If you are a massage therapist reading this blog, you are probably familiar with review sites like Yelp and how to submit reviews to them. But as a massage therapist, do you know how to use them to grow your massage therapy business?
The answer might seem overly simple - it's the Golden Rule.
How to Selfishly Review Other Businesses (and do good for all mankind)
1. Do It Completely
This is the most important step for your massage business! When you join a review site, be sure to complete your profile. If you have a business page, say on Yelp, you can (and should) review as a business. Just make sure your business profile has "you" all over it. For example, Yelp has a page on which you can fill out business owner info and include a photo. Do it! While it is important to signify you are a business and while you want your reviewing efforts to generate more business, people trust humans more than logos. A business with a real human behind it is more powerful.If it's not obvious: You can be a business with a face, and even on the Internet, people can know you...Ooooh-ahhhh.
2. Just Do It
When you have a great experience somewhere - especially if it's a local company you know could benefit from some word-of-mouth promo - make sure everyone knows (including the company) and not just the dude who happens to be standing next to you. The best reviews are the ones written while the experience is still fresh, so do it immediately, though very carefully, while you're still glowing. (Did you know Yelp has an iPhone app?)If it's not obvious: With the Internet and review sites, it takes just minutes to tell the world about the bagel you just ate or the nice man at the car wash. And if you can say, "I just had the best happy-hour purple margarita under Christmas lights ever at..." your reviews will feel more alive.
3. Do It Actively
To be successful writing reviews, you need to remember two things. First, review sites are social by nature - they, especially Yelp, are communities. And second, you earn credibility and likability by being an active member of that community. Only reviewing companies who review you or posting a "favor" review for a start-up you want to schmooze is not being an active member of a community. It's playing favorites. Your reviews may even be deleted. Yelp's program is notorious for removing reviews posted by reviewers who are not actively using and reviewing on its site or following its guidelines.If it's not obvious: The more you review others, the more chances you have for your reviews to be read. The more your reviews are read, the more opportunities your business profile has to be viewed. The more your business profile is viewed, the more likely you are to generate new clients.
4. Do It Fairly
There are many unspoken rules about fair reviewing practices, but the major one to follow is if you have a real issue with a company - one that you feel a little emotional about, perhaps - that would cause you to rate it, its service or its product less than middle-of-the-road or would cause you to write a review that might be called scathing if written in the New York Times, try to work it out with the company before posting.If it's not obvious: The Golden Rule is really relevant here. Reviews usually stick around - unless you are on Yelp and you don't follow #3 above. Make sure the lady helping you in the fitting room wasn't just having a bad day before you bash the entire company on the Internet.
In the end, in addition to the Golden Rule, what goes around, comes around. Supporting the businesses and people around you can do not only good for mankind and all of that, but it can also generate attention for your company and its product. Get out there on the web, recognize good things regularly, mention the bad if there's no other way, and make sure everyone knows you are a a massage therapist in Austin, Texas, who is accepting new clients.
Happy rubbing (and reviewing).
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