Promoting your salon, special offers and events. There are many ways to get your message out there to promote your business.  For those a little wary of social media – it is a growing phenonium and fast becoming the preferred way to advertise that it isn’t a ‘flash in the pan’ that will disappear like a fashion trend – it’s here to stay the platforms for social media are getting smarter every day.  This is a trend that isn’t going away!

Social media is simpler that you think; it’s a great way to reach your existing customers but also new customers - and importantly an economic way to advertise your business.

Facebook – a great tool because it’s easy to use you can post whatever you like about whatever your like.  It’s the perfect forum to advertise your services, promote special offers or products and upcoming event. Cost?  It’s free!

Facebook Local Community Pages – there are multiple local pages within your area – if you don’t belong to the local community pages join them!  In my direct and surrounding suburbs there are 6 different pages.  Most allow you to advertise once every 3 weeks – and you guessed it for free!

This is the perfect way to gain new local clients

Twitter - Is a platform wherein users share their thoughts, news, information and jokes in 140 characters of text or less. Twitter makes global communication cheap.  Profiles are (usually) public — anyone in the world can see what you write, unless you elect to make your profile private. Users "follow" each other in order to keep tabs on and converse with specific people.  So your clients can follow you on twitter and if you wish you can follow them!  Cost - whhooo it’s free too!

Instagram – is for sharing photos and videos. When you post a photo or video on Instagram, it will be displayed on your profile. Other users who follow you will see your posts in their own feed. Likewise, you'll see posts from other users who you choose to follow. 

You will find some of the most amazing photographs you have ever seen on Instagram. The tools allow almost anyone with a decent eye to take beautiful, crisp shots and to change them up such as turning a coloured photo to black and white or sepia.

Who you follow is important because they will be in your feed. What do you find interesting? Some people take shots of nothing but weddings, or landscapes, or horses. Determine what is you want to look at, or look at whatever strikes your fancy.

Which Platforms Do I Run With?

Choose the platform or platforms that suit you – so if you aren’t one for short messages via twitter say, don’t use it, but I strongly recommend facebook as a ‘must have’

Idea For The Social Media Phobic (there are plenty of us out there)

Not confident on using these different platforms, either some or all of them – utilize one of your younger staff members to assist – the younger generation are very social media savvy and you can sit alongside them and add in the content as you want it.

The Next Step Is What to say (depending on platform) – here are some simple ideas

• Promote what your salon is about
  • Ethos ie use brands that have natural ingredients
  • What services you have to offer
• Promotional offers
  • New product just arrived in-house – new nail colour, new hand cream, latest straightener
  • Discount offer – ie 20% off $10.00 discount for winter treat
• Salon event
  • What is the event about
  • What is included in the event – drinks/nibbles
• Introducing new staff
  • Excited to announce new staff member and what experience they bring to your salon
• Latest style or trend
  • latest hair colour, cut, nailart – ask your customers for permission to add photo to accentuate the post (or use one of your staff)
• Feature talents of staff – say one of your team is exceptional at say
  • hair colour - post some pics
  • talent for nail art – show some of the latest work!
• Before and after shots – these are invaluable –
  • nothing shows how successful a treatment is by using before/after shots
• Celebrate salon’s birthday
  • Have a cake and/or flowers and post with your team!
• It could be as simple as
  • a funny ‘thank goodness it’s Friday’ post

– it doesn’t always have be ‘all business’ – making someone smile is gold!

• Get people to ‘like’ your post
  • ‘like’ of post then exposes it to a wider audience (so if I ‘like’ your post all my friends will see it too! Image how as little as 10 people liking a post can extend who sees what your salon has to offer)

If in doubt do it anyway!  What have you got to lose?  Don’t like a post – delete it – you are in the driver’s seat but dip your toe in and have a go……..