It can be frustrating to see other salons featured in the glossy pages of magazines and on beauty websites, while yours goes unnoticed by the media. There’s always the option to pay a public relations firm to get your business front and centre, but not every salon owner has that sort of budget to spend.
As a business owner, you’re likely flat-out keeping the cogs turning, but if you can add some marketing efforts to your to-do list, there’s a good chance you could see your name on those glossy pages in future.
Invite the press
According to Forbes, “media coverage is about samples”. That extends to sampling your services, so pop a voucher or invitation for a specific new treatment into the inbox’s of the beauty editors of your favourite magazines or sites. Bear in mind that journalists get truckloads of these invitations on a weekly basis, so as follow-up is recommended if you don’t get a response. Once they’re in your door, chat to them about the best way to get information to them, offer your services as an expert in the beauty field for any upcoming features, and be bold enough to pitch some feature ideas to them.
Talk about…you
We know, we know, your business is about the service, not about you. But today’s consumers want to feel an affinity with the people they spend their money with and if your story is a good one, you open yourself up to a wider variety of coverage, such as a ‘women in business’ feature, for example. “Find the thing that takes you distinct, and hone it into a story,” says marketeer Kimberly de Souza. “If you have the story ready to go, journalists will be more likely to relay that to their readers.”
Watch the news
If a celebrity credits their complexion to a specific treatment and you happen to offer the same treatment, shout about it! Magazines and websites love a celebrity beauty hack, and having that A-list backing is a quick way of getting onto the beauty team’s radar.
Have photos ready
Put your mobile phone down. We’re talking beautifully lit, professionally taken photos. No, they’re not cheap, but having them on-hand significantly increases your chances of press coverage. The first question any journalist will ask is, “Do you have images?” And if your answer is yes, you can be pretty sure you’ll have shot to the top of their favourites list.
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