Word of mouth marketing is the single most powerful and inexpensive way to generate new business. Countless studies have proved the effectiveness of social proof in closing sales and over 70% of Americans say they look at product reviews before making a purchase.

Think about it this way. Imagine you’ve got a date with your dream guy and since he’s from out of town, it’s up to you to pick the restaurant.

You’ve got two to choose from. One is virtually empty, while the other is crowded, romantically lit with candles and you can hear the faint sound of a piano playing indoors.

Hmm…I wonder which restaurant you’ll choose? The one that looks like the great depression has hit or the lively one with the great lighting that’s really going to show off your killer lashes? It’s got to be the busier one because that many people can’t be wrong.

This is what we call social proof

If we’re going to get scientific about it, social proof is basically the concept that people will conform to the actions of others under the hypothesis that those actions represent the correct behavior.

There’s a reason why reviews, referrals, and recommendations drive sales. It’s because consumers are human and they’re more likely to believe something that another customer says about your product or service rather than take your word for it.

The concept of social proof is nothing new. But if you ask me, it should be a key part of your marketing mix.

Fortunately, getting more lash client reviews, referrals and recommendations are a lot easier than you think. In this blog post, I share the #1 way to get more social proof for your lash business (you can thank me later!).

{If you want to listen to the podcast episode on this topic, click on the player at the top of the post. Alternatively you can watch the video below, or read on…}

1. The ASK Method

I know you thought I was going to come up with something mind-blowing, but I meant it when I said it would be easy to get more social proof and word of mouth marketing.

The BEST way to get more social proof is to just ask for it.

If a new client is OBSESSED with her new lashes, it’s your time to shine. Tell her you’ll send her the before and after photos and ASK her to tag your business on social media.
Do you have a loyal client who always raves about your work? ASK her to share her experience with the world by posting a review on Yelp, Facebook or Google. The more positive reviews you get, the better it’ll be for business.

Studies have shown that positive social proof is more influential to a potential customer than saving money. You’ve got to push all of those feelings of dread, shyness and possible stage fright to the side and ask for the reviews, recommendations, testimonials, ratings, and referrals!

Keep an ear out in your salon for potential opportunities to swoop in and ask for those all-important reviews. For example, maybe a client is in the middle of getting her lashes done, and she mentions it’s her mom’s birthday the next day and she still hasn’t found her a gift.

ASK her if her mom would be interested in lashes and tell her that you do gift cards!

Another great way to get more social proof online is to take a moment to write down a list of your top five clients and make it your mission to ASK them for a recommendation.

Hand out a few of your business cards and maybe the next time one of their friends ask about their amazing lashes, they’ll hand that friend YOUR business card, and you’ve got yourself a new client.

When you have great clients, remember that they DO want to help you but sometimes writing an online review or handing out a business card just doesn’t come to mind, so it’s up to you to remind and ASK them.

Once you start asking people for positive social proof, you’ll soon have a tribe of loyal clients out in the world doing your word of mouth marketing for you!

2. Create a Reward System

Did you know that nearly 63% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a site if it has product ratings and reviews?

So, what do you do if you don’t have many online reviews or ratings? Do you risk losing out on potential business OR do you take things into your own hands and start getting more social proof for your lash business as a result?

I suggest offering clients incentives for reviews and referrals. Incentives help to motivate customers to perform an action that you want them to do, which, in this case, is to leave a rating, review or recommend your lash services to a friend.

Here’s an example of an incentive for reviews and referrals:

Let’s say you offer $10 to $15 off a touch-up for an existing client if they refer a full-priced $150 full set. The client who referred your services is happy because they’ve just saved $15, their friend is happy because they’ve found a great new lash artist and you’re happy because you’ve just bagged yourself a new client.

Incentives work!

But…you’ve got to spread the word about your reward system.

You need to remind your clients on a consistent basis about your referral or review reward (maybe it’s a discount on a service or a free upgrade to a hybrid or volume on their next service). Whatever it is, make sure you talk about it. Unfortunately, nobody will ever pay attention to your reward if you don’t bring it up to them regularly. Client’s don’t prioritize or remember the ins and outs of your business, so it’s your responsibility to remind and inform them.

Social proof and word of mouth is a key part of your marketing mix. In order to maximize on the cheapest and most effective marketing tool, you need to ASK your clients to spread the word about your business and reward or incentivize them to do your marketing for you!

Want more tips on how to get new clients into your lash business? Check out this blog post to find out how: 4 Ways to Get New Eyelash Extension Business Clients!

Have a Good One!

Tara Walsh

The Lashpreneur