With record numbers of people around the world having access to the internet and usage rates skyrocketing, it's never been more important for businesses to invest in their online presence. From online being the leading source of contact information to customer reviews being the primary point of reference for other consumers, your online presence may matter more than you think. If you still have your doubts, let’s take a deep dive into why your online presence matters most when it comes to finding new customers, retaining your existing customers and simply creating a friendly online reputation.
The Overview - Why You Should Take Your Business Online
Not only did we find that most customers will look elsewhere for the service they need if they can’t find your information online, but customers are looking at your online presence as a representation of your brand and company image. Long story short, if there are zero traces of your business online - your current and potential customers are likely looking elsewhere! We found:
100% of consumers reported using the internet to look for information on a business including contact information, location details, product offerings and more.
95% of consumers reported looking elsewhere for a service if they were unable to locate a business's information online.
87% of consumers between the ages of 18-25 look up the online profile of a service provider in the beauty industry before making an appointment.
Of this 87%, all respondents reported making their final decision on whether or not to book an appointment on the perception of their online profile.
72% of consumers between the ages of 25-40 look up the online profile of a service provider in the beauty industry before making an appointment.
Of this 72%, all respondents reported making their final decision on whether or not to book an appointment on the perception of their online profile.
The Bottom Line - The internet has become the primary source of information to consumers of all ages and the predominant method for finding out more about a potential service. It's also apparent that businesses that aren’t using the internet to their advantage are missing out on potential business opportunities and future customers as these interested buyers are looking elsewhere for similar services. Finally, not only is the information available online important but the quality of the service page and online profiles of the business play a large part in the consumer buying decision and significantly impact the buyer's perception of a brand.
Out With the Old, In With the New - How Your Customers Are Finding You
Its been apparent for years that traditional ways of finding new customers are no longer effective, especially with younger audiences. Customers are no longer using business directories and local listings to find what they need, they're using the internet. While keeping in mind, the old is still valuable – word of mouth is still more important than ever – but it’s time to invest in new innovative ways to gain customers.
80% of respondents viewed word of mouth as the most reliable form of reference
Second to word of mouth, customer reviews were ranked second for reliability
100% of respondents reported reading fellow customer reviews at least once when trying out a new salon or beauty service location
4% of respondents used local directories or business listings to choose a beauty provider
96% of respondents used Google listing and other search engines to locate businesses near them
The Bottom Line - The internet is the most important tool when it comes to new customers finding out about your business. Having access to customer reviews is an important part of finding salon customers can trust, so it's important to list these reviews on your pages and invite past customers to leave feedback. It's also evident that traditional methods such as business directories, foot traffic and phone books are simply not being used in recent years.
The Customer Experience - How It’s Changed
With access to information on the rise, having readily-available processes that cater to the customer experience, is essential for retaining customers. Developing and investing in systems that make it easy for customers to make appointments, leave feedback, change details and more are what make the customer's experience memorable and what ultimately retain customers.
90% of customers preferred making an online booking to a phone or in-person booking
94% of respondents indicated that online booking systems were the preferred method of online booking when compared to email.
79% of consumers have looked elsewhere when a business didn’t offer online booking.
81% of respondents indicated evenings and weekends were the best times to make appointments
68% of customers had to change an appointment within one week of the day, within the last 6 months.
52% of customers reported not showing up for an appointment because they were unable to cancel during business hours within the allocated cancellation period.
89% of customers were willing to download an app on their phones if it improved the appointment management process.
The Bottom Line - Customers are busier than ever and they're looking for solutions that make their lives easier. Customers are favouring online booking systems and self-booking software over the traditional phone and walk-in methods, and they’re willing to change providers if it simplifies the process. Consumers also reported being able to make appointments outside of business hours as important to their customer journey and we can see more and more customers are turning to online apps and services to manage their appointments.
Why It Matters
The internet has become a huge part of the consumer journey and businesses need to keep up in order to compete for consumers. From brand reputation to ease of access, your online presence plays an important role in the customer's ability to access your services. If you’re looking for ways in which you can get online, start by listing your business in online directories. Consider starting a social media page to highlight your work and posting content to your website and social media pages to gain a following. Simply being active online can be reason enough for a potential customer to give your business a shot, and we can promise you – it’ll be worth the investment.