The Constant
Starting at Impressions front desk in 2006 when he was 19 years old, General Manager Paul Petrowsky is a seasoned professional who owner Sarah Taylor says is responsible for much of her own success.
by Stacey Soble
The Digital Frontier: Exploring Social Media Opportunities
UNFORTUNATELY MANY SALON OWNERS view social media as just another chore, instead of a fabulous opportunity to engage with clients and prospect for new ones.
April 6, 2012
3 min to read
UNFORTUNATELY MANY SALON OWNERS view social media as just another chore, instead of a fabulous opportunity to engage with clients and prospect for new ones. Kelly Ehlers, president of Evoke Brand Strategies, opens the door to the money-making possibilities.
ST: How can social media enhance the traditional marketing budget?
Ehlers: “Unfortunately some salons are still treating social media like just another marketing channel, when in reality, it’s so much more! Investing in social media can actually save you money. Think of it this way, social media spans all facets of your salon—from customer service to client retention and referrals, advertising, PR, events and most importantly service and product promotions. It’s the perfect cost-effective medium to connect with your clients on a personal level, expand awareness and drive bottom-line results.
“The word ‘social media’ doesn’t really explain the power of the medium and what you can do with it. Social media is not really media – I think of it as a channel, more like a telephone than a TV commercial. With social media, you have a direct line to your customers to ask for feedback, share trends and tips and promote exclusive deals they can only get access to on your social platforms.
“Social media shouldn’t replace your traditional marketing outreach, rather enhance it, using all of the great (free!) platforms to communicate and build your salon brand. Here are a few examples:
• Facebook: Capture your clients while they are in the chair by asking them to ‘like’ your page. (Chances are, they are already surfing the web on their smartphones.) Make it part of the conversation by talking about the exclusive discounts, promotions and how-tos your salon is posting.
• Twitter: Engage your followers! The Mark Garrison Salon in New York holds a monthly ‘Tweet Your Tresses’ contest for followers to tweet their hair dilemmas for a chance to win a free cut and color.
• Pinterest: Check out the Honeycomb Salon in Minnesota, they use Pinterest as a virtual ‘look book’ showcasing styles and trends for inspiration. Encourage your clients to pin their new hairdo to begin creating an online portfolio for your salon.
• Foursquare: Are you incentivizing your clients to ‘check in’and share it with their social networks? Claim your location, then set up specials for those who write reviews or tips about the salon.”
ST: With all of the social media platforms out there, how do you recommend our readers stay on top of it all?
Ehlers: “There are really two options. The first is to hire a consultant or an outside agency, like Evoke Brand Strategies, to handle your social outreach. The second option is to handle social media internally. If you have a particular stylist that is entrenched in social media, perhaps they could spearhead the initiative. Make sure to make it a “team sport” by including everyone. For example, integrate social media into your weekly staff meetings, asking each stylist to contribute one post per week. The biggest rule of thumb is to make sure you are consistent and active—stay connected with your clients once you’ve captured their attention.”
For more about Evoke Brand Strategies, go to: evokebrands. com. For more social media tips and tricks, check out their education blog, StyleSync at: stylesync.me.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Salon Management
The Most Wonderful Time in Salons and Spas
Planning is in full swing for the most anticipated events and promotions for the 2026 holidays. As owners share their favorite ways to celebrate, they prove that a carefully planned event can also build culture, increase client loyalty, boost sales, and set a business up for a successful 2027.
by Stacey Soble
Leading with Empathy, Humility and a Mastery of Systems
When things run amok at Mane Attraction Salon, Owners Chris and Jenny Knudsen say General Manager Sami Hernandez is their go-to resource and ultimate sounding board. Meet Sami in this installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
Pagoda Brings AI-Powered Operations to Skinovatio Medical Spa Locations
Pagoda, a new AI-native operating system for scheduling, payments, patient records, marketing, and client communications, launches at Skinovatio Medical Spa in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
by Staff
How Women are Rewriting the Rules of Grey Hair
At a panel discussion hosted by L’Oréal Professionnel in Paris in early July, French Philosopher Sophie Galabru explored the cultural shift where women are increasingly choosing natural, personalized color results over traditional grey coverage. In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Galabru and L’Oréal Professionnel Colorist Pierrick Beringer discuss this shift and how salons and colorists respond.
by Stacey Soble
Warm Leadership and Analytical Precision
At Salon Blonde, Director of Operations treats the staff as the salon's most important guests, while her wonderful 'nerdy' side, loves data, systems, and numbers. Find out how she makes Salon Blonde tick.
by Stacey Soble
Trotting the Globe, Forging Connections, Fostering Artistic Creativity
In an exclusive interview with SALON TODAY, Salon Owner Salvatore Minardi reflects on his past 18 months as Intercoiffure America Canada's World Talent Exchange Ambassador and how his experiences will help encourage cultural and artistic exchange and support greater engagement between ICA and the global organization Intercoiffure Mondial.
by Stacey Soble
Client Retention Guidebook
Everything you need to know about client retention as a salon owner.
Success Grown from Within
Owner Shelby Bills says her general manager, Sydney Osborne, reminds her of the power of leading with heart. Find out how Osborne became a great leader in our lastest installment of Meet the Manager.
by Stacey Soble
How Salon Leaders Can Process the Pain and Lead Forward When a Team Members Leaves Unethically
In her latest blog, Kati Whitledge identifies the five stages salon owners go through when a team member leaves the salon unethically, offering advice for each stage.
How AI Is Closing Revenue Gaps for Salons and Spas
The beauty and wellness businesses pulling ahead aren’t just working harder—they’re using AI to capture demand, personalize pricing, and convert more of every guest interaction into revenue. Here’s what the benchmark data reveals about the growing gap between AI adopters and everyone else.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Premium Talent Magnet: The Modern Salon Playbook for Attracting Six-Figure Stylists
Stop chasing recruitment ghosts on generic job boards and start curating an elite team. Discover the framework that top-tier salons use to bypass phone tag, automate visual portfolio vetting, and attract high-earning, culture-first beauty professionals directly through real-time messaging. Turn your recruitment process into an exclusive brand invitation that keeps your highest-ticket chairs permanently filled.
Sponsored by Beautista
Five Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Salon
Your calendar looks full, but is all of that demand actually converting to revenue? From phantom rebookings to underpriced peak hours, the 2026 Benchmark Report exposes five revenue leaks that most beauty and wellness businesses don’t even know they have.
Sponsored by Zenoti
The Heartbeat of Zandi K's Success
After moving to Colorado and teaching at a cosmetology school, Allison Stock joined Zandi K as a stylist, eventually becoming part of the Leadership Team, Education Team and Master Bridal Team. Today, as Director of Operation, Stock is Owner Nicki Wenz's right hand, managing human resources and operations, education and career development, and coaching and culture.
by Stacey Soble
Rethinking Retail in the Era of E-Commerce
In a world dominated by e-commerce, salon owners push back with proven strategies to increase retail sales while motivating team members to educate their clientele and delighting clients with retail-themed events and clever merchandising displays.
by Stacey Soble
The Harper Ellis Hair Co. Certification Program Teaches Stylists a Smarter, Safer Way to Install Extensions
The company's Concealed Bead Method is raising the bar for what professional extension education can deliver.
by Staff
The Micro-Salon Blueprint: How Kat Scott Quadrupled Income by Maximizing Her Suite
Scott maximized her micro-salon by transitioning from stylist to strategic owner, focusing on recruiting and station-sharing. By prioritizing her ownership role over behind-the-chair work, she grew her team to six stylists within the two-chair, 150-square-foot space before eventually moving to a larger facility.
by Staff