Posted on

Salon Social Media Strategizing

Surprisingly, few salons take full advantage of social media and its potential reach.  In today’s day and age, that’s simply shocking! It just takes some time, effort and upkeep to allow it to work for you. Although most salons do have a website, their social media presence usually remains scattered at best. Too many times an old Facebook page sits dormant, twitter account remains tweet-less and Pinterest goes unpinned, while younger staff dabbles instead on Instagram and other platforms for their own benefit. In such a case, there may be an occasional makeover or up-style posted, but those are usually found on personal accounts mixed in with food posts, cute puppy snaps or what should be private rants. Not exactly the most professional presence for a business! If your salon does not already have a social media presence, it’s time to step up with one. And if they do have social media accounts, it may be time to fine-tune the existing presence to be more professional looking and effective. Here are a few suggestions: Handle This Much like a business is all about location, location, location, social media is about being found, liked, followed and, hopefully, shared. In order to be shared, your business profile must be easily found. If you don’t already have them, set up accounts on all major social media platforms using easy to remember and, if possible, consistent handles (@YourSalonName). Brand Power Consider setting up your profile with your actual logo, not just a picture of your logo, and a “hero” or beauty shot of your salon or the benefits from your salon (hint: it’s great hair). Align your profile if possible with brand colors and make sure your logo and or signage appears occasionally in posts to keep the profile / page branded. In the case of your salon Facebook page, fill in the section that allows you to post your salon hours, location, summary, etc., and then swing around and add pricing information as a note. If the salon pricing changes, be sure and update this section right away. In addition to the summary “about us” for all social platforms, be sure and add links whenever possible to other social media platforms, as well as your salon webpage. That way everybody can find more information about your salon, maybe even book an appointment, with little effort. Consistency is Key Once a presence has been established, set up a regular schedule of posts at least a few times a week. Don’t just wait for something to happen…Plan ahead: Like a month at a time. Also, assign others the task of keeping up the presence if you are too busy. It can be the regular duties of your receptionist, a responsible assistant or anyone on staff who has the desire. Or, perhaps you assign it on a rotating basis so you get the benefit of multiple admins. You can also hire an outside social media specialist to do it for you. Regardless, just remember to set standards and to give them the needed ammo to keep up the posts. Here are some ideas for possible social media posts that salons may wish to consider:

Amazing Hair

Any time a client makes a major change, show it off with a before and after post. Same thing for really great cuts, color, special occasion styles, first haircuts, etc. If you find it of interest, your clients likely will too! Shoot it, brand it (your salon logo), tag it, post it!

Events and Happenings

Document events, happenings, classes, parties, etc. at your salon – Everything from your grand opening to any special occasion. Snap away and post accordingly, making sure to use appropriate hashtags, captions and tags.

Product Information

If your salon sells retail, consider posting highlight products. Pick a specific product and create a quick post about how to use it, what hair types it’s best for, etc. You can pull imagery and information from the manufacturer’s website and create your own customized artwork and post. Also, be sure you are following any brand that your salon carries on the manufacturer’s social media. That way you can share posts from their site: Product info, styling tips, collections, videos, etc. There’s a wealth of knowledge on these sites, so take advantage of what’s available.

Promotions and Special Offers

Always have some sort of promotion going on, that way you not only have something to talk about but it also helps sell through slower moving product or introduce new ones. The promotion can also be for services, either to help build newer stylists, or to increase add-on services, which is always good for the salon’s bottom line.

Giveaways

Nothing gains followers and engagement quite like giveaways. Consider offering an occasional giveaway for salon products or services or even assemble a gift basket for special occasions (Mother’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc) and raffle them off for the highest amount of online referrals, etc.

Seasonal and other Trends

Since your salon is in the business of making others beautiful, your staff needs to always be on the forefront of trends. And as trendsetters, make occasional statements about what’s coming next with all asspects of cuts, color and styling.  Show off the latest trends in fringes, layers for long hair, curling techniques, or even color and color placement for the season. The options really are endless!

Reviews

There are plug-ins and apps that can be added to some social media platforms that allow users to do reviews. Be sure you are taking advantage of these features. Also, be sure you have a Yelp presence, as you can post links to any of your salon’s reviews on social. It makes for highly credible content!

Here are some more ideas:

Show off how the salon is decorated for any holiday Announce new hires or new salon services Ask for referrals / Ask followers to invite others Offer quick styling tips and techniques Give seasonal hair care advice (moisturizing in the winter, etc)

Have any social media strategies that have worked well for you? Do tell!  

Leave a Reply