Are you a mad genius hairstylist, superbly talented nail technician, or extraordinarily gifted skin care professional? Fantastic! But you may still find it challenging to get ahead in the beauty industry. Why, you ask? Because success within any salon or spa isn’t just about your technical skill or creativity. It’s also based on your ability to attract and build your clientele and retain them after their first visit to your chair. Fortunately, building a strong book has become easier thanks to today’s social media platforms—if you know how to use them correctly.
In a survey of 1,800 U.S. customers conducted by Square, 75 % said that Facebook is their favorite social media tool when searching for a new salon, making the powerhouse of social networking the perfect place to begin when you want to start growing your clientele. Below, we offer a few simple tips and tricks to help you make the most of every Facebook post.
- Share plenty of posts featuring your best work – Before and after shots of color corrections or makeup applications, prom and wedding up-dos, trendy or classic cuts and colors, the latest nail techniques and designs, you get the picture… and potential clients really want to see them. In fact, a study by HubSpot found that Facebook posts with photos received 53% more likes and 104% more comments than those without. The takeaway: don’t hesitate to post photos of your best work every day.
- Ask clients to post reviews of your services on Facebook – In the Square survey mentioned earlier, 36% of consumers indicated they consider online reviews posted by clients when seeking out a new salon. Make the most of this by encouraging your best clients to post a review of their visit on your Facebook page. You can also re-share recommendations and reviews they’ve written about you on their own pages (with permission, of course).
- Share your expertise – Successful cosmetology industry professionals strive to continuously learn and improve their knowledge. It’s easy to share posts about new haircare, nailcare and skincare tricks you’re learning while you’re in beauty school. Make sure you keep it up after you graduate! Discovered a new product you love? Post about it. Attending a beauty industry trade show? Post about it.
- Offer special Facebook Fan deals and discounts – The more Facebook Fans (basically, people who’ve liked and followed your professional Facebook page) you have, the larger your audience and potential client base. Encourage people to become your fans by offering a discount on their first service. You can then keep them coming back by offering the occasional discount or value-add for mentioning a particular Facebook post when booking with you.
- Run contests to encourage more likes and shares – Of course, your social media reach on Facebook isn’t just limited to the number of people who have directly connected with your page. When fans like and re-share your posts, your Facebook exposure grows exponentially. While the best way to get likes and shares is to regularly post content that is of value and interest to your audience, the occasional drawing for a free product or service in exchange for re-shares can be a great way to boost your outreach.
- Use ads to drive more visitors to your Facebook page – If you want to reach more of them than you can through fans and followers (and their friends) alone, Facebook ads can help you do so. Facebook gives professionals an arsenal of targeting options for ads to enable you to reach a precise audience. In addition to your geographic area and the target age and gender of your ideal customer, consider narrowing down even further to Facebook users who have liked specific pages, such as the pages of the companies’ whose nail, skin or haircare products your salon or spa uses.
By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology
