Hairstylist Marketing Strategies: Part One

There are many things you can do as a professional hairstylist to market yourself. I have heard so many hairstylists complain about not having enough clients, but I notice these same stylists are not doing everything to market themselves. Simply showing up to the salon is not enough. In this three part series of articles, I will share with you some of my most successful marketing strategies.

1. Create a plan and define a target audience. Regardless of where you are in your career, it is vital to create a business plan. There are many resources and templates available for free on the internet to help you with this process.

Your plan should include a calendar for the next year. This calendar should include every major holiday and other important dates for your salon. This calendar should also include your daily, weekly and monthly goals.

The point of your plan is to help you gain a clear picture of what you want to accomplish and how you are going to accomplish it. Also define who your target market is.2. Set you price list. Now that you have a plan written out and a target market chosen, you need to set a corresponding price list. Many salons have websites so it makes it simple to check out your competitions pricing. The goal isn't necessarily to be the cheapest, but to be comparable or offer more value.

3. Social networking. This can be the difference between an okay career and a stellar career. It is more important than ever to use social networking as a marketing strategy for your business. When using social networking, it is important to not sell your services! Create excitement and buzz around special services or events your salon is offering.

Once you start this process you will be ready to take on part two in my series of articles on successful marketing strategies for the hairstylist.