As you get back into your usual new post-pandemic routine, odds are you’re being met with challenges related to changes in customer habits or service needs, inflation-related obstacles, and just to attracting new clientele and keeping them around. Navigating these factors can be tough for those just starting out with their own business, and for those with longstanding salons alike. So how do you adjust to the changing times, and make sure your business does too? Table of Contents Salon Marketing in 2022 Salon Website Do’s and Don’ts Email Salon Marketing Strategies How to Improve Salon Social Media Marketing How to Retain Salon Clients Final Thoughts With some businesses looking for more and more ways to draw in clients since feeling the strain of the pandemic, online marketing as a way to attract new business isn’t just an option, it’s the option. In this article, we’re going to focus on online salon marketing ideas and digital salon marketing strategies to acquire new clients. From revamping your website through email marketing, social media, and Facebook Ads, to walking through online solutions that might help you thrive even under current inflation levels, you’ll be able to market your business online and acquire new clients in the process. READ: Best Esthetician Services to Offer Clients Salon Marketing in 2022 In the last couple of years, it’s hard to deny that salon marketing and how clients decide on and get their services have changed a lot. After all, many salons had to close for long periods during the pandemic and then reopened under many safety and health regulations that completely changed the way they do business. Not to mention, a lot of customer demand and behavior greatly changed while people were stuck at home for such extended periods, and trends continue to be impacted and reflected in this. When factoring in current inflation levels on top of it all, small businesses have had to roll with the punches and adapt to an industry that’s changing more than ever. Despite all of these changes, you can take solace in the fact that even in uncertain times, the waxing industry is growing more than ever, and is projected to continue doing so in the future. When looking to grow your business alongside the industry, the best way to beef up your client base or drum up services is by increasing and enhancing your online presence in any way you can. This can mean anything from a complete website overhaul to a simple update. Additionally, especially for small business owners, having a strong social media presence is integral for both getting your business out there and gaining notoriety, but also in attracting customers that will be loyal to your business and to you and your estheticians as well. After all, you’re spending a lot of time providing very personal services to your clients - professional waxing isn’t only about hair removal, but the relationships you build with clients that will also keep them coming back. Building a marketing plan for your business isn’t easy, but being prepared and having a good strategy will help you in both the short and long term. From building your website and social presence to creating email marketing content or newsletters, keeping in touch with your clientele and attracting new clients is what will keep your business thriving. Let’s explore how some of these marketing strategies play into the overall success of your business. READ: How to Start a Waxing Business in 2022 Salon Website Do’s & Don’ts Whether you hire someone to help you or take the time to redo your website yourself, you should ensure that your clients will have an enjoyable experience that matches the quality of service in your salon. Having an easy-to-use and accessible website can truly make or break whether a new client decides to book with you, so it should never be neglected. Consider the following questions when creating or updating your site: Is your site easy to navigate? Is important information to the point? Are there any spelling or design errors? After considering these, make sure to have a third party or unbiased friend go through your site to give you feedback and assess your site from a different perspective. READ: Dermatologist vs. Esthetician: Who’s Better for My Skin Care? How to Update Your Salon’s Portfolio After going through your website, take a look at your bios, portfolio, and product pics. Are they up-to-date, sharp, and professional-looking? What about the copy (the text)? Do you have outdated pricing info or are there services posted that you have stopped offering since the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, it might be time to clean up your salon site and give it a new fresh look with updated information. READ: Why Using Pre & Post-Wax Products is a MUST! The Importance of Website Organization When sprucing up or creating your portfolio or your past work, you should always organize by service type and keep consistent organization throughout your site so that it’s easy to learn about services, book, and find information about your salon. Things to Focus on When Organizing Your Website: Waxing services (legs, back, Brazilian, etc.). Spa Treatments (facials, massage, laser, etc.). Have a separate location page with parking info. Note what products you use or retail. If you use Blue Film Hard Wax or Pink FIlm Hard Wax, for example, note it on your site. The more photos you have on your site with captions, the more you help to optimize your website for leads on search engines. Add a testimonials page and post links to your Yelp and Google Reviews pages. Include small write-ups of what each of your services entails, and have pointed copy on your site to help improve your SEO or search engine optimization. Having a good SEO strategy for your site means that your salon site is more likely to pop up in a Google search, and therefore more likely to have new visitors. People are out there searching terms like, “leg waxing Atlanta,” or “Brazilian waxing on thick hair in Los Angeles,” for example - having good SEO will allow you to be in the top search results for queries like this. These are only a few things to consider when updating your website, there is a lot you can do to make your site more visible. Building your website is an evolving thing and can always be revised, so keep it up-to-date and expand to meet your client’s ever-changing needs. READ: How to Find the Best Waxing Salon Email Salon Marketing Strategies Social media is often considered at this point to be the be-all and end-all for many in marketing. However, social media marketing isn’t all you need to attract new clients and reach a new audience, especially since your posts are often only going to reach a fraction of your audience online. That’s where email marketing comes in! A targeted email marketing strategy, when used in addition to social media, will allow you to increase client engagement, potential viewership, and overall interaction of those subscribed to your newsletter or updates - which can provide a big return on investment. The best salon email marketing tools are separate from salon management which does things like appointment setting, and inventory management, for example. Though your email marketing software should be its own entity, it should be able to integrate with your salon management, or appointment scheduling systems so that you can manage your contact list in one place and have the least amount of limitations on what you can provide your readers. READ: How to Become an Esthetician: The Ultimate Guide What to Consider When Making a Salon Email Newsletter Pick a day or multiple days a week that you want to send out a newsletter. As you build up more of an audience, you can adjust the day and time you send out your newsletter based on your audience’s engagement and open rates. Remember, the more content you create, the more you can send out a newsletter. There is no limit to what your newsletter can be about - sharing what your salon and estheticians are up to can help to build loyalty and engagement amongst clients. Here are a Few Newsletter Topic Ideas to Get you Started: New Product Announcements Think something along the lines of introducing new waxing products being used in your salon. Think of announcing specialty formulas like Starsoft Hard Wax for sensitive-skinned clients, or even staple ones like Black Film Hard Wax for those with coarse hair. New Equipment Announcements Use tag lines and language to get clients excited to be serviced with new equipment. Think of opening with something like, “We’ve got a brand-new professional wax warmer and we can wait for you to come to help us break it in!” The benefits of formulas used in your salon “Client of the Week” or “Client of the Month” segments “Technician of the Week” or “Technician of the Month” segments Highlights of different services provided in your salon Think of titles like “Highlights of Brazilian Waxing” or “Benefits of Facial Waxing” to intrigue readers. Your newsletter can be set up in a variety of different formats, from anything like a longer social media post or a mini blog, to a series of mini-stories regarding whatever’s relevant or new at your salon - or just about whatever you want to talk about regarding your business! Be sure to provide all of the necessary links to your website, socials, and to the specific thing you’re talking about in the newsletter. READ: How to Use Hard Wax Like a Pro: The Complete Guide How to Improve Salon Social Media Marketing Beyond just posting on Instagram and creating enticing Reels to attract clients to your salo, you can take things a step further to get your name out there. Beyond paying for Instagram ads, you can also go above and beyond in your use of social media by paying for local Facebook Ads. Many may think that Facebook is dead, and that may be truer for the Zoom generation, but reaching the millennial crowd and up through Facebook can still work for you. Using Facebook as an online advertising tool is a great way to reach new clients. When we talk about using Facebook, we’re not just referring to great posts, we’re talking about creating real, targeted Facebook ads for your local clientele. Facebook Ads can be a low upfront investment with a great return. If you pay $10 for one ad and acquire one new client from it, they can generate 10 – 50x that amount when becoming a long-term client. In addition to ads, Facebook is still a hotbed for interacting with your current clients and a wonderful way to stay visible to clients who are still in quarantine and waiting to get in with you. READ: Starpil Wax Product Ingredients You’ll Love How to Retain Salon Clients Once you’ve attracted clients to your business through your improved website and SEO and email and social media marketing/ads, how do you keep them coming back? Even with the prices of products and services increasing, having a consistent and loyal client base means everything for your business. When thinking of ways to retain your clients, it’s really all up to you and the quality of service you provide to keep them coming to you for their waxing services. If you not only engage with clients and make them feel truly comfortable, safe, and pampered during your services, you’re both building a relationship with them and giving your services more value for the prices you’re charging. Remember you want to provide them with an experience that when paired with their waxing results, will make your clients keep visiting you as a priority (even in tough economic times). Building a relationship with clients in addition to giving them great services will make all the difference for both them and you. For them, they’ll be able to visit an esthetician they enjoy going to and receive an experience that truly brightens their day and makes them feel more confident, and you get to form a close relationship with clients who will support you and your business no matter what - and that makes everything worth it! READ: How to Make Your Salon More Inclusive Final Thoughts When starting your salon, you might worry about how to attract customers in a constantly changing aesthetic and economic environment, not to mention retaining them once they’ve visited you. With the right email and social media strategy, plus an easy-to-use and SEO-driven website that will encourage people to learn more and book with your salon, you’ll be able to create a lasting impression that will keep existing clients engaged, and new ones coming in. Having a salon that adapts to the times and rolls with the punches isn’t easy, especially for a small business owner in 2022. However, with the right plan and follow-through, your business will continue to grow and thrive - and both you and your clients will benefit!