Ask Alex

I hate asking for reviews, do I need to get more? I already have some testimonials on my website.

As a clinic owner, it’s natural to be hesitant about asking for reviews; you might be held back by fear of negative feedback, rejection, or just that British aversion to praise.

However, reviews and testimonials are powerful tools that can help boost your online presence and attract new patients, so they need to be sought. Not only do they improve your search engine rankings, but they also help build a positive reputation for you and your clinic. They’re one of the pieces of social validation that every business needs.

Let’s face it, we all value reviews from our peers before making a purchase or booking an appointment. In today’s digital age, that validation often comes in the form of online reviews. A few glowing testimonials on your website or social media can go a long way in convincing potential patients to choose your clinic over a rival. Just like on Amazon, a product with no reviews is less likely to sell.

Research has shown that the average consumer is happy to see businesses with a 4.2-4.8 star rating for your review summary. This is because a full five-star profile looks suspiciously like fake or automated reviews have been placed. You don’t have to worry about every review being perfect.

A steady flow of thoughtful reviews shows that your clinic is active. Some might think it’s suspicious if your last good review came in three years ago. Is the business still operating? Google is one of the best places to collect reviews, but some clinics opt for RealSelf, TrustPilot, Facebook, or internally use clinic software like Pabau. All can be copied and shared on your website and social media.

The best reviews for your clinic are a couple of sentences long, easy to read, and specific to the treatment or product. I encourage clinics to leave a couple of questions for patients to answer within their review – getting them to mention treatments and clinicians by name is great.

You might not think it appropriate to ask for a testimonial straight after an appointment, so leave review info in multiple places – your website, your email footer, and your printed literature. One silver lining from the pandemic is that people are much more comfortable with technology – generating a QR code to get on aftercare guides or treatment summaries which you or your team can hand out before a patient leaves. Automating sending follow-up correspondence to patients a few days after their appointment is also a great opportunity to ask for a review wherever you gather them. If you meet patients for follow-ups, that’s the time to ask, especially for treatments where results take time to show.

I know how much aesthetic practitioners love learning about the latest products and applications. Every time you add a new treatment to your portfolio, it’s crucial in those early appointments to get testimonials specifically for that treatment. They can be anonymous and just for your website, but they will help generate more interest and you can share them on social media too. For the best outcome, especially if the treatment is trending online or in the press, you need Google reviews which mention the treatment by name, so that your listing gets picked up when those ‘near me’ searches are made.

Simply put, keep asking for reviews, try to steer patients to leave quality reviews, and share them across your online and offline worlds. Not only will fresh reviews help your digital presence, but they’ll also convert browsers into consultations.

ALEX BUGG

Alex Bugg works for Web Marketing Clinic, a family-run digital agency, which specialises in medical aesthetics. The business builds websites and delivers marketing campaigns for doctors, nurses, dentists, distributors and brands. Contact her: alex@webmarketingclinic.co.uk or follow her on Instagram: @webmarketingclinic