Be In-the-know
As a salon owner, you know that one of the biggest things beauty stylists need to do is be in-the-know about what’s hot. If you can’t give your client that oh-so-trendy asymmetrical bob or carry those products recommended by beauty gurus, you’re not going to make the cut!
What you may not know is that this mantra applies not only to beauty trends, but marketing trends, too. By now, you’re aware that failing to maintain active social media profiles for your business is a huge faux-pas.
As of 2013, 37% of consumers turned to the Web to find a local business on a monthly basis. 95% used this method to find a local service within the year. And, most importantly, hair and beauty salons are one of the top five industries for which consumers read reviews online. Therefore, ensuring your salon’s online presence is optimized with effective beauty salon marketing ideas is crucial in attracting and retaining customers in today’s digital age.
So, if you know you can walk the walk, how can you talk the talk through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media profiles? Here are 5 salon marketing ideas that can help.
Tip #1: Phrase your Posts to Engage, not to Inform.
Studies show that when businesses phrase their tweets as questions, not as statements, they garnermore than double the clicks. You might find this to be tricky at first for the salon industry, but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll knock it out of the park. Don’t say, “We carry Julia Roberts’ favorite smoothing product by John Freida!” Instead, phrase it as a question: “Are you using Julia Roberts’ Holy Grail item?” and link to a blog post or more information from your salon. It gets users to your site, teaches them something about your salon, and even sparks discussion about favorite celebrity products in the comments. Don’t overuse this tactic, though – speaking in only questions can make you sound a bit robotic! This tactic is one of many effective beauty salon marketing ideas that can boost engagement on social media platforms.
Tip #2: Don’t be Shy, be a Show-Off.
You’re in an industry that’s largely based on aesthetics. If you’re not showing what you can do, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Host a daily or weekly event on your Facebook or Instagram that allows you to show off a happy customer’s new cut and color and title it “Mane of the Day” or “Transformation Tuesday.” If someone’s in the market for a new look, they’ll be able to get inspiration from your work and feel confident that you’ll give them a look they’ll love.
Tip #3: Show some Personality.
Not everything you post has to be inherently useful or ad copy. It’s okay to be a little silly sometimes! Don’t be afraid to share things that are cute, funny, or inspirational – as long as they’re still somewhatrelevant. Memes are great for this, considering people love to share them and it shows that you have a sense of humor. Who wants their hair cut by a non-sentient being, anyway?
Tip #4: Use Check-Ins to be Found by your Next Best Customer.
It requires a little persuasion, but not much – offer your customers a discount on the products or services they’re purchasing if they “check in” on Facebook, FourSquare, Twitter, or Instagram. If every person who checks in has a couple hundred friends or followers, that’s free exposure to an audience you would have otherwise been unable to reach. Plus, it’s essentially a recommendation — if someone checks in, more often than not, they’ll receive a comment saying “How do you like it there,” or “I’ve been to that salon, and it’s awesome!” This is a great way to get the most mileage out of your social media page, get more “likes” and follows, and find your next greatest customer.
Tip #5: Conversation isn’t Just for Behind the Chair.
Everyone loves pouring their hearts out to their hairdressers. It’s part of the job. But if someone writes on your salon’s wall, sends you a direct message, or posts a picture while at your salon, talk to them! Thank them for sharing a selfie of their new ‘do and tell them you’re glad they like it. Answer questions potential customers may have. Respond if someone has a concern. Everyone likes to see that a company cares about their customers, and this is the best way to put your amazing customer service in the limelight while ensuring that every customer is a happy customer.
And, for the road – here are a few don’ts:
- Don’t give up if you’re not getting dozens of followers every day. It takes time, and it’s quality over quantity in this case.
- Don’t post too much. There’s no faster way to lead someone to the “unfollow” button than by spamming their page with promotions.
- Don’t link your profiles. It makes you look less like a living, breathing human being if you’ve got the same exact content across Facebook, Twitter, and the like.
For more tips on how to use social media to market your salon business, try a free trial of our salon software for 30 days! You’ll get to see how our Facebook and other social media integration works in REAL TIME! Sign up now here!
