Online reviews are a huge factor in getting new clients to visit your salon. Indeed, for the past several years, I’ve been using online reviews as a deciding factor in most of my purchases — from the next book I want to read to what to order at a restaurant I’ve never been to before. I also use online reviews professionally at NAILS when picking a salon to profile when I’m visiting a new city and for tons of other story topics.

So, I’m urging you to get your salon nominated on Citysearch.com’s “Best of Spa and Beauty” category. The nomination process just started and runs through Nov. 10.

To get your salon nominated, tell all of your clients, friends, and family to visit Citysearch.com, then type in your salon name in the “search” box and the salon city in the “near” box. Your salon should then come up with a “Nominate for Best of Citysearch” logo next to it. (The nominate buttons are given to businesses that Citysearch has found are a positive match between a poll that’s about to open and the products/services a business offers; if the “nominate” button isn’t showing up for your salon, e-mail Citysearch at cscs@citysearch.com.)The salons with the most nominations will run in the official polls, for which voting starts on Nov. 12. The winners will be announced Dec. 2.

Good luck and get out there!

—Sree