When Mitzi Bishop, owner of Bishop’s Salon and Day Spa in Nashville, Tennessee, discovered a salon webcam was a window into her world, she tapped into a whole new level of marketing and client education. “I initially got the webcam so I could send clients home with their own personal blow dry video. I show them what products I’m using, how I’m using them and walk them through each step of the finishing process, then I sign the DVD like a record and off they go,” says Bishop.

           

Bishop started doing short client instructional videos on Mondays at 6 p.m., which she shoots with her iPhone. Earlier in the week she’ll post a notification on Facebook and tell clients what she’ll be teaching with a list of supplies they need to gather for the class. Clients have the option of purchasing a $10 ticket for the in-salon class or catch the finished instructional video for free on Facebook.

“For example, I’ve taught classes on how to apply false eyelashes, how to spray-tan your own face and different methods of make-up application,” says Bishop.

Bishop also webcams some of the instruction she gives her stylists during Monday night in-salon educational classes and allows outsiders to watch via the webcam portal on her website. “You’d be amazed at how much the general public is interested in cutting and coloring education,” she says. “We knew how popular it had gotten when the webcam went down for a few months. I got e-mails from all over the country, and as far away as Switzerland and England.”

The salon also encourages clients to get a little webcam footage of their new salon styles and post them to their own Facebook accounts, which in turn exposes the salon to a whole new network of “friends.”

“The camera makes a tiny little beep when it is turned on and off, and on Saturdays it’s constantly pinging,” laughs Bishop.

“We’re using technology to create a better experience for our customer and to stay ahead of the game,” says Bishop. “We’re still doing the same great hair cuts we’ve always done. Clients don’t necessarily need all those extra things, but they love that you’re investing in them.”

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