IN UNISON

SOCIAL GATHERING BUILDING YOUR ONLINE FOLLOWING TAKES A LOT MORE THAN JUST POSTING PICTURES OF YOUR WORK. IT’S TIME TO MAXIMISE YOUR DIGITAL POTENTIAL. THANKS TO EXCITING INTERACTIVE FEATURES SUCH AS LIVE STREAMS AND POLLS, AS WELL AS THE RISE OF NEW APPS LIKE TIKTOK, NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO MAXIMISE YOUR CHANNELS AND ENGAGE WITH COLOURISTS (AND CLIENTS) ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

IGNORE THE POWER of social media at your peril. Sharing your incredible colour work has become vital in order to boost your online following and expand your business. Juggling the ins and outs of algorithms and how to translate likes into actual client relationships is a constant learning curve… not to mention that a static image often fails to translate the extent of work required. Uploading examples of eyecatching looks or dramatic transformations will certainly see high engagement, but it can also make managing client expectations and knowledge of colour maintenance that little bit harder to negotiate. Social media has been proven to reach new and existing clients in ways that were previously impossible. Whether you’re active on Instagram daily or prefer to post sporadically across social media, we work in an age where you simply can’t aff ord to ignore it. “As businesses we need to be using social media to our advantage,” says 2019 NHBF Best Social Media Award winner, Heff y Wheeler of HX Hair. “Although it can often feel like a ball and chain – constantly having to think

about the content, factoring in the time it takes to post and the planning involved.”

PRESS PLAY

Social media is instantly reactive, giving colourists the opportunity to share their work or news in real time. This is perfect for showcasing the latest trends, techniques and tutorials, or updates and launches within the salon. More and more colourists are turning to Instagram TV (IGTV) or YouTube to showcase their colour creations or hair transformations to both professionals and consumers. “I’ve always had a policy to share everything,” explains socially-savvy hairdresser Craig Purves. “Whether it’s educational content for hair professionals or top tips for your clients, my biggest piece of advice is to be authentic.”

Most people fi nd a medium that chimes with what they’re trying to communicate. Craig adds: “Put yourself out there in whatever way you feel comfortable with. Create content that you feel proud to share and enjoy making, then others will feel the same about it.” In the age of algorithms, advertising and everything in between, it can be hard to gauge genuine engagement across channels, but for Craig it is often his video content on Instagram which performs well. He shared that his mini tutorials and longer IGTV ‘process’ videos receive the most views. “I’ve always known education is an integral part of our industry, but the ability to react swiftly via my channels by sharing knowledge is so fantastic,” he concludes.

@thecolourbarwirral

We’re always looking to change and improve our social media channels. There’s no right or wrong, it’s just trying diff erent things to see what works. At the moment we fi nd asking questions or creating a poll encourages followers to interact and engage more with our work

Digi Educa 

QUESTION EVERYTHING Samantha Cusick London has recently launched a weekly series on Instagram Stories to give followers the opportunity to send in questions for the team to answer. “Social media now plays such an instrumental role in our industry and it can be utilised in so many ways to help build your business. When it comes to using my own channels, I approach it in the way that I like to use Instagram myself, as a consumer,” says founder Samantha. “I like to follow companies and infl uencers that give honest and credible advice, so that is exactly what I aim to off er.”

Discussing product recommendations or retail up-selling during appointments doesn’t come naturally to everyone, but hosting these regular question and answer sessions online helps to break down that barrier when it comes to aftercare. “It’s about making genuine product recommendations to them that I know work, rather than just appearing to endorse them at the end of an appointment for a quick fi nancial gain. Imagine how refreshing it would be if your clients already knew they needed sulphate-free shampoos,” she adds.

Using the voting or poll features on Instagram also works as an eff ective way to boost engagement by requesting responses from followers. It gives vital insight for creating future content or can build excitement, such as sharing ‘sneak peeks’ of transformations. Wella Professionals Passionista Thomas Frear has experimented with the wide variety of tools that are available to see what prompts engagement with his followers. “I try and utilise every tool on Instagram – the more interactive something is, the more I fi nd people react and follow what you’re doing,” he explains. QUESTION EVERYTHING Samantha Cusick London has recently launched a weekly series on Instagram Stories to give followers the opportunity to send in questions for the team to answer. “Social media

@heff y

STAY ONE STEP AHEAD While the established social apps are going nowhere, when it comes to building an online identity it’s important to stay aware of new launches which will take your networking and brand building one step further.

With more than 60,000 followers on TikTok and more than 900,000 likes across her posts, OSMO ambassador Heff y has been using the trending app to share her colour creations and transformations. “TikTok is a huge video platform that has slipped under the radar of our industry for some reason, despite having over one billion users worldwide. The short video app is ideal for creatives to express themselves and their work.” The best part about it? It’s so much fun to use! “With users all over the world, it’s gives hairdressers freedom to create and play without just creating content to appeal to clients for column bookings. It puts some of the fun back into social media,” Heff y adds.

When I post on Instagram I often give insights into what formulas I have used, which is so important. I love to see what other colour ranges can do too on other people’s threads. It’s always about learning; what I share encourages clients to ask questions, such as what methods have been used to achieve the look

Videos are one of the best ways to educate clients online because they’re more engaging than detailed paragraphs telling you the process. I love posting formula breakdowns to Stories or IGTV. Still photos are great, and are needed when it comes to educating, but I think the post needs to be short and sweet if you want people to take the information in

THOMAS BADGER WELLA PROFESSIONALS PASSIONISTA

@thomasfrearhair

ALWAYS ENGAGE “Engage, engage, ENGAGE,” urges Wella Professionals Passionista Thomas Badger. “Get your followers talking – ask them questions and get them to ask you questions. Ask for client selfi es, tag them in your posts, ask them to tag you. Sharing is caring and it’s the way forward for social.” Instagram’s algorithms are notoriously fi nicky, but for real numbers you need to remember that this mythical engagement is a twoway street. Rather than just sitting and waiting for people to discover you, Thomas recommends reaching out to bridge the gap – liking, commenting on and reacting to other people’s content. “The more your online presence is engaged, the more people will start to come across your online account. It will rapidly grow your following and client base,” Thomas adds.

Likewise, if you want to build your engagement with clients online then you have to build a rapport. “People want to feel part of a community, so I always aim to respond to every message or comment. Nobody wants to be left hanging, and by replying it shows that you care about the client and are passionate about the industry,” explains Samantha Marais of the Schwarzkopf Professional Collective.

Using Instagram for business purposes requires a diff erent approach to that of your personal account. It’s a free platform that can bring so many eyes to your salon and skills, but if you fail to engage with it properly then you’re just another square to be scrolled past. Luckily there are numerous educational courses available, from brands and experts alike, all geared towards how to fully utilise Instagram as a platform to get you seen. The likes of Wella Professionals’ Activate Your Digital Business and Redken’s Strictly Social courses, or more general digital business skill providers such as Hubspot Academy, can provide you with all the building blocks you need. If you’re completely perplexed by the digital scene then these courses can give you the grounding you need to create an structure to your online work, understand the algorithmic intricacies, and make sure all eyes are on you. Happy snapping! you have to build a rapport. “People want to feel part of a community, so I always aim to respond to every message or comment. Nobody wants to be left hanging, and by replying it shows that you care about the client and are passionate about the industry,” explains Samantha Marais of the Schwarzkopf Professional Collective. that of your personal account. It’s a free platform that can bring so many eyes to your salon and skills, but if you fail to engage with it properly then you’re just another square to be scrolled past. Luckily there are numerous educational courses available, from brands and experts alike, all geared towards how to fully utilise Instagram as a platform to get you seen. The likes of Wella Professionals’ Activate Your Digital Business and Redken’s Strictly Social courses, or more general digital business skill providers such as