Promoting your salon with a story: expert advice

If you want coverage you have to create a story, says PR expert Louise Wood. As PR experts, we are often asked how to build a profile in the local press and local radio, as well as on Facebook and with bloggers. Almost without fail, the answer is held in the hands of the salon with an internal or perhaps external event that they can link to and support. Everyone loves a story and that's what PR is all about. The great news is that you and your team hold the key - let me explain: Our client Barrie Stephen recently discovered that the musical Hairspray is coming to his local theatre in Leicester, so we started brainstorming with the team about how this could become their story. These are some of the ideas that we have taken to the Curve Theatre to work in unison with their event - and how Barrie and his team are owning the story.

• Barrie to be taught a routine and song from the show to air on the BBC Radio Leicester Challenge show;
• The cast of Hairspray to come into the salon for a BIG hair makeover and photo call with the local paper and TV channel;
• A team of Barrie’s stylists working in the foyer on the opening night with hairdryers and hair spray at the ready for audiences to have a makeover selfie taken to post on Facebook or Twitter.

This is just one example of how you can join forces with a local business and create opportunities for your team, visuals for your social media channels and the papers as well as content for radio and stories to sell in the salon. The same concept can apply to being a mentor for an organisation like The Prince’s Trust, linking up with a local hospital, homeless centre or a safe place for women, providing a makeover for local carers or supporting a local theatre group. Don’t forget to link in with national initiatives and events.  I know it might sound old hat, but Valentines, Mother’s Day and the like are featured across all media every time they come around; the trick is to think of a new way to create a story around such an established event.  It doesn’t have to be huge - love hearts for clients on Valentine’s day or a Facebook competition on why your mum is the best. Wherever there is hair there is a PR story.  So if you get your team involved in some creative thinking about the opportunities in your town I am sure your content for PR, internal magazine, Facebook, Twitter and just conversations in the salon will be full of your exciting associations. Louise Wood is founder of Louise Wood PR which represents major professional brands and salons, including Schwarzkopf Professional.