With over $200 billion in purchasing power*, there’s no question that reaching today’s young, socially savvy generation is essential for your business’s growth. With social habits that differ greatly from Gen-X, connecting with a young audience can seem daunting. But diversifying your maturing clientele doesn’t have to be as hard if you give them what they want on the platforms they frequent most. Here are five ways you can organically connect to convert.
- Create How-To Stories on Snapchat Snapchat is the newest “It Girl” of social media. And no wonder: the median age of those who use the platform is 17. Averaging about 10 billion views per day, according to recent reports, Snapchat rivals Facebook’s reach. Allow your Snaps to serve as inspiration to those who will want your services. “I use Snapchat and Periscope to show before and after shots and tutorials,” explains Blake Evans, a Redken Artist and colorist at Shear Art Salon & Spa in Tampa, FL. “My clients like to watch because it keeps them involved in my life when I’m not at the salon.”
- Get on Instagram and/or Tumblr There are two social media platforms that attract a young adult audience: Instagram and Tumblr. According to a Pew Internet study, roughly 50 percent and 20 percent of people who are between the ages of 18 and 29 are on Instagram and Tumblr, respectively. So if you want to connect with them, you should be on there too—but in a way that helps you truly connect. “My team and I stay on top of what’s next and we create very edgy and trendy cuts,” explains Christol Williams, the owner of Christol Salon and Christol Salon Spa in Largo and Clinton, MD, respectively. “All of our younger clients come from Instagram.”
- Tailor Your Content Want to target a more hipster male clientele? Show off innovative undercuts or shapes created on bearded clients. Looking to get more clients who follow Kylie Jenner’s looks? Then feature images of your best hair-coloring techniques. Want to increase your client base with curls and natural hair? Then share your hair-care tips about various hair textures. Like attracts like so edit the content you feature on your social pages so that it’s really clear what you offer and who you offer it to.
- Partner with a Blogger "I was lucky to know a few influencers. So I reached out to them to do their hair,” says Ryan Pearl, senior colorist at Cutler salon’s Soho location in New York City. “And instead of them having to pay, we would do a shout-out on both of our social media pages.” Pearl’s social audience—and his influence with a younger clientele—grew about 50 percent as a result of his outreach. “Every business has a marketing expense, and this is basically free,” he says. If you don’t already have an influencer in your database, reach out to one in your town and offer your expertise and/or your services.
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Are you already a huge Game of Thrones or Empire fan? Then join the social chatter about these shows from a beauty point of view. Recreate “Get the Look” styles from the show on existing clients and post the photos on your social platforms the next day. Make reference to the show in your copy and include the show’s hashtags.
Many thanks to our program sponsors Matrix, Redken, Pureology, L'Oréal Professionnel, Baxter, Decleor, Essie, Mizani and SalonCentric for making this Digital Supplement possible.