Hair stylists told to use social media to develop themselves

Local hair stylists have been encouraged to set up Facebook pages for their businesses.{{more}}

On Sunday, September 11, Fitzroy Ferguson, Manager, Professional Marketing of SoftSheen Carson (Jamaica) gave a group of over 60 local stylists pointers on how social media and technology could be used to promote their businesses.

Ferguson, who addressed the participants as part of a one-day workshop, held by SoftSheen Carson to introduce the new Optimum Advanced Keratin Whipped Creme Relaxer system, told the stylists that social media like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter may be used to help them develop themselves and their businesses, and better communicate with both potential and existing clients.

Reminding them that businesses should always be looking for new clients, as old clients may die, migrate or move on to a new stylist, Ferguson told them that their businesses would die if they don’t continually add new clients.

Emphasising how big social media already is among residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ferguson said that social media can assist stylists in forging long-lasting relationships with their clients.

As at June 2010, statistics from the International Telecommunication Union put Internet penetration in St. Vincent and the Grenadines at 73.2 per cent of the population. Interestingly, as at June 2011, 40,000 persons residing in SVG, or 38.5 per cent of the population had Facebook accounts.

Reminding them that clients may be of different age groups, Ferguson advised them that there are many young people who are on Facebook today, but who do not yet have a stylist.

According to www.socialbakers.com, a website which collects and analyses social media statistics, of the residents of SVG who have Facebook accounts, 30 per cent are been 18 and 24; 29 per cent are between 25 and 34; 22 per cent are between 13 and 17; 11 per cent are between 35 and 44 and 8 per cent 45 and older.

Social media might help these people to choose you as a stylist over someone else, he advised.

Ferguson said while client cards may include their clients’ phone numbers and email addresses, social media have the advantage of being able to alert stylists to clients’ birthdays and anniversaries, allowing them to call them to wish them a good day, or invite them to come in for a free service.

“Just that one call might mean the world to them,” he declared, stating that it is important to acknowledge and reward clients. The Marketing Manager said that clients would be so touched that the stylist remembered their special day, that they may recommend you to others.

The consultant also encouraged the stylists gathered upstairs the Modern Place Building to use their Blackberry smartphones to communicate with their clients. The Blackberry, he said, provided stylists with a free and convenient means of reminding clients who also have Blackberrys about appointments and letting them know how many people are in the salon at any given moment, for example.

“That’s the kind of instant update that clients want.”

Ferguson also reminded the women gathered at the workshop to make use of the built-in camera of the Blackberry to take photographs of hairstyles and workshops attended, which should then be posted on their Facebook pages.

“This is how you will share what you are doing with your clients. They will see that you are an advanced stylist.”

“Take a picture of your certificates…. Let them know that you have the credentials,” he advised.

Ferguson said in today’s economically challenging environment, in order for stylists to compete effectively, they should make sure they are on the cutting edge and take advantage of everything that can make their business grow.

He also encouraged them to use the online tutorials available on YouTube.

“Anything you want to do, someone put a video on how to do it on YouTube.”

He said one of the benefits of looking at instructional videos on YouTube is that one can replay the video over and over until the technique being taught is grasped.

The local agent for SoftSheen Carson is The Modern Place.