Influencers continue to shape how consumers spend their money, from the products they buy to the places they visit. But could influencer marketing help hair salons attract new clients? We speak to salon owners, industry experts and PR professionals about how hairdressers can work with influencers, from choosing the right person to measuring the return on investment.
How Can Hair Salons Choose the Right Influencers to Work With?
“Hundreds of thousands of followers might seem exciting, but for me, when I’m looking to work with an influencer, it’s quality and relevance over quantity,” explains Tim Scott-Wright, Director of Tim Scott-Wright @ The Hair Surgery and four-time winner of Midlands Hairdresser of the Year at the British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional.
“What I mean by that is, can this influencer help get bums on seats in my salon? There’s no point if the influencer’s following is largely global – Tricia from Texas isn’t going to be coming into the salon anytime soon,” he adds.
“Local influencers work much better for our marketing goals. We want to work with someone who has genuine influence over people in and around our town. We don’t mind being a destination salon, but we still want to reach people who could actually become clients.”
What Should Hair Salons Consider When Partnering with Influencers?
If you’re thinking of inviting influencers into your salon, there are a few things to consider first.
Katie Braden, a PR and brand consultant, explains that setting expectations should be a priority. “Before anything is agreed, be very clear about what service you're offering them – a blow-dry is a very different price point and time commitment to a colour transformation.”
Setting expectations doesn’t just relate to the service the influencer is receiving, but also how they’re being compensated.
Tim expands: “I really think it depends on what you’re asking for. We tend to work with local influencers who are happy to receive complimentary services and post about their salon experience in exchange. If you are asking for a lot of content or time from the influencer, then payment may be more respectful and suitable.”
Katie notes: “Whichever it is, understanding and being clear on that before the appointment keeps everyone safe, happy and comfortable.”
Tim’s checklist for setting expectations with influencers:
- What type of content is being created
- What tags or message should be associated with the post
- When is the content being posted
- What is the compensation – are they being paid or receiving services in exchange for content
“Usage rights are also important,” adds Katie. “Don't assume you can use their content however you like. If you want to put it on your social pages, use it for e-marketing, boost the posts, that all needs to be agreed ahead of time. And if you forget, ask them afterwards – but be prepared to pay them for that extra usage or for them to say no.”
How Can Salons Make Sure an Influencer Collaboration Translates Into Actual Bookings and New Clients, Rather Than Simply Likes and Views?
“This is hard to get right,” admits Tim,” but we have learned that it helps to give people a reason to take action. It could be that the influencer is helping to promote a new service or discount/offer, and they show people where the salon is and how to book.
“Showcasing their experience – or a beautiful colour – is great, but the content should also make it easy for potential clients to actually make an appointment. Links or codes can help with this and also help you to see whether the collaboration is actually bringing people through the door.”
What are the Best Ways for a Salon to Measure the ROI of an Influencer Collaboration?
“Track everything you can,” Tim recommends. “Look at the reach and engagement of the content and how many people clicked through to your booking page if using links, or even just signposting people to your page/website.
“Also, don’t forget you can simply ask new clients how they heard about you! I do think long-term value is a good indication of ROI too. Returning clients are a real sign of success. Some may just come for a one-off offer and never be seen again. That’s how you can assess if working with influencers is really supporting the business.”
How Can a Salon Get Started with Influencer Marketing?
“Start local, start small and keep it relevant. Look for influencers whose audience overlaps with the type of client you want to attract,” shares Tim.
Jamie Broooks, co-owner and managing director of Brooks & Brooks, agrees, explaining: “There’s no point getting an influencer with a big audience who likes vivid colours if you’re a balayage salon.”
“Get your team involved and ask each member to put 1-2 names forward”, suggests Katie.
“Then, start the conversation. Don't think too much into it – send them a nice, clear message on who you are, what you'd like to do, and how you'd like to work with them. From there, it's simply working out the details ahead of giving them a perfect service!”
Jamie also recommends working with your product partner where possible, “as their reach will be bigger than your own, meaning they can bring a broader range of influencers to your salon”.
“Working with a brand means you can concentrate on what you do best – the hair – while they negotiate the logistics.”
Having an open-minded outlook is also important when you start working with influencers, according to Katie.
“Be prepared for some collaborations to convert and some to not. All the lessons you learn along the way are of value and paying attention to what works, and doing more of it, helps you refine your process every time.”
Do Salon Influencer Collaborations Need to be Disclosed?
For salons, the key consideration is whether there is a commercial relationship between the influencer and the business. If an influencer receives payment or another incentive from a brand or salon – whether requested or unsolicited – or has another commercial or personal connection to the business, content featuring or referring to that brand may need to be clearly identifiable as advertising.
This requirement falls under consumer protection law and is enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Trading Standards.
The ASA also stresses that advertising should be immediately recognisable to audiences. Its research has found that consumers can struggle to identify influencer advertising, so where content needs to be labelled, an upfront and prominent ‘Ad’ label is generally the safest approach.
Consumers should be able to recognise that they are viewing advertising without having to click, watch further or rely on specialist knowledge.
Exactly where the label should appear depends on the format and platform, but it should be prominent and placed early enough for the audience to see it before engaging with the content.
