The site is a perfect example of a salon chain that uses social media to its fullest potential in a well-structured way. To create sort of check- list to validate their use of social media I researched articles that summed-up the basics when it came to effectively using social media and came across Aliza Sherman’s post 10 Golden Rules of Social Media. She discusses many of the things already mentioned in previous posts, such as connecting with your audience, listening to what they have to say, adding value, responding etc., and Hair Cuttery’s site seemed to be sticking to the rule book when it comes to using social media. They have mastered the ability to deliver the same message using different social networking forums, while giving their followers versatility along with helpful visual aids.

So if your looking for an example on how to effectively implement social media in your salon I suggest paying a visit to the Hair Cuttery web site, because judging by their success, they must be doing something right!

This video is from the Hair Cuttery’s Style Blog, and is an effective use of using video blogs when it comes to social media.

In the article “5 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs Social Media” the first reason the author lists is for Exposure/Branding. Social media is becoming more and more essential when it comes to creating a brand. It allows you to build your brand through the various networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, it also allows you to see what your competitors are doing as far as using these networking tools.

In another post titled “Five Benefits of Social Media Marketing” the author gives an example of a way to “brand yourself” before opening your doors. He suggests that after you have started with the social networking sites and have established some sort of a community, that a month before opening you could have a “Worst Hair Cut Contest”. When I read this I had to share the idea because I found it to be very unique and a great way to make a lasting impression for your brand. All he suggested for the contest was to have people upload photos of the worst haircut they have ever gotten, and the winner receives free haircuts for life. Even though this is a simple idea, it will help generate awareness for your brand and give people a reason to talk about your salon.

So remember when opening a new salon to think of a reason to get your community talking about your business before opening your doors. Branding yourself can be as simple as creating a distinct yet fun idea like the one I referenced to, so take the time and use the tools at your disposal, because if you don’t someone else will.

When searching on Mashable I came across a blog written by Lauren Fisher (co-founder of Simply Zesty) titled “5 SMall Businesses Successfully Using Social Media” , the blog mentions how each of these businesses have successfully implemented social media in a way that coincides with their constituents.

One of the main ideas that was stressed throughout the post was the same one I have stressed throughout mine, which is the importance of knowing your audience and finding a way to connect yourself to them.

Another important theme I noticed in each of the businesses was consistency. Although your business is probably using more than one social media tool, you want to make sure that your goal or mission stays the same throughout. That doesn’t mean you should blatantly make all your social networking sites the same but the underlying goal you are trying to achieve should always stay consistent within your different delivery channels.

Staying on the topic of “messages” I also found a blog post titled “5 Advanced Social Media Marketing Strategies for Small Companies” written by Samir Balwani (an emerging technology strategist at Morpheus Media) and although the title states “advanced” and the strategies are meant more for businesses who have already created an online presence, I still found “Strategy 3: Message Adaptation” to be an important tip point out. It discusses the need for you to understand the social media sites you are using so you can tailor your message to stylistically fit each site. If you are giving your followers more than one platform to stay connected then you don’t want to deter them from your site by posting the same thing on each one, and have them receive the same update 3 times. You also don’t want to post something that doesn’t match the writing style and tone of that site. Such as using twitter lingo on your Salon’s professional web site.

Even though you may feel discouraged, as a small business, to implement social media with the fear that no one will follow, you have to remember that size doesn’t matter, but STRATEGY does. Make sure you do your research before jumping into social media, the more you know about your audience, the better.

Video advertising is a trend that most companies and even individuals are taking advantage of. According to Pew Internet “57% of the online public has used the internet to watch or download videos and three in four young adult internet users watch or download video online.” With video sites like Youtube it has become easy and cheap for companies to take advantage of this marketing tool.

However, before just making a video and posting it you have to be sure just like you would do for any other type of social networking that you have “action- inducing content.” You don’t want a post a video of your salon, just to post it. Make sure that you make a video that’s going to get the viewer to respond, whether it’s by making an appointment or simply commenting on your video. In an article titled “1 Simple Step to Make People Take Action with Video Marketing” written by Terry Dorland, he stresses the importance of having good content in your video along with the concept of action-inducing content.

I have provided you with a video that a salon posted on Youtube, it may seem simple, because it is! People aren’t looking for special effects and actors they are looking to see your salon the way they are going to see it when they walk through the doors. Be transparent! Show your clients what you have to offer!

One of the suggestions in an article from the Atlanta Journal- Constitution titled Salons Trim Client Losses , was that salons use social networking sites to provide their fellow followers with promotional deals. Which in return not only helps widen the salons social networking presence but gives clients and potential clients an incentive to check their salons networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The article discussed how some salons have started to post open appointment times for the day that can be had at a cheaper price.

This not only helps promote your business but also allows your clients to see that you are considering them in your marketing strategy as far as how the economy is affecting their wallets, as well as yours.

In another article titled Using Twitter For Your Salon Marketing or Day Spa Promotion strategies they suggest other promotional ideas for salons with a Twitter or Facebook page, which consisted of posting contests your clients could participate in or even giveaways. This again, gives your clients a reason to check your site and stay connected with your business.

If your chair is empty isn’t it better to have someone in it for a discounted price opposed to no one at all?

Having a Fan Page allows you to utilize all the features of Facebook for your business, so in return … UTILIZE THEM! They are there for a reason. Callan Green in her blog titled, “Killer Facebook Fan Pages: 5 Inspiring Case Studies” , provides readers with 5 case studies of companies that are successfully using their fan pages to promote their businesses. This is a good reference to turn to before setting up a fan page of your own, because in her studies she explains why and how these companies are generating so many followers. She also provides links to the companies pages that she mentions so you can see for yourself why these pages are so successful.

Again, these social media tools are only as good as you make them. It is important to remember that the whole idea of new social media is the benefit of creating that “direct communication” between you and your clients. So, if you are not going to have an active Fan Page where you participate by updating your statuses and responding to your fans then there is really no point in making one, because no one enjoys having a conversation with themselves.

It is important to show your customers that not only is your salon “keeping up with the times” as far as technology but also as stylists. The Hoover web site, which allows companies to search their industry in order to find information such as trends and finances, has a section titled “Favorable Demographics” . This allows members in the industry to see what type of audience they should gear their advertising toward, along with what age group of hair trends to lean toward.

The Emerson Salon’s site is a perfect example of a salon that is actively using social media by not just having the owner or the salon as the main focus, but also the stylists themselves. It is important to remember that your employees are the ones doing the cutting not the salon itself. So by encouraging your stylists to also communicate with the clients using social media you are in turn creating even more transparency for your business. The Emerson site not only has all the stylists on the homepage, it also gives you the option to follow them on twitter. The site even has a section where the stylists can blog about different trends and styles. This allows clients or potential clients to see how knowledgeable the stylists are on the topic, what they are doing to stay “current” in their field and it provides a form of direct communication between the stylist and the client which is ideal because in the end- they are the ones with the scissors.

So when you are trying to come up with ways to adopt new social media don’t forget about your stylists! You don’t even have to go as far as having a blog, maybe just an “ask the stylists” section on your site. Any way you can make your salon more transparent and client friendly will better your chance of survival as a competitive business.

SpaBoom, for example is a site designed to assist a business that is just starting to move their practice online. It explains the importance of not only having  a web site for your company but a functional web site that you can easily update and promote on. They give the option of  allowing your customers to book an appointment online or even buy gift certificates. This is an important feature because accessibility is crucial to most people, especially in our fast pace society. This site also caught my attention because it has an Online Spa Marketing Guide, providing information that is helpful in not only explaining the different ways SpaBoom differs from many other networking sites, but why it is important to have these features on your site. They also give prospective buyers the option to maneuver around their demo site in order to get a feel for how their own site would look and function. I would suggest SpaBoom for a salon that is just starting to venture into the world of social media, the site not only covers the basics for owners but also gives them examples and explanations of how having these online tools will help their business.

While searching online to find a good example of a Salon site that would help someone who needs ideas on how to implement social media I came across GS Hair. This site was a good example as far as implementing social media because the homepage allows you to link to them on Twitter, Facebook or My Space, just by the click of a button. Another feature on their site I noticed that most clients would appreciate is that if you click their menu button, it allows you to download their brochure as a PDF, that way you can print it and have a list of all their services for future references.

Social media can be intimidating, especially for someone who is new to the world of online marketing. Something to remember is that you are not alone; there are plenty of sites and blogs that offer help when it comes to making the initial step into the social networking world.

Brandon Prebynski in his blog post titled “Goals Determine Use of Social Media” stresses the importance of establishing a goal for your audience before just jumping into a program like Facebook and expecting it to magically generate more clients. This blog is a good source of information on what to do before adopting a new social media tool. You need to first determine what you want from your audience, for example more clients at your salon. This post also contains an interview between Prebynski and Charlene Li, the author of the book” Groundswell,” where she continues to stress the importance of targeting your audience and your goals before implementing a specific social media program.

Even though, when used correctly, these media tools can generate more clients and increase the success of your company. If you don’t cover every angle before implementing these tools you will end up wasting time and money. Which, as business owners, especially in this economy, are two things you cant afford to waste.