Reviews are Relevant

Today, customer reviews have a big impact on the decision making of new clients.

According to a most recent survey, 86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses and 91% of 18-34 year-olds trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Be Engaged

Taking control of your salon or beauty business’ profile, keeping it updated, and responding quickly to reviews are ways that you can influence potential clients in a positive manner.

Customer satisfaction has become just as important as the product or service itself. That includes posting responses to negative reviews as well as positive reviews. Responding to negative reviews in a professional manner will help reduce some of the damage that a complaint can cause. When potential clients see that you are engaged, they are more likely to trust that you will take them seriously.

Pro Tip:

Use your Google My Business account for more than just reviews by regularly adding some of your favorite content to the images and video sections.

Just Ask

You can reduce the impact of negative reviews by obtaining more positive reviews. ASK for reviews from your clients at the end of an appointment, or in an e-mail, or in a text. On your website, add links to review platforms, to make it easy for your clients to give you that glowing recommendation. Thank customers for their positive reviews.

Facebook, Google, and Yelp are the biggest names in the online review game. It’s worth doing the research on how the services work. Each platform has its own protocol for responses and some of the policies are not as friendly to the business as they are to the consumers.

Hunting those 5-star Reviews

Yelp has a policy prohibiting the incentivization of customers and it filters out reviews from users that don’t post very often. According to a Forbes article (2017, November 16), Yelp does not believe that soliciting reviews is beneficial to the consumers because it can “artificially inflate” the scores. However, the Askalidis and Malthouse (2016) study they reference appears to state the exact opposite; that self-motivated reviewers tend to be overly negative and not represent the broader customer experience. It is recommended to review any platforms policies and see how they will benefit or distract from your marketing goals.

Ultimately, your best line of offense is to build a business that is focused on positive user experience. It reduces your risk of negative reviews and makes it easier to ask for a review knowing that your clients will probably have good things to say.

Pro Tip:

Longer testimonials and social media posts with photos and videos can be shared on your social media platforms and put to good use as content on your website.

Just Ask

You can reduce the impact of negative reviews by obtaining more positive reviews. ASK for reviews from your clients at the end of an appointment, or in an e-mail, or in a text. On your website, add links to review platforms, to make it easy for your clients to give you that glowing recommendation. Thank customers for their positive reviews.

Facebook, Google, and Yelp are the biggest names in the online review game. It’s worth doing the research on how the services work. Each platform has its own protocol for responses and some of the policies are not as friendly to the business as they are to the consumers.

Hunting those 5-star Reviews

Yelp has a policy prohibiting the incentivization of customers and it filters out reviews from users that don’t post very often. According to a Forbes article (2017, November 16), Yelp does not believe that soliciting reviews is beneficial to the consumers because it can “artificially inflate” the scores. However, the Askalidis and Malthouse (2016) study they reference appears to state the exact opposite; that self-motivated reviewers tend to be overly negative and not represent the broader customer experience. It is recommended to review any platforms policies and see how they will benefit or distract from your marketing goals.

Ultimately, your best line of offense is to build a business that is focused on positive user experience. It reduces your risk of negative reviews and makes it easier to ask for a review knowing that your clients will probably have good things to say.

Pro Tip:

Longer testimonials and social media posts with photos and videos can be shared on your social media platforms and put to good use as content on your website.

The Dreaded 1-Star Review

There are many ways to handle harmful reviews, but the simplest solution is often the best. According to a Forbes article (2018, June 19), the author recommends the following three steps.

1. Apologize
2. Fix It
3. Follow Up and Request Removal

While it can be challenging, it is essential to not get caught up in the negative review and take it personally. Remain humble and show the world that you are human and focused on resolving the issue. If the review is fraudulent or not a known customer, request that the review be removed from the platform. It may take some following up on the request, but be persistent and ready to explain how the review is not true.

Pro Tip:

There is no guarantee that a platform will remove a bogus review, so take the time to respond and calmly state the facts. Even fake reviews benefit from a professional response.