Taking pictures of clients heads? Part 2 What to write
You have a great photo with the stylist and client ready to share to social media, what are you going to write?
Avoid industry jargon
Use questions
Headlines and lists
Benefits and stories
Call to action
In this digital age, 89% of customers search online before making booking or buying (Digital Influence Index 2012).
People will click away or scroll on by in just 4 to 8 seconds that's all the time you have to keep them interested.
Your social media and website needs to;
Hold the person's interest past 8 seconds
Inspire confidence and trust
The human face can do both.
You have a photo ready to post or schedule as part of your social media marketing, my money making tips on what and how do you write?
Avoid Industry Jargon
Salons can get caught up in telling their story, what they've done to create the look.
Don’t make this critical mistake.
CLIENTS DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU, THE SALON OR THE INDUSTRY
THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES
They care about what makes them happy, FEEL good and makes their life better.
That doesn’t always match what you want clients to know.
If you want their business, clients to book, you have to find a way to connect with what they want.
It's NOT something that's NEW, or a sign of the times, it's how humans for thousands of years have behaved.
And why my 1st tip is; Avoid industry speak and jargon, it's BORING to anyone outside of the trade!
Two examples;
"New fresh blonde with soft low light to break the blonde and re-toned with ash toner."
Full balayage/baby light face framing service. First lifting through her dark base and midshaft allowing that to lift and process to the same level as her previously lightened ends ... then carefully lightening the ends as well.
Jargon means particular words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand.
To anyone outside of the industry, the examples mean nothing or very little.
What's the midshaft? What's a base? What is a re-tone?
Words that are used by our profession but hard for others to understand.
A true story; Man walks into a new salon for a cut; the stylists asked what his previous barber used to cut his hair, giving him two options.
He missed the first one but heard shears, thinking of how sheep are sheared he picked that one and was shocked when the stylist pulled out a pair of scissors.
Surprised he let her get to work but the service was taking to long, he made a polite comment to which the stylist replied:
"I'm not used to using shears for a men's cut".
The client released the misunderstanding told her she could change and explained he'd never heard scissors called shears.
To which she gave him a disgusted look making him feel uncomfortable!
Whether in-person, online or on marketing material like the price list;
Avoid industry jargon
Ask Questions
Women especially like questions on social media, neuromarketing has researched and proved it!
What questions could you ask at the top of your post?
By asking a question the brain kicks into action to find the answer, it's engaging.
The whole point of the picture is to get engagement, so start with a question.
Use open questions starting with;
What - How - When - Where - Who - *Why
*Be careful with Why, it can sound more "aggressive" in certain questions
What would your dream colour be?
How do clients feel after a visit to us?
How important is it that a stylist really listens to you?
When's it your turn to have colour this glossy?
Lists and Headlines
People will only skim read the first few words in each sentence.
“Waffle” text will NOT hold attention.
Start the post with a headline that tells clients;
“Who you are, what you do and/or what they’ll get”
The headline should be 6 to 15 words that grab the attention of potential or current clients.
When it comes to writing about services, consider lists over long text.
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Thank you, I will send you more information about the training soon.
Kind Regards
Caroline
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For example
We listen to understand you and create the WOW look you want
Julie is one of our Master Stylist, with 12 years experience.
"Every style I design is with the client; we work as a team, communication is key".
List the benefits.
Its key that people get the information they need as quickly as possible.
As people skim read, a list makes it fast and easy.
Features Tell, Benefits Sell
A feature is a factual statement about the product or service being promoted.
But features aren't what entice customers to buy.
Full balayage - Ash Toner - Restyle are all features
Every time a feature is used it must be followed by 2 benefits, SO limit the number of features
Benefits and Stories
Benefits give the client a reason to buy because they explain how the product or service can meet one or more of their basic needs;
Link every feature with an advantage or benefit that the customer wants or thinks is desirable.
When you write your post read it back and then ask one question “So what?” and answer the benefit to the person.
This great Balayage blonde framing service
So what?
The results are a more natural-looking
so what?
with no harsh or obvious regrowth lines
So what?
Which requires less maintenance, perfect for the busy women
Facts fade Stories stick
Using stories IS very powerful, switch on the TV or watch a video on social media and you'll find story marketing, so can you find stories to share?
Because stories stick in peoples memories
Remember the story at the start of the post?
Find a story to share either from clients, team members or yourself.
Maybe a little harder and it MAY be a story will come along once in a while, but when they do with permission share them, and if you can create a video.
Stories lead to emotions and buying or booking ANYTHING is between 70 to 95% emotional.
"Emotion is what really drives the purchasing behaviours, any decision making in general".
Harvard Professor G. Zaltman
In module 2 of Salon TeamTraining, the online course teams learn how;
Emotion leads to Feelings leads to Action
Clients buy homecare, book services, share with others based on how we make them feel.
It may not be possible to make a professional video like the one below, however, I do hope its got you thinking... how can I use emotions?
Because its how people feel that gets them in the salon and keeps them returning, wanting to spend more.
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Please enter a valid email address.
Thank you, I will send you more information about the training soon.
Kind Regards
Caroline
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What do you want the person to do?
You've asked the client to make a video or take a photo, you've got the lighting right.
You're in the picture, you've written content with a "sharp headline" to get attention, focused on emotions and benefits, you make it to 15 seconds, what happens next?
CALL TO ACTION
Awareness or Promotion Marketing
Awareness marketing is an approach in which a business recognized by potential clients. It's like "hello marketing", think of big brands who don't have any form of offer or promotion.
The video I shared for a telecom's company, that's awareness marketing.
We (humans) like to think we make decisions freely, and to a degree we do, however, scientists find if someone witnesses awareness marketing it does influence buying behaviour, that's why BIG companies spend millions.
If you have the cash to splash awareness marketing is a useful tool, IF you have the money.
If you want the potential client to do something you must have a call to action before you lose them, maybe forever!
Do you want the person to hit like on the post?
Call the salon?
Write something in the comments?
Remembering
WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME
What's the reward for taking action?
Can you send the person a monetary voucher? Something used on their first visit with terms and conditions, minimum spend, selected days and staff, non-refundable, can not be used with any other offer.
Can they a complimentary "small" service perhaps a blow dry, limited to the first five people who comment? Again, with terms and conditions.
What can you do to get the person to take action?
Keep in mind the six reasons that someone will take action;
1. Greed. "If I make a decision now, I'll be rewarded."
2. Fear. "If I don't make a decision now, I'll miss out."
3. Altruism. "If I make a decision now, I'll help others."
4. Envy. "If I don't make a decision now, someone else will win."
5. Pride. "If I make a decision now, I'll look smart."
6. Shame. "If I don't make a decision now, I'll look stupid."
I've highlighted the main reasons I believe people will take action. When you use the call to action have a limit, consider the terms and conditions to your marketing/promotion tool and give people the option;
Comment "Yes please" below or message us for your chance to win"
One final point
Lots of potential clients are scared!
I know we're a friendly lot, but everyone can experience fear when it comes to making a decision.
Princeton University philosopher Walter Kaufmann coined the phase;
Decidophobia, the fear of making a decision.
Ever been at a restaurant and asked or heard someone say, I can't make up my mind, what are you having?
Even the smallest task can lead to a sense of losing control or direction.
The fear of making decisions and embracing change can leave anyone stuck in a place or situation when they should be moving forward, whether's its picking what to wear, choosing a salon, developing new skills any decision.
The pictures you post show your skills and are authority marketing
A way to show potential clients that you are the person they need, you and the team are the local experts.
It helps build trust, people buy and book with people they like and trust.
That's why I wrote this post, I needed to share.
A picture of the back of someone head isn't enough to build I like YOU and I trust you won't butcher my hair!
People need to see you and your work and when you write the post;
Don't focus on "you" (the industry), your technical knowledge (Jargon)
Grab their attention with a headline or question.
Ask the "SO what? question to check the benefits
Finish with a call to action, unless awareness marketing.
