How to Get 5-Star Reviews for Your Salon

Having a “build it and they will come” mentality for your salon business doesn’t cut it in today’s competitive landscape. Customers crave unique thoughtful experiences and creating value-add moments will enhance your salon’s ability to grow and maintain clientele. Your client’s experience from the moment they walk up to your business to the moment they walk back out the door can make a huge difference. Will they leave you a review and will it be a positive 4 or 5-star review or a business damaging 1-star review? Let the below be your starter guide to getting more 5-star reviews.

Why 5-Star Reviews Matter

Great reviews can make a huge difference for your business. Whether your reviews are Google Reviews, Yelp Reviews or others, having a positive overall review rating will help you attract new clients by building trust. When you get a new review, you can also thank your customers to build even greater loyalty with your existing clients. If you’re not being thoughtful about reviews from the start, you may find your business struggling to get new customers.

There are several factors that can impact your client’s experience that may also impact the review they may leave you following a service at your salon.

• Comfort: Clients are spending a lot of time in your establishment and often use this time to get a reprieve from their everyday challenges. Ensuring you’re giving them a relaxing experience from start to finish can be a game changer.
• Efficiency: Even though your clients often use their visit to the salon as a moment to relax, they also want their service to be provided to them in an efficient manner. If you can get the same results in less time and give your clients back 30 minutes of their busy days, why not do so?
• Results: Of course, being a steward of your craft and delivering exceptional results are key factors to snagging a glowing review. Make sure your clients leave feeling like the best version of themselves. This feeling will pay dividends. You’ll certainly have a great chance for a positive review, but word of mouth is priceless!

Having the right environment and equipment will make your job of increasing your number of reviews that much easier. Let’s dive into how the equipment you’re using can play a big role in achieving your 5-star review goals!

Comfortable Shampoo Systems: Your Pinnacle Moment in Salon Relaxation

You’ve heard it from your clients before: “The shampoo is the best part!” The few moments your clients get to close their eyes while getting a scalp massage is often what they look forward to most during salon services. How can you ensure you’re giving customers the ultimate shampoo experience? Here are some things to consider when selecting your shampoo systems:

Neck Support

There are two types of shampoo bowls: tilting shampoo bowls and stationary shampoo bowls. Each type offers varying levels of neck support.

Tilting shampoo bowls tilt so you can adjust the bowl to the height of your client’s neck. Be sure to use a cushion along the neckline for additional comfort and support. Note, all Minerva Beauty tilting shampoo bowls include our premium gel neck cushion!

Stationary shampoo bowls provide a stable, fixed position for clients and allow for better control for stylists. Stationary bowls provide a sense of security, especially if clients have mobility concerns. Additionally, stationary bowls are often better for shorter stylists who often struggle with the reach of a tilting bowl.

Our Avant Shampoo System is one of our most popular shampoo systems, raved about by stylists and clients alike! As a bonus to being a very comfortable stationary shampoo system, it comes with a built-in rubber headrest for clients to reduce strain on their necks during shampooing.

Shop the Avant Shampoo System in 10 colors (shown in Gray)

Comfort and Ease of Use

Neck support is the top priority when it comes to the perfect shampoo experience, but comfort of your chair and ease of use are just as important.

Our Makara Shampoo System and Varuna Shampoo System are fully electric, making the process of fully reclining and sitting up easier for the stylist and client. As a bonus, they offer spa-like comfort with a zero gravity recline, plush padding, and an elegant ergonomic design.

Shop the Makara Electric Shampoo System in 3 colors (shown in Black)

Another thing to note about these luxury shampoo systems is they don’t have arm rests, meaning your clients won’t feel closed in, and they can better accommodate larger clients.

Further Enhancing the Shampoo Experience

Having a comfortable and functional shampoo system is the first step to providing the best shampoo possible, but there are many small touches you can add to put your clients experience over the top.

• Use a scalp massager and thoroughly massage the client’s scalp during application. Not only does this feel amazing to your client but improves their overall scalp and hair health.
• Create a relaxing environment by using dimmed lighting and aromatherapy scents. Offering warm towels and refreshments are additional touches that can go a long way in client experience.

Making the Visit Efficient

Of course, everyone wants a relaxing salon experience, but nobody wants to be there any longer than they must if they can get more time in their day back. If a client is getting full color or highlights, they’re already expecting to be at the salon for hours, so anything you can do to lessen the time will surely be appreciated by your clients. Having quality hair processors, such as the Medusa, can make the color process much more efficient. The Medusa speeds up the process time for cream-based color by up to 7 times. Additionally, each bulb can be adjusted individually to ensure all areas are processed evenly throughout the color process without damaging the hair.

Shop the Medusa Infrared Color Hair Processor in black or white

Another simple way to make appointments more efficient is to have an organized and efficient workspace. Having the right mobile carts and trays for your space are an easy way to make your space work for you, not the other way around.

The Minerva Mobile Color Trolley went viral for a reason. It features 4 removable color bowls, a small waste bin, and a built-in foil dispenser, making those long color appointments more efficient than ever!

Another stylist favorite is the Spazio Color Cart. It features a locking drawer, appliance and blow-dryer holders that can be placed on either side, an integrated smartphone holder, a magnetic top surface with magnetic color bowls, and ample storage. There’s a reason we refer to this cart as a stylist’s ultimate sidekick!

No matter which you choose, the most important thing is to find the tools that best serve you and would make your most used processes more seamless.

Create An Atmosphere of Luxury

Your salon makes an impression the second your client walks in the door, from the comfort and welcome of the waiting area to the perceived quality of your equipment. As soon as your client sits at your station, they’re judging if your salon chair is comfortable, if your lighting is flattering, and if your space is aesthetically pleasing. Regularly updating your equipment with the latest technology and style shows your clients you care about providing them with the best service possible.

Shop the Pagani Salon Styling Chair in 8 colors, the Granger Salon Service Tray in 3 finishes and the Akamu Styling Station in black or white

There are many things to consider when choosing the best salon chair for your space. We recommend checking out our salon chair buying guide for a more in-depth look at the factors to consider, but above all client comfort and functionality are the top things to consider. Minerva offers a variety of salon chair styles, all featuring high density foam seat cushions with memory, premium vinyl covering in stylish colors, and 12 different base options. Functional yet stylish stations with flattering lighting and mirrors should complement your chair style for a cohesive and pleasing look.

Minerva offers several ways to envision and design your space, including our 2D Space Planner and 3D AR tool on product pages. Our 2D Space Planner allows you to design your space with your salon’s custom dimensions and plan how Minerva equipment would fit in your space. Our 3D AR tool allows you to use your smartphone to picture how equipment will fit and look in your space. If you’re looking to give your space a refresh we suggest checking out these helpful tools, and using our Salon Equipment Packages to give your space a new look in a cost effective way.

How to Gather Reviews

So you have a beautiful space and provide your clients with a top tier appointment from the comfort of the chair to the luxury shampoo experience, but how do you actually get them to write reviews? Even if your clients leave feeling wowed and more than satisfied with their experience taking the time to leave a review may not be top of mind for most people. It’s important to actively ask and remind your clients to write reviews. A simple way to encourage clients to write reviews is by displaying QR codes throughout your salon in a tasteful way, expressing how important reviews are to you and your small business.

Another way to encourage clients to take the time to write reviews is to incentivize by offering small discounts or the chance to win a giveaway for leaving a review. The giveaway could be anything from a discount on a service to some favorite products from your in-salon hair line. Clients are much more likely to take time out of their busy day to write an honest review if they believe there is something in it for them.

Additionally, once your salon starts gathering reviews it is important to show gratitude for the positive reviews and publicly address any concerns in negative reviews. By actively responding to reviews – even the less than 5 star ones, it shows clients and potential clients you care and you are transparent about best business practices.

Conclusion: Elevate Your Salon and Boost Your Reviews

Positive reviews are essential for attracting new clients and maintaining your salon’s reputation. The best way to ensure your salon receives good reviews is to provide your clients with the best salon experience possible. This is done by ensuring comfort throughout the visit from the waiting room to the shampoo bowl, keeping the visit efficient by having an efficient space and equipment, and providing an overall relaxing and luxurious environment. When you provide your guests with an experience that wows them from the time they walk in the door to the time they leave with a fresh cut and style, 5 star reviews are sure to naturally occur. Ready to enhance your salon and boost reviews? Explore Minerva’s range of shampoo systems,hair processors, and more! And don’t forget to take advantage of our salon package pricing.