BUILD YOUR AUDIENCE BY ENGAGING YOUR FOLLOWERS
Take advantage of Social Media…
We have all seen the power of social media through viral campaigns. If you create content that is exciting enough to share – 1 client can share your message with 500 friends. And we all know that we are much more likely to take notice of something that has been endorsed by a ‘friend’.
Enable social sharing. Social share buttons should be featured throughout your e-commerce website. Like buttons allow customers to engage and share your content with friends. Once a customer likes your page, he/she will regularly receive your company’s status updates in their newsfeed.
Market promotions. There’s no better place to market specials and promotions than Facebook. Create discount codes and offer those codes exclusively your Facebook fans. This will entice consumers to frequent your fan page in search of great deals.
Vary your content. Diversity is key in social media, so it’s never a good idea to post only one type of status update. When sharing updates remember to mix it up and always strive for new ways to engage your audience.
Engage your customers. If a customer posts a reply to one of your posts, take the time to respond. Facebook is meant to be interactive, and this is a two-way street that you need to pave as the merchant.
Sell without selling. Your Facebook fans don’t want you to sell to them 24/7. Rather than pushing products every chance you get, create and share helpful articles, behind-the-scenes videos and relevant customer testimonials. You can also try creating a poll or competition, or even pose interesting questions and topics for debate. This will help make your business more authoritative and trustworthy.
Customer service is key. Facebook isn’t just an extension of your company’s marketing. It’s also a customer service portal that needs to be monitored and manned around the clock. Use Facebook to reach out to customers, respond to questions and resolve complaints. If a customer sends you a private message or voices a complaint, reply in a timely fashion. Failing to do so could potentially hurt your online reputation.
So… What’s the plan?
What makes you special is that you are the professional! You have the skills, knowledge, training and daily experience to advise your clients of what they need. Why should YOUR clients trust a 19 year old sales girl at Myer for the advice on what to buy to solve their beauty issues? Well, ask around, because that’s what some of your clients are doing! Others still rely on your competitors advice or they just rely on advertising to find out what they should be buying.
We already know that your clients are spending thousands of dollars each year on health and beauty products, and if it’s not with you, it’s on the advice of someone else! Well, let’s get this clear in your mind, and the mind of every team member in your salon:
NO ONE IS MORE QUALIFIED TO ADVISE YOUR CLIENTS ON WHAT THEY NEED BUT YOU!
No one likes the hard sell – but how about you get in the habit of asking the right questions… And if 1 person has the problem, you can bet others are looking for the same solution. SO – social media is the best platform to ask the questions, engage your audience, and sell your solutions!
FACEBOOK 101
Now, we all know how much content is posted on Facebook every minute – let’s find out how to get your voice heard!
The more you post (relevant/engaging content), the more likely you will be seen. When a friend or follower ‘Likes’ your content, then you automatically become more ‘important‘ to that person in Facebook’s eyes. The more ‘likes’, ‘comments’, or ‘shares’ your content gets… The more likely you are to appear on a person’s news feed. So even if you are starting from scratch, it wont take long before you become one of the most prevalent voices on your clients News Feed.
So, building an audience will ensure more people will see your posts when it comes time to offer special deals or new products!
What kind of Content?
Here are some of the most engaging types of content… But take a minute to research and find a couple of the Facebook Pages that are doing it well… Check out “What a Girl Needs” to see a GREAT example of an engaged audience.
First Rule: Post DAILY Content!
One of the easiest ways to grow your social communities over time is to post content consistently. Studies have shown that different audiences react to different posting frequencies, so make sure you are testing the optimal frequency with your own audience or look at the engagement levels in comparison to posting frequencies of your competitors for some guidelines. The minimum should be once a day on Facebook. Also pay attention to what time of the day you post, the timing of social media can be very important.
Two amazing tools which can be used to help automate this process are Swayy and Buffer. Swayy is great for finding high quality articles and news related to your industry and allows you to schedule posts to your different social networks. Buffer is a very popular app that can be integrated with your browser and dozens of other apps to help you schedule posts to your social networks. Using these apps can help you cut down your time spent on your social marketing to half an hour a day.
Mix and match examples from below to make up your daily content. Choose 1 or 2 per day to engage your audience. Take note of what works well and don’t be afraid to tag in specific staff or clients to encourage initial engagement.
- Share ‘feel good’ content
Use Images when posting to Facebook – Posts can be anything from motivational quotes to, celebrity stunts funny sayings or adorable pictures. Choose posts that have already had numerous shares.
- Industry relevant ‘Tips and Tricks’. Make your job easier by finding a source that is constantly sharing the hottest/latest industry trends and repost them yourself. Include a little blog such as “This week’s style tip is how to get your…. looking fabulous” or “We’ve noticed a lot of streaky orange legs this summer… So here’s a no fail guide to the perfect fake tan”. Make your tips generic for different brands, but this is an easy lead up to a recommendation of your favorite product to ensure success.
- Honest Product reviews. The bulk of this content can be found on your suppliers Facebook or websites, but should include your own personal opinion and a call to your audience for their opinion… Like it or Loath it? By being honest yourself, it encourages trust with your users – so when you give an amazing review, your audience will sit up and listen. Also, if a client loves a product they will come to it’s defense. Real life user endorsements are worth their weight in gold…
- In Salon Video’s featuring a team member/client. You can bet a how to or product review video featuring a client will be viewed and shared on facebook! Everyone loves to be a celebrity! Although it sounds difficult and time consuming, all you need is an I-phone and a YouTube account. Once you get comfortable with videos, you can start to get a little more creative in terms of editing etc. There are many simple online editing tools to spruce up your videos.
- Before and after shots of your clients. Whether it’s a new haircut, skincare results, or an entire makeover – showcase what your salon (and therefor your products) can do for your clients
- Competitions – Choose a product and post it up on your page with a call to action. “Like this post and tell us why you would love to win …… to be in this week’s draw”
- Q and A – Post a celebrity pic and ask your audience what they think of… The new hairstyle, the nasty red carpet review, the makeup choice etc… There’s a reason women love trashy mags…
- Blog Posts – Experiment with your Titles: The title of a blog post carries a lot more weight than the average person realizes and should get as much attention as the content of the post. Here are some tips for optimizing your titles:
1 Use everyday language
2 Leverage common psychological traits (urgency, fear, desire, etc) “DON’T MISS OUT”
3 Keep it short
4 Use negatives (Don’t do this vs. do this)
5 If you’re post is a list, start the title with how many points you’re going to make (EG. 5 ways to …)
- Client of the month… A quick Q &A for your selected happy client to answer and for you to share… Include a gorgeous pic and ask What do you love about our salon? What services do you recommend etc – You make the client feel special and it’s a sure fire way to get shared on your client’s own page…
- Special of the “….” whether it be weekly, monthly, random or somewhere in between… Create specials that are so enticing that they have to be considered. Whether it be lost leader discounts or in salon rewards, you want to get clients in the habit of shopping! This builds the trust. If you have to forfeit a few initial profits, or a little of your staff’s man hours – create a call to action that is too good to refuse. If you can break down those initial buying barriers – it will ensure you have your client’s trust and attention in the long run!
This is a great start for engaging your current clients, and your goal is to get your clients feeling like they are part of a special community. The results will not only boost visits to your online store -They will also generate more interest in the your core business – the salon!
