Everyone has an opinion, and many consumers are more than happy to share them about companies that they do business with, increasingly on online review sites. While you may worry about what a current or former client might say about your spa or massage practice in the virtual world, online reviews are a fact of life today. Since consumers generally research products and services online before they buy, a positive online review can attract more clients.
Online reviews also are important because they let you know what areas of your spa or massage practice may need improvement. By monitoring reviews, you learn what customers seek from your products and services, how well you are meeting expectations, and what you need to improve. You may find that clients don’t like a particular skin treatment or aren’t getting the desired results from a massage because of an online review.
Some of the key sites you’ll want to monitor your online reputation include.
Review Sites
While Yelp is one of the most well-known sites, there are many others where your clients may be sharing their thoughts about your services and retail products: Google Local, Yahoo Local, CitySearch, and Insider Pages are some of them.
You can key in the name of your spa or massage business and see what is being said about you online. Make it more convenient by setting Google Alerts to get updates from blogs, websites, and news – once a day, weekly, or as they occur– that include mentions of your business.
Use Twitter Search to find clients and others who are saying and sharing your spa or massage business. You also can set advanced parameters to search by dates, links, and even a particular person.
Don’t just monitor reviews, manage them
Managing reviews start by responding, when you can, to both positive and negative comments. By responding, you let your clients and prospects know what they say about you matters. Just avoid getting defensive over negative reviews. Tact is the best way to handle bad reviews. Respond by pointing out where the information may be wrong. If the negative review is correct, thank the reviewer for raising the issue and indicate what changes you plan to make. You can thanks clients for positive reviews, as well.
Be a part of the online conversation
Don’t wait for reviews, be part of the conversation on social media. Keep your clients and prospects informed about your spa or massage practice, special treatments, new retail offerings, trends in the industry, and more. Not only will you have to shape the conversation, but your involvement also shows that you are accessible and want to hear what your customers have to say.
Online reviews are a fact of life. Consider them a strategic tool to make sure you are giving your clients what they want.