Aug 23, 20234 min read

WTF is a Marketing Strategy?

In this post, I'm breaking down what a marketing strategy is, and what kind of marketing strategy I typically recommend to stylists working behind the chair.

Marketing Strategy Defined:

A marketing strategy is a high-level game plan for reaching prospective consumers and turning them into customers of your products or services. Or more simply, your marketing strategy is the overarching approach you'll use to achieve your goals - which for stylists, is getting more butts in your chair.

🧠 It involves making decisions about your target audience, value proposition, positioning, and the general methods you'll use to reach your audience. Your marketing strategy essentially outlines the "what" and the "why" of your efforts, and your marketing plan is the roadmap to help you reach your goals.

A Generalized Marketing Strategy For Beauty Pros:

The Foundation - Understanding Your Ideal Client:

Identifying your ideal client is the most crucial part of your marketing strategy, because it sets the tone for literally everything. Every single piece of content you post should be created with your ideal client in mind - otherwise you run the risk of your post getting lost in translation and overall not helping you reach your goals.

Take a moment to picture your ideal client.

What are their main struggles or pain points with their hair?
What do they value and look for in a salon experience?

➡️ By understanding their specific needs, you can tailor your marketing efforts to speak directly to them, solve their problems, and create an instant connection.

Content Categories - Diversify Your Approach:

Just like offering a variety of hair services, your content should be a little mix of everything.

Now that you've identified who your ideal client is and what they are looking for in a stylist/salon, break down your content into categories that will resonate with them.

Think educational tutorials or product knowledge, style inspiration for events or different seasons, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your day behind the chair, and personal stories about you that build a stronger connection with your ideal client.

➡️ Having an eclectic mix of content keeps your feed engaging, showcasing not just your skills but your personality too!

Content Planning - The Power of Preparedness:

It's funny. This is probably one of the easiest parts of the strategy, and yet so many people overlook it or are overwhelmed by the idea of it...

Planning your content in advance is the number one way to create consistency with how you show up in your marketing.

➡️ On average, I can plan an entire month of content in under 20 minutes.

Determine how many times you want to post per week (let's say your goal is 3x per week, for example)
With your content categories in mind, plot out each week in whatever order you see fit. You can tell a story/create a series with multiple posts, or just post from each of your content categories at random.

Before you know it, you'll have your entire month filled in!

Actually creating the content can come at a later date, but at least you have a general plan of what you want to talk about each week to relieve some of that pressure!

Engage With Your Audience - Active Marketing:

If you're guilty of 'posting and ghosting,' 👻 then you have no room to be upset if you're not getting the engagement you want!

➡️ If you want your audience to engage with you, you have to engage with them!

Just like an elevated hair consultation, engagement builds connections. Respond to comments, DMs, and actually engage with your followers if they show you some love.

And I'm begging you, please don't respond with just a heart or fire emoji... 🔥😍

Put in a little extra work to ask questions, share stories, and be genuine with your responses!

Analyze Insights - Tracking Your Triumphs:

Monitor your social media insights each week to see what's working and what isn't. You can track up to 90 days on the Instagram app, or you can use off-platform trackers like my Instagram Analytics Tracker.

Are your "hair transformation" posts generating buzz?
Are your "styling tips" resonating with your ideal client?
Are your back of the head photos with a super clever caption like "hazelnut mocha 🌰" not landing? 👀

If needed, adjust your strategy based on your insights and continue evolving your content.

And if something does really well, recycle that sh*t! You can recreate it or just repost it - yes, you're allowed to do that! ♻️

➡️ Notice how I didn't mention anything about how many followers you have or how many views you're getting on your reels? That's because those numbers do not matter!

Final Thoughts: Your Unique Approach

Just as you create personalized looks for each of your clients, your marketing strategy should reflect your unique brand and personality. Be genuine, authentic, and let your personality shine through in every post.

Remember, it's not just about selling the services you offer; it's also about selling you as your ideal client's new stylist.

Have you ever heard that old phrase that goes something like: "chaos attracts chaos"

☝️ This same concept rings true for how you show up in your marketing. Being authentic and letting your personality shine through will attract the right people to you and weed out the ones that don't pass the vibe check.