Get started with marketing

Foreword

Before you start anything at all, you should create an Instagram account, Facebook page, website and Google Business account for your salon.

Website: Make it easy for customers to contact you

A professional website is often the first place where potential customers get to know your salon. A good website should not only present your services and prices, but also make it easy for customers to get in touch with you. By including a clear contact form, phone number and perhaps an online booking function, you increase the chance of converting digital visitors into paying, in-person customers.

SEO: Get a better position on Google than your competitors

SEO (search engine optimisation) is important for increasing your visibility on Google. By optimising your website with relevant keywords such as “hairdresser [your city]” and descriptions of your services, you can improve your position on Google and help more potential customers find your salon instead of your competitors’. Good SEO strategies also include local SEO, where you optimise your Google My Business profile so that local customers can easily find you.

Make Google your friend

Think of Google as your friend. Google has one job: to find the best answers to what people are searching for. When you write texts for your website, think of it as writing to your friend. Write good tips and tricks. Tell Google what your customers can expect from you at your salon. If you found this article on Google, it is because Google thinks you will get something out of reading further. If you treat Google well, Google will treat your salon well too. Super simple.

How do you become friends with Google?

It can be difficult to compete for “Hairdresser Copenhagen”, so consider finding a niche of customers. If you are good at creating bridal hairstyles, write texts on your website about why you are the best stylist for bridal hairstyles in Copenhagen. If Google agrees, it will recommend your salon the next time someone searches for bridal hairstyles in Copenhagen.

AdWords: Advertise to people searching for a hairdresser in your local area

With Google AdWords, you can target adverts at people searching for hairdressers in your area. By investing in AdWords, you can achieve visibility at the top of the search results, even if your organic SEO is still being developed. A well-planned AdWords campaign helps you reach people who are actively looking for a hairdresser and are ready to book an appointment. But be careful. If you do not set up your adverts correctly, you can burn through your entire budget in one day without generating any customers for you. Believe me, I have been there.

Meta (Facebook and Instagram): Tell potential customers about your salon

Facebook and Instagram are powerful platforms for attracting and engaging potential customers. By sharing pictures of your previous haircuts and customer stories, you can create interest in your salon and highlight your style and expertise. Meta adverts (Facebook and Instagram are owned by Meta) also make it possible to reach people in your local area and can be an effective tool for attracting new customers if you do not yet rank highly for your desired keywords.

How much money should you spend on marketing?

Marketing is an investment that can be crucial to your salon’s growth. In general, businesses are recommended to spend between 7–10% of their turnover on marketing to achieve a stable return. However, many find that the marketing budget can vary depending on their finances, so it is a good idea to have a strategy that allows you to increase your marketing when the need for more customers arises. I would not recommend that small salons spend money on marketing and advertising. Read on below instead.

Should you even spend money on marketing as a hairdresser?

For 9 out of 10 hairdressers, I would say no. It costs you much more than you get out of it. Instead, I would focus on SEO in your local area. If you live in Viborg or want to appear when people search for “Hairdresser Viborg”, write lots of reasons on your website why people should choose you. If Google is convinced that you are the best hairdresser in Viborg, it will automatically recommend your salon over all the others.

Which salons should consider paid marketing?

Large salons with plans to open more locations. Here, paid marketing can make a big difference in establishing your new locations in their respective local areas.

Should you get help from the companies you see advertising on Facebook and Instagram?

In short, I would not recommend it. Their business model is to give you a little help on an ongoing basis so that you slowly get better. You pay for this, and the effect will be small but steady. Instead, you can do everything yourself at once and get it over with, if you want to. I have not had good experiences with getting external help, so please learn from my mistake.

What is paid marketing?

Paid marketing means that you pay to have your salon or service displayed on other people’s websites, apps or social media. This form of marketing includes AdWords, Facebook adverts and paid collaborations with local influencers or blogs. Paid marketing can give your salon quick visibility, especially if you want to attract more customers in the short term.

Is there a shortage of hairdressers?

Yes, the number of qualified hairdressers is expected to fall over the next ten years. According to SMVdanmark, the number of hairdressers will fall by approximately 1,350 people by 2032. This may lead to increased demand for skilled hairdressers, and for salons this means there may be good reason to invest in long-term customer loyalty and employee retention.

What does a marketing plan include?

A marketing plan helps your salon set clear goals for how you want to attract customers and build your customer base. An effective plan should include an analysis of your target audience, your competitors and your most important channels. Channels is a business term for places where you can advertise, such as a website, AdWords and social media. By planning your content, budget and objectives, you can better track your progress and make sure you use your marketing funds in the most effective ways.

How do you create good marketing?

Good marketing is authentic and targeted. For hairdressing salons, it is important to show your expertise through pictures, customer reviews and inspiration. By choosing the right channels and understanding your target audience, you can reach the people most likely to become loyal customers. A combination of SEO, good Google Reviews and an active presence on social media can help your salon attract new customers and build long-lasting relationships.

When is something marketing?

Marketing is any activity intended to attract and retain customers. For a hairdressing salon, this can include everything from Facebook posts and Google adverts to personal recommendations and customer events. The aim of marketing is to create awareness of your salon and make it easy for customers to choose you when they need a hairdresser.

Final words

My general recommendation to ALL hairdressers is to do the following:

1. (Important) Create a recognisable place where you take your pictures for social media. For example, you could have an orange wall so that people remember “the salon with the orange wall”.
2. (Important) To get started on Google, give your happy customers a free travel-size shampoo to take home as a thank-you for writing a review of your salon on Google.
3. (Extra) Create a simple website where you write and blog about your passion for the work you do in your salon. If Google thinks “she really knows her stuff when it comes to bridal hairstyles”, it will recommend your salon to people searching for exactly that.