CASE STUDIES

Local Hair Salon Increases Google Reviews by 573% in First 60 Days with Invite

Through the power of social proof and online review generation from Widewail, a small business opens its doors and builds a strong local reputation in the midst of a global pandemic.

Code Style Club owner, Jenny Carlson, saw the need for an exceptional high-end men's and women's hair salon in downtown Burlington, Vermont. Having worked at various area locations for over a decade, she knew the local market like the back of her hand and saw an opportunity that could not be ignored.

"There's a huge segment of Burlington-area residents who expect and appreciate atmosphere in addition to a top quality finished product," Jenny remembers. "I've built the Code Style Club team with the goal of creating a total experience, beginning the moment you walk in the door, that customers will enjoy as much as their new look."

That experience began in late summer 2020 when Code Style Club first opened its doors.

In addition to the expected marketing challenges faced by every new business, Jenny had the added hurdle of a global pandemic to navigate and consider.

She knew the social proof provided by online consumer reviews would be critical to her success. And in the first three months since opening they'd only managed to accrue 15.

Jenny also realized that over the course of a busy day they'd never have time to consistently request reviews themselves and had little experience with review strategies in general.

That's when she began her search for a review generation solution and was introduced to Widewail's Invite - by one of her customers, no less. The answer ended up being right under her very own trusty pair of scissors.

After connecting with Widewail the reviews started rolling in almost immediately.

"The power of Invite was more than evident by the end of the first week. It's intuitive to manage, has great branding / customization features and is easy for our clientele to use and understand. Invite just works."

Code Style Club officially racked up their 86th new Google review, along with 23 new Facebook reviews, two months after implementation. Having started with only 15 on Google, that's an increase of 573%.

How Invite "Just Works"

At Code Style Club, customers are asked if they'd mind leaving a review before leaving the salon. Their cell phone number is then entered into Invite which sends the customer a text message. Upon receiving the SMS, the customer quickly and easily navigates three steps on their mobile device - the whole process taking 30-90 seconds.

"In terms of how we send out the invites, it's really simple, easy and straightforward. The Widewail dashboard tab is up on our receptionist's browser, we take the client's name and number, fill in the blanks and press send. It's literally like a 9 second process on my end!"

Jenny is also impressed by the customization options. Businesses can brand their outreach text and landing page content, select the popular or industry-specific review platforms they wish to drive reviewers to - and more. 

Of 286 messages sent to clients, 109 resulted in new reviews. That equates to a 38% conversion rate to Invite's post-appointment SMS outreach. 

A PDF of this case study is available for download.