Following on from The Hair Movement in Sidcup receiving its 800th 5-star review on Google – Director Benjamin Shipman told us it’s a reflection of the work the team do, not just with clients, but behind the scenes too.
“We believe that only 20% of what we do is the service itself – cuts, colour, makeovers and so on. The other 80% is all about how that service is experienced: how we make our guests feel, how we communicate with them, and the atmosphere we create. This mindset puts a unique emphasis on the value of our front of house and support team – something that’s often overlooked in other salons.”
So how does Benjamin get clients to leave reviews in the first place? “Your choice of software really matters. The reality is that most of our guests who leave reviews do it from a place of genuine emotion; our job is to make it easy for them to do that, and that’s where smart use of technology really shines.”
How to make Google reviews work for you
- Google is more powerful in driving a real turnover than platforms like Meta. It speaks directly to potential guests who are actively searching for a solution, in our case a hairdresser they can trust.
- Google reviews can influence bookings, team recruitment and reputation so take them seriously.
- Google reviews are a cost-effective business builder. Most clients tell us they found us through Google and were swayed by our reviews. So don’t dismiss them in your business strategy.
- Not asking for feedback, or worse, not listening to it, is just bad business. If you’re afraid to ask for a review, that’s a red flag in itself. Why wouldn’t you want to know how your guests feel?
- Use your software to its full potential. When used properly, it’s not just an operational tool, it’s an investment that can pay you back a hundredfold!
- Create a testimonials section on your website and use key words such as best hair salon in (your area) which will help with SEO.
- Shout out on social media, ad create a Story highlights called Happy Clients or 5-Star Reviews.
- Use wording from your reviews in any social, marketing or Google ads as these will stop potential clients from scrolling past.
- Use reviews to motivate your team, give them a shout out in meetings and newsletters when they’ve received a great review!
- For more of the latest industry news, click HERE.
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