Have you ever heard the saying, “You are only as good as your reputation?” Well, there is some truth to that, especially in beauty. People go to beauty professionals to look better, not worse. Putting aside budget hunters willing to risk their appearance to bottom basement prices, most people need proof you can deliver the results you promise.
Beauty professionals also have another battle beyond proving they can deliver their promised results. Battling the wild, wild west that is social media and the beauty industry.
Wading Through Social
TikTok trends, the thorn in the side of all beauty professionals, can create fake results and set up a false narrative around beauty products and services. There needs to be more clarity about what services and products are truly worth a client’s money. With all the coupons, over-promised results, pop-up beauty experts and influencers, skepticism among the public is understandably high.
Clients want to make wise, informed decisions about skin care. Your job is to cut through all the noise and educate clients on the truth behind your products and services, which is not the easiest thing to do. The best, most cost-effective way to educate people on your products or services is through testimonials. Yes, testimonials. People listen to people. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but testimonials are worth money in the bank.
Related: $pa Marketing: Jumpstart Sales With Images and Testimonials
What is a Testimonial?
A testimonial is an in-depth review of your services from an actual client and someone with first-hand experience with your client journey, from booking their appointment to checking out. The end goal of a testimonial is to prompt someone to start or continue spending money with you, and there is a specific science behind gathering and using testimonials. You can’t ask a client to “write me a testimonial” and post it on social media.
You have a limited amount of time to get a good testimonial from a client, so you need to make gathering their feedback as easy and efficient as possible. You need to ask specific questions with a particular end game in mind.
Gathering A Testimonial
The most common way to gather testimonials is by sending a survey and asking for feedback. I suggest you either use Typeform or Google Forms, and you can also put the questions in an e-mail. The most important part of a testimonial is stating up-front that you want to use any positive feedback in your marketing materials. Here is an example of a disclaimer (you should consult a lawyer for a proper release).
“By submitting this survey, you consent to your testimonial responses being used in {insert your name/company name} marketing materials. I may lightly grammatically revise your answers (i.e., fixing typos, re-ordering sentences for legibility, etc.), but I will not change the overall message or context of your testimonial.“
I suggest you put this wording at the end of your survey. If someone e-mails you a testimonial, and you are uncertain if they know you may use their responses in marketing materials, reply and ask for permission.
Continue reading about gathering game changing testimonials in our July Digital Magazine...
Kimberly Watkins-Swenk is the Founder CEO of Swenk Social, a digital marketing agency for aestheticians and spa and salon owners. She helps beauty professionals manifest the beauty business of their dreams through social media and digital marketing. With 15+ years of experience, Kimberly saves beauty professionals time, money, and energy when marketing their passion.
