their appreciation for your service. So why not allow Reputation Ai feature take the pressure off remembering to ask people.
Reputation AI is one of REACH.ai great features that help you to maintain a great reputation online by getting more Google reviews – improving your SEO and attracting new clients, all while meeting Google’s terms of service.
Once enabled, Reputation AI will send automated emails to your return clients immediately after their appointments, inviting them to rate your business out of 5 stars and leave feedback.
Client feedback is sent to your team by email to respond to, and if their review is positive (4-5 stars), they will be asked to publish their review on Google. If their review is 3 stars or less, they will be invited to contact you privately to address their concerns or leave a review on Google, giving you the opportunity to address negative feedback privately.
Click here to find out more about REACH.ai
To learn more about marketing your salon and getting found online, check out these articles and resources:
- How to do email marketing for your salon in 5 steps
- 6 essential automated marketing ideas for salons, spas and clinics
- A free guide to automating your client messages
If you have any questions about how to use Kitomba Salon and Spa Software features discussed in this article, contact us. We’re here to help!
Want to find out how Kitomba Salon and Spa Software can help your business to become more successful? Book your free demo today.
