Review Strategy for Hair Salons and Barbershops

Short answer: ask in the chair while they're admiring the result, name the stylist in your replies, and use before/after photos as the proof that carries the review.

No other local business gets a moment this good. The customer is seated, satisfied, holding their phone, and looking directly at what you just did. If you're not asking here, you're leaving almost all of it on the table.

The Chair Ask

The script, roughly:

"Happy with it? … If you get a second, a Google review really helps us — the QR is right on the mirror."

Then hand over the mirror and stop talking. Don't hover.

Put a small framed QR code at every station. Not at reception — by the time they're at the till they're thinking about paying and leaving.

Every stylist asks their own clients. Reviews that name the stylist are the most valuable kind, because clients choose people, not salons.

Photos Do the Persuading

Hair is visual and reviews about hair are weak without pictures.

• Ask permission for a photo of the result, every time. Most people say yes when they love it.
• Post the photo with the review as the caption.
• Build a "Reviews" Highlight on Instagram that mixes results and quotes.
• Encourage clients to add their photo when they post their Google review — one line: "if you add the photo, it really helps other people see the colour properly."

The Colour-Correction Rule

Your biggest risk isn't a bad haircut; it's an expectation mismatch on colour. Two habits reduce it:

Consultation notes. Agree what's realistic before you start, especially about lift, tone, and how many sessions it needs.

Say it out loud. "This won't get to platinum today — that's session two." Then the review says "she was honest about what was possible", which is the single most valuable thing a colourist's review can say.

Responding

Name the stylist in positive replies. "So glad you loved it — I'll tell Selin, she'll be delighted." Clients rebook with people.

On a colour complaint, offer to fix it before anything else. "Come back in and we'll put it right, no charge" in a public reply is powerful for every reader — that's the exact fear they have.

Never debate hair history in public. Move it offline immediately.

Filling the Quiet Days

Most salons are booked out Friday and Saturday and quiet Tuesday. Reviews can help:

• In your replies, mention weekday availability.
• Ask the clients you see on quiet days for reviews mentioning "got an appointment same week".
• Put "usually same-week appointments midweek" on your review page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get reviews for individual stylists?
Encourage clients to mention who did their hair, and reply using the stylist's name. Google reviews attach to the business, but the text does the work.

A client is unhappy but hasn't left a review. Should I ask them to?
Fix the hair first. If you get it right, ask afterwards — a review describing a recovery is more persuasive than a plain five-star.

Can I offer a discount on their next visit for a review?
No. Incentivised reviews violate platform policies. Offer the discount because they're a good client, not because they reviewed you.

What about reviews for a chair renter or freelance stylist?
If you're independent, you can have your own Business Profile if you meet the eligibility rules, and your own review page is worth having regardless.

Your Work and Your Words, One Page

Kudo puts your before/after photos and your Google reviews on one link for your Instagram bio, plus a QR code for the mirror.

Start free at getkudo.co.