How to Build your Following through Social Media Marketing in the Beauty Industry

As a newly licensed professional in the beauty business, you – more than any generation before you – will need to rely on the use of the internet and social media to help you grow your Guest following.  Because your Guests and potential Guests are online and being influenced by other salons and stylists, you need to make sure you are keeping your Guests engaged with your brand. Embracing these communication techniques will allow you to attract new Guests, while retaining your existing ones.

Social Media Rules of Conduct

• Create separate social media accounts for your cosmetology business.
• Don’t mix your personal and business social media communications.
• Keep your personal life to yourself. One inappropriate comment or posting that Guests may find offensive or objectionable can lose you Guests. Losing a single Guest can cost you thousands of dollars in future visits, as well as their potential referrals.

• If you want to keep people interested in social communication, keep your posts fresh, current, and post regularly.
• Because this is a visual industry, try to use photos in your communications; they will tell a story so much more quickly and easily than words.
•  Allow your posts to represent the diversity of Guests you service in your salon. Let your target-market see Guests they can relate to; let them envision the finished look on themselves.
• Address any dissatisfied Guest who visits your social media site. The faster you can resolve their issue, the better. Treating any Guest dissatisfaction with promptness and professionalism will show your followers that you take your business seriously.

Ideas for Posts

• Before and after photos showing your best work. Reflect the types of services you want to target and grow. It isn’t recommended to post services you don’t enjoy doing.
• Weddings, proms and special event photos that will attract Guests who may be soon experiencing the same type of life events.

• Advanced training you have taken, what you have learned, and how you will share the new techniques with your Guests.
• Charity events you have taken part in.
• Open appointments you may have in the next day or so for Guests who may not have an appointment but want to see you on short notice.
• Hours of operation, contact information and directions.
• Promotions and sale events.
• Hair tips in written, picture or video format.

Choosing your Platform

Select a platform that will create the image you want, while allowing you to easily manage the content. Not only do you want to keep your content current, but because the popularity of platforms is constantly changing, be sure you message is reaching your target-market.

Facebook, you can easily create a ‘Fan’ page that is user-friendly for your Guests. Text, photos and videos can be posted with ease. You can also post events that are going on in your salon.

Twitter is best suited to promote limited-time discounts; and it is also great for introducing potential Guests to your other sites via links.

Pinterest is a great platform for sending strong visual messaging that can be re-pinned by viewers, sending your message around the globe. Pinterest tends to be heavily used by women, and as such, is a great platform for the cosmetology industry.

YouTube is an excellent choice when you want your postings to be video oriented.

Instagram is another very visual platform where your Guests can enjoy photos and videos featuring your latest styles or photos from an advanced training you attended.

LinkedIn is a professional platform for getting you and your business recognized by professionals and other business through connections and their recommendations.

Tumblr, Blogger, and WordPress are blogging platforms that are easy to set-up and operate, allowing you to have your own blog in a very short period of time.

Once you choose the social media site(s) that you will use, you will want to think about how to promote the site(s). There are many different options available for you to be creative and market you and your services.

• Post your social media site(s) on business cards, marketing materials, stationary, price lists and anything else that you may share with Guests.
• Place links to your social sites on your website and/or blogs to make it easy for your Guests to follow you.
• Promote your sites in your salon at locations where your Guests will see them. Use mirror clings, signs or posters in the waiting area, reception desk, styling stations and restrooms.
• Offer a discounted retail item or add-on service if your Guests ‘Like’ your site. The promotions will increase your current business and the extra ‘likes’ will build credibility for potential Guests who visit your site.

Although sites grow and change in popularity over time, it is important that your media presence stays current using the most popular sites of the day. Social Media will help you and your business grow!