Getting on the digital platform is a challenge many salon brands face because not everyone is familiar with this digital space to market on. Because of the changing times, technology is ever-growing and the online community is growing as well. According to Think with Google, 59% of shoppers that were surveyed say that being able to shop on mobile is important when deciding which brand to buy from.
They are a captive audience that is always on the platform waiting for new products and services they could avail. You can seek the help of professionals at Zensoft to help you set up your salon business to keep up with the latest technology for your business.
Fortunately, this is very good for businesses like salons because this is a free market where you could promote and sell your services online for free.
But these online marketing opportunities do not come without problems and challenges. Here is a list of online marketing challenges salon businesses may face and how to fix them.
Not having an online presence
Right off the bat, the top online marketing challenge faced by salon brands and businesses is not having an online presence at all. Salon businesses are generally used to having the traditional marketing strategies and methods to grow their business. But in today’s generation, it is very important to have an online presence in the form of websites, social media accounts, and other platforms you can find online. Your salon clientele is very much like other customers who are always on their phones, or their laptops, searching for the newest products and services that they could avail themselves of at the comforts of their home. Being able to market to these people is very important as they are a captive audience just waiting for someone to promote their products and services so that they could purchase or try their services out.
Salon businesses can maximize their marketing strategies when they go online as it is free and there are plenty of prospective clients waiting to be tapped.
Not having branding
Branding is an important part of online marketing strategy. According to Smallbizgenius, a 23% increase in revenue is due to presenting a brand consistently across all platforms.
Your salon business needs a branding kit wherein you will dictate how your salon is perceived by your customers and prospective clients. A branding kit would include colors and brand identity where your salon business would be recognized by any person looking for your business. This is especially important for digital marketing as there are plenty of salons out there promoting their products and services on social media pages, or their websites. Having a branding kit makes sure that your salon business can stand out among the rest and will be able to be easily recognizable by your prospective clients.
Not updating your social media accounts
Sure you have your own social media pages on Facebook Instagram Pinterest and whatnot, but are you updating them frequently?
Having a social media presence does not stop by just creating an account. You should be able to consistently provide quality content for your business to stay updated and relevant for your target market. Make sure you are regularly posting to create engagement that would generate buzz around your salon business. It is very important for online accounts to keep the info fresh and relatable so that your followers could turn into customers.
Your social media pages are the way for you to communicate that your business is up and running or open for business. Some customers avoid social media pages that are not updated because they would think that the business is closed.
Another reason why you need to keep updating your social media accounts is that an outdated account loses credibility over time. This is because customers would think that if you cannot update your social media page, how good the quality of your service would be?
Also, it helps for your account to be updated because according to the algorithm of these social media platforms, you need to be an interactive account for them to show your account to more people, therefore, giving you free advertisement, and free visibility to more people. For salon businesses, online visibility can equate to sales.
Ignoring customer reviews
Your customers have a lot to say especially on online platforms. That is why you should never ignore when your customers leave negative feedback or any feedback at all. Some customers tend to post their grievances online especially on the page of the business they are mad about. This could greatly impact your sales and the list of your clientele. One negative feedback could outweigh ten positive feedback. According to Nextiva, 79% of consumers who experienced and complained about poor customer experience online had their complaints ignored. That is why you should closely monitor what people say about your business, especially on your public wall. That is not to say that you should neglect customer feedback that is done in private. You should also have a dedicated chat assistant that would monitor if there are any complaints or comments about your services sent to your chat boxes. This could help you resolve these problems privately and be able to get these customers to trust back.
Not utilizing influencer marketing
If you are not familiar with influencer marketing then that is very unfortunate because this could help you grow your business. Influencer marketing entails partnering with influencers or famous people on the digital platform. Influencers are not tv celebrities but real people who have gained followers on the internet. These influencers are very much relatable and they have great engagement online.
Partnering with influencers can help you boost your sales as their loyal following will want to try out what they are experiencing, or what products and services they are trying out. For example, if you offer a haircut or hair treatment to a certain influencer they could post a live video on Instagram or Facebook letting their fans know or their following know that they are in your salon. You could also give these influencers a specific discount code that their followers can use when they visit your salon.
Not doing customer marketing
Customer marketing means focusing on your existing customers and drawing them back to your salon business. Focusing your efforts on your existing customers is easier and cheaper than trying to get new ones, but that is not to say that you are not trying to grow your list of clientele.
The importance of customer marketing is that you are investing in these existing customers for them to go back to your salon and avail of your services regularly. This means that you are relying on them for constant sales and that you have a reliable source of income within a certain period.
Some forms of customer marketing include giving exclusive promotional discounts for your existing clients like sending out email campaigns that include a discount code that they can use when they visit your salon again. Customer marketing also includes giving rewards to your most loyal customers such as giving free products and services when they reach a milestone such as an x number of visits to your salon.