These hot tips from Phorest could make all the difference to your content, engagement, and bookings.

In partnership with Phorest

Avril Kealy, ​Phorest’s digital content strategist, knows a thing or two about stellar social media marketing. Creative HEAD asks her to ​shares her tips on nailing content and engagement…

Despite most of us scrolling on social media every day, harnessing its power for your business can be a daunting challenge. Did you know that a massive 93 per cent of small business owners report that they struggle with social media marketing? As a salon owner, embracing the power of social media can help you attract new clients, connect with your audience, grow your brand, and fill empty spaces in your appointment book. Who doesn’t want that for their business? 

Below are a few practical tips on social media marketing ideas to help your business stand out from the crowd. Oh, and guess what? You can use salon software like Phorest, to help with lots of them! 

TIP! High-Quality Visuals Form the Basis of Great Social Media Marketing 

​​When creating social media content, remember that your posts will live on feeds that are simultaneously filled with high-budget, high-quality content from other companies. Don’t fall behind just because you’re not focusing on your visuals! While you don’t need a camera crew and professional studio to make your social posts look great, you should adhere to certain quality guidelines. ​     ​​ 

Pay attention to the lighting, backgrounds, and positioning you use; whether posting photos or videos. Similarly, try to showcase the vibe of your business through your visual content. For example, use relaxing music in the background of videos if you want to communicate your space as a sanctuary of serenity, or more upbeat and vibrant music if your salon fits that vibe. Perhaps place products in front of lush foliage and greenery if you want to show that your business is a place where nature meets self-care. 

TIP! Lift the Curtain: Go Behind the Scenes & Show Your Brand’s Personality 

With many businesses attempting to curate the perfect, polished image of themselves on social media, many consumers feel their social media feeds are full of dull, homogenous content. Because of this, audiences are increasingly more interested in seeing the unique, authentic personalities of the brands they love.  

What makes your brand unique? Is it your people? The services you provide​?​​ ​The outstanding experience that clients have once they enter your doors​?​ Post content that shows this. Allow your audience to “meet the team” through funny videos. Capture clips showing the “behind the scenes” of running a successful salon or bring people through your daily routine in photo or video logs.  

Creating personable content like this helps ​humanise ​your brand, making clients feel more comfortable, especially when they can see the personalities and expertise of the individuals providing the services. This creates a stronger connection between you and your audience, ​boosting ​client loyalty and​ increasing​ positive reviews.

TIP! Advertise last-minute availability on your Stories with a Link to Book 

By announcing last-minute openings on social media, you can quickly fill empty slots in your schedule and maximise your daily bookings and revenue. While this is great for your business, it’s also great for your guests! Some clients prefer spontaneous decisions. They might see that you have a last-minute cancellation for a treatment and blow-dry and decide to treat themselves, later associating your business as one that helped them relax and engage in self-care, even at short notice.  

Broadcasting last-minute availability and making it easy to book with a link straight to your online booking system, ensures your appointment book stays full all day. 

TIP! Run Social Media Promotions to Turn Followers into Clients 

One of the major struggles many businesses face with social media is that it can be difficult to convert followers into clients. While this is not always the goal in social media marketing, running social-specific promotions can be a great way to get those followers in your door and trying treatments in real life. Run social media competitions ​offering ​discounts, package deals, or early access to new treatments as prizes to social media followers who like, share, and follow your posts. 

Or​,​ to boost product sales on your online store, why not set up a discount code and share it online across your socials,

allowing your followers to get more “bang for their buck” on professional products? By blending online and in-salon promotions, you can start seeing your booking numbers increase alongside your online following.  

TIP! Social Media Ads can help Supercharge your Marketing Efforts 

​​If you’re ready to go the extra mile to make your social media marketing efforts really stand out and get the love they deserve, why not invest in social media ads? Social media ads are paid ads that can be used to target existing or potential clients according to their gender, location, interests, and other demographics. While organic posts are free and will be seen by a certain number of people, paid ads can target a larger audience, allowing you to significantly increase your reach and build hype around your brand.​​​ 

​​Social media ads can be created and run in the back end of Meta, or in an integrated tool, such as Phorest’s Ads Manager.​ 

Ready to become a social marketing pro? Whether you’re ready to up your photography game, knuckle down and focus on gathering reviews, or start partnering with influencers, hopefully you now feel ready to take on the challenge! And remember that Phorest looks after the management of your salon, leaving you more time to do the things you love!  

Want to know more about how Phorest can fuel your salon’s success? Visit www.phorest.com.