Tech expert and beauty enthusiast/influencer Sarah Bryant@sarah_louwho shared the stage with salon artist and educator Chief Behr @chiefbehrhair to talk about how to use social media for a variety of purposes--how to gain clients, how to expand your influence, and how to have fun. They met in person for the first time at Salon Digital Summit produced by MODERN SALON, NAILS, and Bobit Business Media and their presentation was really a relaxed conversation between friends on some social media best practices. 

We share some of their bullet points here:

USING SOCIAL TO FILL YOUR BOOKS

Content Focus

• Must be consistent

• Show the work for the services you want to be known for and the type of clientele you want to attract

Tips & Tricks

• Get your bio up to speed

• Geotagging posts and IG stories

“Stay up to date with what is happening near you and tag yourself as being there.”--Sarah

• Hashtags on posts and IG stories

• “Type in the hashtag terms that you know your clients are using.  They might not call it 'balayage' but baly-this and that.”--Chief

• Interacting on Community pages and posts

WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR INSTAGRAM BIO

Your Name

• The name field in your bio is searchable. Use this opportunity to input your own tagline that describes what you want to be found for, for example—LA Barber—Educator—Colorist

Your Real Name

• Your clients and future clients want to know you as much as you want to know them, including your real name in your bio if it isn’t your @ name.

Your Location

• If you have set up your Facebook page, you can input your address and this will pull through to your business profile automatically.

Your Credentials

• Your time to shine. Show off a bit.

GAINING A FOLLOWING: LOCALLY

It Aint What It Used To Be

• Do not get discouraged; over 60% of people who are professional influencers on Instagram are decreasing in following, month to month.

• Decide if you are an educator, an entertainer or both.

Tips and Tricks

• Be consistent

  • o Almost 80% of posts are not seen due to the algorithm. Just. Keep. Posting.

• Start on Facebook first. “People share a lot of information on Facebook.”-Sarah

• Include your location and contact information, everywhere.

• Add your pictures to Pinterest

• Reposting and interacting with local businesses on both IG and FB.

• Make people and brands feel special.

  • o Don’t tag competing brands in a post.

  • o Respond to DMs and Comments, especially if they are questions.

• Show us something new “

• Document rather than create—something that seems mundane to you could be a breakthrough for someone else.

• Be everywhere

  • o Buy your domain. Get a website. Have a Facebook page. Have a YouTube Channel. Host a podcast. Have a Pinterest page.

• Wow Factor

  • o The average person looks at a post for 1-2.5 seconds. In that time, your post has to make them like it enough to 1) click on your page and 2) hit the follow button.

  • o What sets you apart from every stylist page online. Find what that is and hone in on it. You do not have to be good at everything.