3 quick tips to turn your social media followers into bookings
Triple digit likes on your client photos, 15 plus comments celebrating your artistic genius and how your new ring light is making your photos pop - but no new bookings. But Beu said ”focus on engagement” we hear you cry. Yes, we did. But what good is engagement if you aren’t making money? As Tony Montana said “First you get engagement, then you get the bookings, then you get the money.”*
*Tony Montana my barber, not the fictional character of questionable morals with whom he shares a name.
1.) Take bookings from every channel
First one is a biggy but it is something we see a lot. Amazing social accounts with no way to make a booking. So frustrating! You see the cut that will change your life, you're screaming take my money and there is no way to get from the social page to a booking confirmation. Painful. Social media needs to be thought of as the salons primary marketing channel, with emphasis on converting every interested party. Reducing friction to your booking channel is the best way to get new clients through your door, for very little investment. If you are uploading a photo put “click link in bio to make a booking”, and make sure that link is indeed in your bio.
2.) The bio to end all bios
Whatever the platform, bios are important. Especially on platforms as visual as Instagram where you only have a few words to play with. When writing you bio there are a couple of things you need to pay attention to.
What’s your flavour? - be unique and be yourself
Call to Action - get your visitors from browsing to booking
Consider your bio as your super concise sales pitch. A bio stating “I am a 28 year old hairdresser in London” doesn’t add any value to a prospective client who has just landed on your Instagram/ Facebook. Instead give them a flavour of your areas of expertise, talk about what your new favourite hair and beauty trends are, or whether you’re using vegan friendly products. Even if have a salon dog, put it there. Life is too boring to try and blend in, and people will pay for an experience that stands out.
A little bit of background on who you are can go a long way in captivating and converting a potential lead into a booking, well worth the effort in our opinion!
3. Get reviews about you and your business
Before we get down to the nitty-gritty, let's go in with some facts.
Nearly 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase (Spiegel Research Center, 2017)
72% of customers don't take action until they have read reviews (Testimonial Engine, 2019)
Having five reviews results in purchase likelihood increasing by a factor of almost four times (Spiegel Research Center, 2017)
Wow. So reviews are important, but where to start if you want maximum visibility? Google and Facebook should be a priority due to their prominence in the clients discovery process, and Beu, if you are using our booking process (shameless plug). But seriously, wherever you think you may be getting discovered or booked by clients, you should ensure that you have reviews. Over 80% of people are said to trust online reviews just as much as word of mouth recommendations meaning it is pivotal to get your clients to write positive feedback online.
In addition to building trust, online reviews also help towards building your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) ranking on both google and other online mediums. The more positive feedback you have, the higher your ranking is likely to be on google.
Whilst it can often feel awkward or embarrassing to ask a client to write at the end of their appointment, it is critical to your online success. Try and make the process as easy as possible for your client. Be ready to send a link to them, or have it handy on a business card. An bribe incentive wouldn't hurt either.
At Beu, we believe having a unique personalised profile is key to standing out online. Beu is the only booking platform that gives every stylist their own profile, allowing them to add a bio, upload their portfolio and receive personal reviews. Find out how Beu can help you get your identity back today by downloading our app now.