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
Geolocation and Your Business
If you doubt this is an important trend, perhaps because you think geolocation is a bit too Big Brotherish, just remember that it doesn’t matter what you think, only what your clients are doing.
August 24, 2011
3 min to read
Geolocation is a fancy term for technology that can identify the location of your mobile phone and use it to provide a service– also called location services. Google Maps, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Groupon, Opentable and Yelp all use geolocation. Even the standard camera on your mobile phone can use it. And since a mobile phone is typically glued to its owner’s palm (don’t deny it,) there is an abundant opportunity for new, revolutionary services to connect you and your clients.
If you doubt this is an important trend, perhaps because you think geolocation is a bit too Big Brotherish, just remember that it doesn’t matter what you think, only what your clients are doing. Smart phone users now regard their mobile devices as the most important way to access information, with more minutes spent browsing on mobile phones than on the web. This trend has been noticed by the industry with a rise in geolocation-based social networks and services targeted at your mobile phone. Even new search engines have popped up that focus only on mobile phones – do@ is one example.
If that hasn’t convinced you that mobile is the new big thing for local businesses, a study commissioned by Google in April 2011 showed that 79 percent of respondents were using smartphones to help with shopping, with 70 percent using them while in the store.
So what does that mean for you and your salon? It means there are new ways in which you can be found by prospective clients and encourage them to try your business. For example:
Facebook allows you to offer deals through your Facebook Places page. These deals are promoted through the Facebook email platform and have social aspects to them including ‘liking’ the deal and seeing which friends have already bought it.
Foursquare offers specials that focus on a variety of business objectives including loyalty or referrals. They’ve also started offering an ‘Explore’ feature that pulls up nearby businesses by category and lists those that have an offer running.
While Yelp! isbest known for its reviews and ratings functionality, it hasn’t missed out on the geolocation fun. Ithas an ‘explore’ function like Foursquare and offers specials through its platform. It also has an expansive email database which it uses for specials.
Groupon offers GrouponNOW, which shows deals in the local area and allows small businesses to do offers without going through a sales representative – much easier to implement and it’s based on where that person is NOW.
Scvngr is a game-based application that offers specials to people who complete a challenge within a business. Beyond simply finding the business, there is a game added to the service, which will appeal to a lot of younger generations. So if you’re next to a college campus, be on the lookout for this one.
Google Offers will work with Google Places.
Some of these advances are still in testing, but you can be sure that with all of these services coming out, all focused on geolocation, this will be the next big thing across the board.Even credit card companies are jumping on board, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t, too. However, as with any new marketing medium, you need to think about your offer limits and the impact it could have on your team and your bottom-line before you start riding the wave.
About the author:
Valorie Reavis is an online and social media marketing guru with Linkup Marketing, which focuses on search engine marketing, salon email marketing programs and social media marketing for salons and spas. If you have any questions or comments, please visit www.linkupmarkeitng.com or email atinfo@linkupmarketing.com.
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