When it comes to showing off your outstanding hair color, hair cutting and hairstyling skills, nothing tops social media. Your Instagram and Facebook feeds are virtual portfolios for your work, and thousands of stylists are now closing their books because they can no longer accommodate new clients due to this exposure. But how about the retail portion of your business? Can social media help amplify product sales and contribute to your overall profit? Here are three ways to put those feeds to work for your retail business.

Post Video How-Tos on YouTube
In the salon, product recommendation and demonstration are the best ways to generate product sales. Your clients see and experience the item and they realize it could really enhance their hair. How about taking the same approach virtually? Create a series of quick how-to videos, housed on YouTube, demonstrating various hair techniques and including information on how to use the products needed to get the look. Be sure to note that the products you’re using are available in your salon and include contact information in the video. You should also include an incentive, along the lines of “mention this video and receive 10 percent off your first product purchase.”

Post Product Spotlights on Instagram
You don’t want to turn your Instagram feed into a product catalog, but posting an occasional, beautifully-photographed shot of one of your favorite products positions you as a professional in the business of offering professional products. Be sure to talk about the product benefits in the description and provide contact information for your salon. Keep in mind that many product companies now offer photographs and other social media assets that you can use for free on your own platforms. Check out Redken’s Salon Success Kit, for example, (www.redkensalon.com) which includes a photo library.

Hold a Sale on Facebook Live
A Facebook Live broadcast is a great way to do a limited edition or limited time sale. Perhaps you have extra inventory, or you purchased a particular item for a promotion that you want to sell out. Maybe you want to promote something new. Whatever it is, give viewers a good reason for the sale during the broadcast. During the session, demo the product on a model if possible. Try to be relaxed and natural and keep the session under 20 minutes. Offer information about the product’s benefits and performance. You may want to limit the sale to the people who are commenting during the Live broadcast and make a different offer available for those who are watching the replay to keep the sales going!

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