The best ways to market your beauty business in 2021!

Are you a new to the industry and not sure where to start with marketing and promoting your beauty business? Or are you established but wanting to up your marketing game and reach new customers in your area? Marketing can seem daunting and in today’s fast paced, digital world, it can be hard to keep up with new trends and know where to start! 2020 was certainly a challenging year for the beauty industry bringing with it a big shift in our priorities and ways of communicating. As we make our way out of the craziness, it is certainly a good idea for beauty business owners to plan ahead and set some goals for 2021! We have broken down the best ways to market your beauty business in 2021 to ensure you are on top of your marketing game.

Video Content

It’s no secret, video content is the most effective way to grab attention and get across your business’s message! It is predicted we’ll all spend 100 minutes a day watching video content online by next year! Last year saw TikTok take off in a big way which was closely followed by Instagram’s rival format – reels! This short form, video content format is designed to be short & sweet, entertain or educate. The popularity of this type of content means that you have a fantastic opportunity to reach your target market, grab their attention and have a little fun! Try showing some behind the scenes of your beauty business, a before & after using a fun transition or share some industry advice.  

Go Online!

2020 saw us all online more than ever and this doesn’t look set to change anytime soon. Did you know the majority of people actually prefer to book appointments online rather than on the phone or in person? If you don’t have an automated booking system in place for your salon yet, now might be the time to consider investing! Not only is it quick and easy for clients (and makes you look super slick!) but also makes your system much more organised and automated.

Google My Business

Do you have a Google Business profile set up for your business? If not, get on it! Not only is it a great way to let people find you and improve your local SEO, it also allows you to share pictures of your work, premises, services as well as customer reviews, opening hours, contact info, website etc - it’s a no brainer! We recommend keeping it updated regularly with pictures and updates & encouraging customers to leave reviews to establish your business as a trusted salon.

Social Media Strategy

Nowadays, posting every so often on socials media isn’t enough. Social media is now an essential part of a beauty business’s marketing strategy and to be successful, having a stand out social presence is so important! Taking time to put a solid social media strategy in place, clearly defining your target market and posting consistently will not only help to grow your social accounts and communicate effectively with your customers but will also keep the algorithms happy meaning your content will be pushed out to more people! Don’t limit your content to just pictures of your latest nail creation, teach your community about the industry by sharing tips, aftercare, advice and inspiration! Ensure you are encouraging engagement and also spending time engaging with customers, other local businesses & potential new clients. Stick to a schedule and plan in advance to stay organised. Remember to do your hashtag research and include local tags as well (e.g. #microbladingmanchester). Don’t have time to keep on top of your socials? Consider hiring a Social Media Manager to help out! It may not be as expensive as you think!  

Branding

A strong, recognisable brand identity and voice goes a long way to being remembered and making a good impression. Having a stand out logo as well as brand colours & fonts you stick to when having marketing materials produced, designing your salon or posting on social media not only makes you stand out from competitors but also communicates your business’s personality and what it stands for.

Promotions

Promotions are always loved by customers! A loyalty card is still a firm favourite within the beauty industry – we have seen some amazing credit card style loyalty cards recently which really stand out on socials are very on-trend! A referral scheme is always a great way to reach new people through your current clients as well as giving them a little treat! Why not team up with other local businesses as well as a means of attracting new clients? Think about the local gym, could you offer members a discount? Do you have any influencers in your area you could invite for some treatments and then offer their followers a discount code? There are so many ways to reach new local people – try to think outside the box a little to stand out from the crowd!

Share your story

Small businesses always really benefit from sharing their story and showing off their personality. People are more trusting when they can see the face(s) behind a brand and it goes a long way to build a strong community your customers feel they are a part of! Why not tell us about how/why you started your business, show us some behind the scenes or introduce us to your team? You/your team are what make your business so fabulous so show off! We guarantee people will love it and are more likely to buy from you!

Email Marketing

We live in a digital world, where people spend hours of their online. So why not start a mailing list for your clients? You could ask them to opt in when filing out their consultation form and send promotional emails with special offers & discounts, promote new treatments/products or send reminders for appointments! We think this not only creates a sense of community but is a great way to share your beauty business’s news & promote your services. Automated email services like Mailchimp & Octopus are easy to use and are free for up to 2,000/2,500 subscribers.

If 2020 has taught us anything it is to be prepared so why not start planning your beauty salon’s marketing strategy now and start booking out your services for weeks to come!