Marketing for hair salons is a very specific art, but it also leaves room for creativity and customization. Through tools like advertising, customer loyalty programs, websites, and online booking, you can keep your current clients engaged while also attracting new clients.

If you’re a hairdresser or a makeup artist, wondering how to grow your beauty salon or your local business, you’ve come to the right spot. With these successful hairstylist marketing ideas, you can build your brand, earn more money, and of course—keep doing what you love to do. 

1. Geo-Targeted Advertising

Geo-targeted advertising is one of the most effective hairstylist marketing strategies. If you aren’t all that familiar with it, essentially, geo-targeting uses your location data to reach your potential customers. Geo-targeting works because it shows consumers relevant information. 

If you’re running an email marketing campaign, it might not be too helpful for someone who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, to be shown deals for a hairstylist in Los Angeles, California. So, targeting the areas your business serves and showcasing your ads to people who live in these specific places can help to turn clicks into clients. 

You can also incorporate a more intense form of geo-targeting called radius-targeting. With radius-targeting, you can target customers in a super-specific area (like say, within a mile of your beauty salon). 

We break things down on how geo-targeted Facebook ads work and how you can use them for your salon business on our blog. The great thing about using Facebook ads for hairstylist marketing is that they can be broken down into four categories: 

1. Everyone in a location
2. People who live in a location
3. Recently in location
4. People traveling in a location

If you’re planning your geo-tagging ad strategy, remember the following tips:

• Understand your brand
• Choose a goal
• Discover your special customer
• Think of location and income
• And don’t break the bank

2. Loyalty Programs

Ever returned to a coffee shop to get one more punch in your card or booked a hotel because you couldn’t resist inching closer to your next card reward? 

Customer loyalty programs are one of the most genius hair salon marketing ideas because they truly work. Choosing the right program depends on you and your brand, but here are some of the popular types to consider. 

• Punch Cards: Your client gets 9 haircuts and they get the 10th for free!
• Discount Cards: Every time your client visits, they are gifted a handy card with a certain amount off their next service. 
• Points Programs: Spend upfront on a certain amount of services and reap the customer loyalty rewards later on. The more customers spend, the more points they gather.
• Referral Promotions: If you’re wondering how to get new customers as a hairstylist or a makeup artist, referral promotions are one of the best ways. Not only do they boost your personal brand and increase customer loyalty, but they help with word of mouth advertising. Have existing clients who may be interested in spreading the word to his/her family or friends? Offer a referral reward if that family member or friend books with you (like a certain percentage off their next cut or a free shampoo). 

3. Promote Online Booking

Have you been wondering how to promote yourself as a hairstylist?Have you been wondering how to promote yourself as a hairstylist? Online booking is one of the most popular hairstylist marketing strategies. It’s a modern approach to booking that makes things easy for potential clients. It’s also what we focus on at StyleSeat, so we’ve seen firsthand just how much impactful growth can happen with some simple online booking tools.

Here are some benefits of online booking to consider as you conceptualize your digital marketing plan.

You’re Always Available

You may be away from the office and not able to answer your phone. Your online booking platform, on the other hand, makes it easy for potential clients to reserve an appointment early in the morning, late at night, or on days when your salon is closed. It’s a win-win for hairstylist marketing.

Faster Payments

Online booking makes payments faster and easier. Typically, platforms will ask prospective clients to input their card information or to prepay for services. No more fumbling with cards when appointment time rolls around.

More Customers

When the booking is easy and quick, you’ll find yourself landing some new customers. If you’re a solo business salon owner, keep in mind, though this hairstylist marketing technique works well, you want to avoid double booking or scheduling yourself so often that you burn out.

4. Consistent Branding

Good branding can be beneficial in so many ways. It can elevate your brand, build your voice, and also increase customer loyalty. 

Before you dive into crafting your ultimate hairdresser marketing plan, think of your target audience. You may be a stylist trying to appeal to customers looking for braids or a barber who specializes in shaves. Knowing what you do will help draw your customers in.

As you craft your personal brand message, try to incorporate it into the following outlets:

• Business cards
• Website or portfolio 
• Social media platform
• Logo
• Blogs
• Print collateral (like banners, flyers, and loyalty cards)

5. Creating a Business Profile/Website

Similar to a photographer with an online gallery or graphic designer with sample projects, a hair salon business is your art. Creating a profile/website is part of our plan for necessary hairstylist marketing strategies. 

If you’re new to the idea of a digital business profile or website, no need to worry! For those who don’t want to build your website from the ground up, you can also use StyleSeat to showcase your work and act as your website.

Similar to your own website, with us, you can list your services, have an “about me” section, and encourage clients to leave reviews. You can also post photos of your work, so it acts as a hybrid website/visual portfolio and is an effective strategy for hair stylist marketing.

6. Building your Social Presence

Building your social presence is one of the most popular hair salon marketing ideas. If your head’s spinning with too many options, choose one social media platform you’re passionate about. Hairstylists who enjoy writing short, snappy content sometimes turn to Twitter, while those who are more enthusiastic about photographs and videos may use Instagram.

A social media Facebook page is a great way to spread the word and make yourself easily accessible to potential clients. You can also note your area of expertise in your hair stylist Instagram bio, Twitter or on your Facebook page to make it easy for potential customers to know exactly what you offer. 

Your social media accounts are also a wonderful place to share promotions or exciting news. They’ll keep you engaged with your customers, which is one of the main components of a hairstylist marketing strategy.

One thing we love about social media and hairstylist marketing is that it allows our hairstylists to share their booking link and their profile. What better way to grow your client list than through your family and friends? With a quick share to social media, your friends—and friends of friends—can book your services and show their support.

7. Working with StyleSeat

When you work with StyleSeat, we build your salon business and your client list. We connect you with clients who are a fit for your business and you’ll only pay when you get booked.

If you’re looking for hair salon marketing ideas that are both reliable and long-lasting, we’re here to help. We know finding and keeping new clients can be a full-time gig. We focus on matching you with high-quality customers so you can build lasting relationships and grow a loyal clientele base.

Here’s How Our Marketing Plan Works

1. You can run advertisements and promote your Styleseat profile across search engines, social media, and email campaigns to get you visibility.
2. We take a percentage of what you make in your first appointment and invest it right back into hairstylist marketing techniques to get you more business.
3. You can give private ratings to clients you’re connected with so we can find more clients that are best fit for your local business.
4. All of your appointments will be charged automatically through StyleSeat — that means no wallet needed for your salon client and no awkward payment situations.

If all this sounds like the right next step toward your beauty bonds—and your financial freedom—get started today. Working with StyleSeat is easy and empowering.

Grow Your Business With StyleSeat Today

Whether you’re jumping into building your business with us or just learning how to promote yourself as a hairstylist and implement your hairstylist marketing strategy, we hope this article helps you get to the next step.

At StyleSeat, we understand and appreciate the hard work you do for your clients. Marketing for hair salons can be tough work if you’re doing it on your own—so it’s important to remember, a little bit is better than nothing. 

Establishing your brand voice, getting those social accounts up and running, and looking toward the future are all steps in the right direction. Hairdresser marketing that works well for some beauty salon owners, may not be the best fit for others.

But, as you move through the motions, you just may find a new hobby (like sharing your work on social or sending out holiday-themed email campaigns).

Ready to grow your business and become a successful hairstylist? Join StyleSeat today!