Let’s forget about the latest turbo-powered blow dryer or your favorite foundation brush for just a sec – we need to talk about the most important tool you can wield in the independent beauty business that you won’t find in your kit. Love it or hate it, Instagram is your secret success weapon. 

Social media is the marketplace of the future and Instagram is where it’s at. If you’re not taking full advantage of the incredible branding opportunities and free advertising at your fingertips, we’re here to help you supercharge your social media presence. Follow along for a few ideas that make posting to Instagram a breeze, and you’ll be ready to shine like the social media star that you are. 

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Know Your “Content Clients”

When you review your calendar for the week, try to forecast which clients you’re seeing you know will be great to create content with. These can be clients that you know love being featured on your Instagram – and don’t mind the extra time to take photos – or awesome transformations you know will be happening with your services. Consider leaving an extra 10 minutes at the end of their appointment for some “content time.” Knowing when these opportunities are ahead of time can help you plan your content ahead as well.

One easy way to take photos and organize them with each client is in the “Client Portfolio” feature with GlossGenius. You can take photos and build out a history of looks under their name right from the app in their client profile.

Batch Create Education Graphics

You know how important it is to educate clients on how to maintain their look and one way to remind them of this is through posts on social media. You can easily create tips with tools like Canva that have templates ready for you to input all your info. Consider sharing aftercare tips, good habits, or even products you recommend! 

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Share Your Client Reviews

Because nothing speaks louder than the praise of satisfied clients, one of the best ways to #humblebrag is through your reviews. With the GlossGenius all-in-one salon booking platform, you can pull up a few of your favorite five-star reviews and post them on Instagram with a couple of taps. You have the option to pick one of four super sleek review designs, craft a quick caption and share directly from the app. 

GeniusHACK: When posting reviews to your Instagram feed, be sure to share them on your Stories as well. This improves engagement and gives you the opportunity to save the reviews to your Highlights, so potential clients can hear directly from your happy customers even on your IG. 

Take Advantage of Open Windows

Use slow periods or last-minute cancellations as an opportunity to engage with your social media audience. Pull those portfolio pics, share a few shots, and flag any openings for the day or week with ready-made presets in dozens of designs to suit your style. If you’re reviewing your calendar for the week and see an open window, book yourself some content time to plan and create for social!

With GlossGenius, you have easy access to your booking calendar views for the day, the week, or the month– plan ahead if you notice you’re having a slower-than-usual quarter or drop a few day-off posts to fill in when you’re suffering from no-shows or cancellations.

Use a Content Scheduling App

Did you know that you can schedule out your posts and have them automatically posted for you? Instagram scheduling apps like Planoly or Later can help you automate what you share to Instagram and help you plan ahead of time. 

With any open windows in your day, you can also spend it scheduling out your posts and planning your grid so you can have a week or even a month of content planned ahead! Spending an hour or so doing this can save you tons of time vs. thinking of a caption and posting daily on your own.

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Create a Campaign

One of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your salon marketing is through promotions. A fun giveaway, an e-gift card promo, last-minute openings, or flash deals are among the many ideas to get more clients through Instagram. Pick a marketing campaign that drives your business goals, fill in GlossGenius’s blank social media templates with the deets, and engage your Instagram audience with your newfound promotional prowess.

Show Your Face and Your Personality

Your clients are coming to you for the services that make them feel good and part of that is because of who you are as a person. Show your followers who you are through a quick "get to know me" post or a live Q&A, or share your personality through a funny Reel or by being vulnerable in Instagram Stories. Let your followers get to know the person behind the page (and the chair!)

Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!

We hope you find these tips helpful and come back to the GlossGenius blog for more!