Kelsey Dring, Creative HEAD’s digital director, believes you’re the best salesperson for your brand.

“Facts tell, stories sell” is an old-school marketing mantra, but one which still rings true in the era of TikTok and Instagram being the main drivers in brand building. With so much content available at a click or swipe, it’s easy to get swept up in the current trend causing a buzz in the industry. Still, the art of storytelling on social media lies in staying true to your narrative.

Pont Smith lifts the lid on how to put a smile on your follower’s face.

Mastering social media goes beyond showcasing your salon’s best cuts and colours – it’s about connecting with your audience and bringing a smile to someone’s face. At bebop, we embrace humour as our salon’s ultimate icebreaker and key to social media success. With algorithms moving faster than clients in our chairs, a good laugh helps cut through the noise, but it’s crucial to keep them laughing while remaining genuine.

But how do you use humour in the most effective way? First things first – understanding your audience is paramount. Pay attention to what gets them talking, what makes them laugh and tailor your content accordingly.

Consume the content of your audience. A little bit of an insight goes a long way. Authenticity is non-negotiable. No one’s buying that polished, picture-perfect facade anymore – it comes across like an advert and gets lost in the sea of content. Instead, don’t be afraid to embrace your salon’s quirks because it’s the realness that resonates with people and keeps them coming back.

Active engagement is essential. Social media is a two-way street, so don’t hesitate to initiate conversations, throw out questions or simply ask your followers how their day is going.

Memes are a fantastic way to connect with your audience. They’re fun, shareable and spark strong emotional responses. Stay on top of trending memes and tailor them to your audience for maximum impact, as these are more likely to be forwarded.

It’s no good filming tonnes of content without first considering the purpose. Try to narrow down what direction the story should take in a couple of sentences. What are you trying to accomplish with that video or Reel? Is it to share an exciting shoot or team project? Is it to showcase a new service or product launch? Or is it simply to re-engage your following and build a sense of community?

When it comes to humour, less is more. Keep it fresh, light and aligned with your salon’s personality. Steer clear of the cringe-worthy, eye-roll-inducing stuff. Remember, you’re not just selling a great cut or perfect shade; you’re selling a salon experience – one that’s fun, friendly and most of all, memorable.

Jack Mead on the impact public feedback had on the way he created his Instagram content.

How did you switch things up?

I needed to add more movement in my cuts, make them less harsh and more modern. I started looking at more session stylists on Instagram, it really opened my mind to a different way of cutting and moulding hair. I had the skills, I just needed to adapt them. Now, I look at hair and the client differently. What’s actually cool? To put in a strong line, that’s great… but who’s it for? Are you going to see people wear that on the high street? Can a client style that at home? How many people have poker straight hair now? People are embracing natural texture and movement. I changed the way I cut hair, which changed my demographic. I feel like people were so bored of seeing the back of someone’s head, and apart from a couple of others, I think
I was one of the first stylists in the UK to start filming from the front. I had this moment in my head: people want to see someone’s face change, whether it’s colour, shortness in length, fringes. That’s where the drama is, someone’s face! I still love the hairdressing industry, but I had this moment where I wanted to target the public. I want to reach the world now!

What drives your content – and what has been the reaction?

I want to be as engaging as possible, and to build my brand. Doing hair from the back, it’s not that engaging, and it’s not getting my face out there! I do get stopped quite a lot, and even my clients in the videos get messages. The reach was insane once I switched that camera around. The first video got 10,000 likes and 500,000 views… and that is a buzz! The next one I didn’t think was that great, but I posted it and my phone went insane –
4.2 million views, 100,000 likes. That one video gained me probably 25k followers. I started to do a lot more videos, I almost wish I’d done more, because I think that ship has sailed. That was the transition moment to full-on video on Instagram.