It took me some time to explain to my client that it's not enough to distribute flyers once and expect clients to appear at the beauty salon doors. Especially not when you've just opened your doors. After a little over a month of waiting for new clients, she finally agreed to Google My Business and a website. Then also to a small Google Ads campaign.
None of that was clear to her and she didn't believe it would help her salon because she knew nothing about it, nor did that dot on the map where her salon appeared mean anything to her. To be clear, she doesn't have to know anything about it. Her job is to do a medical pedicure and paint nails, do gel polish that will withstand any thumb hitting the table edge. Her strategy was "word of mouth" marketing and I must admit she was right. This strategy isn't simple, it puts service quality first and that's very difficult and exhausting. Financially speaking, the number of clients grows very slowly, and bills and costs must be paid. The combination of my and her approach resulted in success. Her business is growing day by day, the number of clients is increasing despite the seasonality of demand for, for example, pedicures.
Google My Business accelerated things and constantly generates new clients. SEO of course did its part, but we chose a strategy that didn't go wide and communicate the concept of a beauty salon. We focused on what was primarily the target group, which was satisfying the demand for medical pedicure. In this case, specialization in one service segment generated new clients not only in the medical pedicure segment but also other services this beauty salon provides.
Google My Business (GMB) is a free online platform offered by Google. It allows businesses to manage their online presence on Google search and Google Maps. This service is especially useful for local businesses and organizations. It allows them to appear to potential clients or visitors searching for products or services in their area.
Through Google My Business, business owners can create or update their business profile containing key information about the company (address, working hours, phone number, website, reviews, photos, and other relevant information). This information is displayed in search results and on the map when someone searches for a specific service, product, or company in a specific area.
Presence on Google map increases visibility and availability of the company at the local level. It helps attract new clients and improve user experience. Business owners can respond to reviews, post photos, publish announcements and promotions. They can track statistics about visits to their business profile to better understand their target audience.
In short, Google My Business is a tool that helps businesses control and improve their online presence on Google search and Google maps. This can be key to their success in the local community.
The conclusion is that with a little effort, some text, and a few pictures, you can reach your target audience for free. But that's not all. After that first rush of new clients who came out of curiosity, you must provide them with a pleasant psychological experience so they stay your clients. Also so they recommend you to someone else. GMB continues to do the work for you if you're consistent in publishing new content and if you're consistent in your quality. Reviews don't have to be 5.0, the more so, it's a utopia that seems a bit rigged. It's quite okay if you get a lower rating. It acts as a corrective factor for you to continue trying, and to your target audience you look legitimate because reviews don't look "rigged".
Reviews are a powerful free tool you can manage organically, but you need to be consistent. Read more on the blog Reviews and Their Power.
