Having trained at Vidal Sasson prior to working for TONI&GUY all he knows there is to know about the difference between good and great hairdressing.
He’s also channelled some of his hairdressing expertise into education, and cultivating new product growth. Lately he spends the majority of his time achieving his number one motivation, which is working as a coach, helping countless salon owners to improve their business acumen and in turn reaching their goals.
Over the years being such a likeable chap Phil has forged true friendships in the industry, but no one quite fits the bill as well as school friend Jonathan Graham who has become his side-kick in the business.
Currently attracting over 13k UK members and over 10k internationally – and growing weekly – together Phil and Jonathan manage to co-ordinate a series of events that help motivate, educate and enthral.
If you would like to be part of this incredible community then head over to Facebook and search under groups for HairUncut, you can then send a request to join.
They have also recently launched HairUncut VIP Collective which is an exclusive membership where you are part of a VIP group where you have exclusive access to a close group of amazing hair professionals. Mingle virtually with show guests and receive the latest education and business advice.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Certainly, in the hairdressing industry since the beginning of the pandemic we have seen several wonderful cases of community building and how it can connect people, but more importantly how you can bring a real sense of community to your salon and indeed your social media channels.
Clients more than ever, want to be part of your community. It not only gives them a sense of belonging,
but equally important is the fact that it allows you to open up the line of communication
to promote your salon, and attracting new clients to your business, whilst addressing the crucial fact that you should be in a position wherein you continuously grow your community organically.
Applying effective social media drives new clients to your salon so it’s important to implement it for your salon if you don’t already. Please however ensure that the posts reflect your message/brand and always keep in mind how much a new client is worth to your business. If your social media isn’t driving you consistent new clients on a regular basis, then your social media isn’t effective – it really is as simple as that.
Remember your community love you and want to be in your world. Learn to think of your community as your tribe. So how does a ‘Chief’ act? You need to be both authentic and engaging every day. Honesty is always the best policy, believe me. Your clients want to relate to you and be in your world. I cannot stress how important it is for you to be building a community in these days of business.
In recent years we have almost become obsessed with ‘followers’, ‘likes’ and ‘engagement’, across our social media channels. It is my belief however that it is time for us to be more targeted, encouraging a far more organic growth in our communities, which in turn will undoubtedly increase the opportunities available to you and your business.
IT’S ALL ACTUALLY QUITE SIMPLE – you want your followers to be your existing clients and potential new clients that are likely to visit your salon and spend money with you. Build your community using your existing followers but ensure you use your ‘community’ and in doing so are also targeting their friends and family.
It’s time to think about your community as the database of your salon. Consider your brand, your tone of voice, how you want to be perceived and of course how you want to be talked about by both your existing and potential new clients. Who is your “Ideal Client”, what are their interests? What social media channels/groups do they follow and why?
Be creative with your marketing – to your clients, also remember that some of your clients may not be on any of your relevant social media channels, so ask yourself ‘how can you connect with them?’ Although you may incur costs, you can think about the good old fashioned post. Clients’ really do appreciate receiving either a letter or a small flyer advertising a new service or just to say you are thinking of them. You could also consider this for non-returning clients to entice them back to the salon.
Never be complacent – remember a fact that not all of your clients will be on social media – so how can you include these clients in your community? Building a community can be a full-time role, so initially ensure that your team members, as an extension of your brand, are part of your community. Ask them to support you both with ideas and content that can be shared with the community. Looking after your regular clients is crucial, we are all aware of this. But think about how you can drive new clients to your salon, what works, what doesn’t work. As with any business, it is essential that you ask your new clients how they heard about you.
Start by introducing the words ‘community’ into your salon literature and also other marketing material. Remember community spirit. Communities need to be fun – so you need to enjoy building and engaging with your tribe as you watch them grow.
