If you said "job" then this blog is seriously not for you. For you to continue reading this would be a complete waste of time, and in the nicest, most sincere way I encourage you to move on to something else. This just isn't for you.
Now, if you answered "career" then this blog is for you! You need to read careful & pay close attention because what you're about to learn will certainly help you grow your business & advance your career.
Now, on with the topic of our article!
Most people put very little thought into their social network activities. But that's most people.
But you're not most people. You are somebody. You are someone who has a career. You have goals. You have ambition. You are driven to succeed.
But is that honestly how your friends on Facebook see you? Do they see you being an industry professional? Or do they see you as being like that 20 year old girl who just came out of the academy working at Great Clips?
What separates true professionals from "academy trained" professionals is that true professionals are not just individuals with goals, ambition, & a drive to succeed. Their greatest characteristic is that they are men & women of purpose. Everything that they do or say gets them closer to their goals. To say it simply these people don't do anything in life casually. Everything that they do has a purpose.
I know it's clichè: Actions speak louder than words. However, on Facebook your actions are your words. Everything that you do or say on Facebook becomes a reflection of you. If you want people to see you as a true professional who's passionate about their career, then you need to post with purpose as a professional.
Whenever you post your drama on Facebook or something controversial you run the risk of losing a client. They see how you conduct yourself outside the salon & it begins to ruin your credibility with them as a professional.
Post with purpose! Be mindful that not only are your current clients watching you, but also potential new clients, as well!
2.) They Don't Let People Know What They Have to Offer
Your career should be exciting, but not just for you. It needs to be exciting for your clients. They are the reason why you have a career to begin with. After all without them you would be nothing.
The best way to have an exciting career is to have clients who are excited about your career. The only way that you're going to make your career exciting for them is if you give them something to be excited about!
What services do you have to offer them? What kind of value can your bring to their lives? How can you save them time or money? - These kinds of things excite your clients!
Your career is not built on your talent, alone. It's built upon your customer service. It's the customer service side that excites your clientele. If you can excite your clientele they will tell others about your talent & your customer service.
Social networks like Facebook & Twitter need to become tools in which you use to get your clientele excited! But you have to use them & use them properly for them to work.
If this is new to you, please, don't be afraid. Experiment with social media marketing. Find out that it does indeed work!
While it is important that you let people know how you can save them time & money, it is important to note that you can go extremely overboard in the advertising department.
Think about all the businesses & non-profits that you follow. How many of them do you actually pay attention to? Probably not too many. Why? Because they're not doing anything to catch your eye. All they are doing is advertising.
Social networks are supposed to be just that - social. We log in to our social networks to have interactions with people, not to be spammed.
Use your social network to reach out to your clients. Have a conversation with them. Go deeper & learn what you clients want. Learn what you clients love about you. Learn what your clients don't like about you. Build that connection with them. That's what great customer service is all about!
4.) They don't showcase their work.
There's so many talented stylist on the internet. The problem is nobody knows how talented they are. Why? Because they do not showcase their work.
As much as it is a career, cosmetology is also an art form. You are an artist. Your clients head is your canvas. It's the clay in which you sculpt. You take raw materials & you makes something beautiful & exciting out of it. You need to be sharing that with the world! Seeing these works of art excites your clientele, as well as show potential clientele what you are capable of doing.
There are so many wonder platforms that allow you to share photos. You have Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram - most of which you can use right from your cell phone, which more than likely has a built in camera.
Professionals take advantage of the tools that they have around them. They use those tools to build their career. These tools get the clientele excited, who tell potential clientele about you.
The great thing about social network websites is that they offer all kinds of tools for you to create word of mouth advertising about you!
Sure, you may have some of your coworkers & former coworkers on your friends list on Facebook.Outside of that how many industry professionals are you networking with?
Seek out other stylist. If you're worried about competition then seek out other stylist in other markets. Get the know them. Learn from them. Let them learn from you! Besides, you never know what kind of opportunities can come out of it!
Seek out celebrity stylist. Many of them are pretty good about putting resources out there that you can use to educate yourself & further your career.
But don't just network with people within the hair industry. Find professionals from other industries that can help your career grow.
For instance: fashion designers, models, photographers, magazine publishers, online publishers, local media outlets, social marketing experts, local business (such as restaurants, hotels, specialty shops.), etc. You never know what kind of business or educational opportunity may arise!
Find these people online. Connect with them. Watch your business & career grow!