The Power of Reviews: How to Transform Your Workshop Success with Our New Review Feature
Why reviews are your secret weapon for more bookings
Picture this: A potential student is browsing your pottery workshop. They love the photos, the description sounds amazing, but there’s that little voice in their head asking, “Is this really worth my time and money?”
This is where reviews become your superpower.
Studies show that 92% of people read reviews before making a purchase decision. For experience-based services like workshops, this number is even higher. When someone sees authentic feedback from real participants, it doesn’t just build trust—it creates excitement and FOMO (fear of missing out).
Introducing: Your personal review sharing tool
We’ve just launched a game-changing feature that puts the power of social proof directly in your hands. You can now share your review page with any student—whether they originally booked through Hands On or found you elsewhere.
Here’s how it works:
- Navigate to “My Workshops” in your teacher dashboard
- Click “Copy Review Link” next to any of your workshops
- Share the link with your students via WhatsApp, email, SMS, or social media
- Watch your credibility soar as authentic reviews pile up
The psychology behind why this works
Trust through transparency
When potential students see real names, real faces and detailed feedback from your past participants, they’re not just reading reviews, they’re envisioning themselves in your workshop having the same amazing experience.
Social proof in action
Humans are naturally influenced by what others do. When someone sees that 15 people loved your candle-making workshop and specifically mention how patient you are with beginners, they’ll feel confident booking even if they’ve never made a candle before.
Overcoming the experience gap
Unlike buying a physical product, workshops are experiential. Reviews bridge that gap by letting potential students “experience” your workshop through others’ eyes before they commit.
Maximize your review collection strategy
The automatic follow-up system
Here’s what happens behind the scenes to help you gather more reviews:
- Day of the workshop: Students receive their first review invitation
- 7 days later: A gentle reminder for those who haven’t reviewed yet
- 15 days later: A final friendly nudge
Pro Tip: Don’t wait for the automatic system! Request reviews immediately after your workshop ends while the experience is fresh and emotions are high. This is when students are most likely to leave detailed, enthusiastic feedback.
The perfect moment to ask
- Right after the “wow” moment in your workshop
- When packing up and students are sharing what they loved most
- In your follow-up thank you message with photos from the day
What to say:
“I’d love to hear about your experience today! Would you mind leaving a quick review? It really helps other creative souls discover our workshops and supports our small business. Here’s the link: [your review link]”
Supercharge your reviews with Google My Business integration
Here’s a secret feature that most teachers don’t know about:
If you have a Google My Business profile, you can automatically pull those existing reviews into your Hands On workshop page!
How to Set This Up:
- Ensure you have a Google My Business profile for your workshop space or business
- Add your exact Google My Business name to the address field when creating or editing your workshop
- Watch as your existing Google reviews automatically appear on your Hands On workshop page
This means if you already have 20 five-star Google reviews for your pottery studio, those will now boost credibility for every workshop you list on Hands On. It’s like getting a head start on social proof!
Real impact: What teachers are seeing
Maria’s Ceramic Studio results:
- Before: 2-3 bookings per workshop listing
- After implementing review sharing: 8-12 bookings per listing
- Key insight: “Students specifically mentioned reading reviews about how welcoming I am to beginners. That’s exactly what new students needed to hear!”
João’s Cooking Workshops:
- Shared review link with 15 past students
- Received 12 new reviews within one week
- Next workshop booking rate increased by 180%
- Quote: “The reviews mentioned details I never thought to highlight—like how we eat together at the end. That family feeling is what sells the experience!”
Your action plan: Start today
Week 1: Foundation
☑️ Go to “My Workshops” and copy your review links
☑️ Create a simple template message for requesting reviews
☑️ Update your Google My Business name in workshop addresses
Week 2: Outreach
☑️ Contact past students from your last 5 workshops
☑️ Share your review link in your workshop confirmation emails
☑️ Add review requests to your post-workshop routine
Week 3: Amplify
☑️ Share your review page on your social media
☑️ Include the link in your email signature
☑️ Ask friends and family who’ve attended to leave honest reviews
The compound effect of consistent review collection
Think of reviews like compound interest, each one builds on the last, creating exponential impact:
- 5 reviews: Builds initial credibility
- 10 reviews: Creates social proof momentum
- 20+ reviews: Establishes you as a trusted, experienced teacher
- 50+ reviews: Positions you as a go-to expert in your field
Remember: Every review is a future booking. Every testimonial is a conversion tool. Every piece of feedback is marketing gold.
Ready to transform your workshop success?
The most successful teachers on Hands On aren’t just great at their craft—they’re strategic about showcasing their impact. Your new review sharing feature isn’t just a tool; it’s your direct line to building the reputation that fills your workshops month after month.
Start today: Log into your dashboard, copy those review links, and begin building the social proof that transforms browsers into bookers.
Your workshops deserve to be discovered. Your expertise deserves recognition. Your reviews are the bridge between the two.
Questions about maximizing your review strategy? Contact our support team at hello@handson.pt—we’re here to help you succeed!
