Standing behind a cause is a great way to give back to your community, but it is also a great way to advertise your salon. When you participate in charity work, your salon gets free advertising; local media will usually cover the story for free, running a story about it on the local radio stations or in the local newspapers. Moreover, your brand name will be included in the advertising for that cause, putting your salon’s name into the hands of a very specific demographic. Regardless of whether they support that specific cause is irrelevant; the fact that you are supporting anything out of the goodness of your heart will tug at their heartstrings as well.
Selecting Your Cause
Choose one that has a large local participation, includes your target demographic and is something that your clients can get involved and excited about. After all, this is about getting everyone involved so think about what others care about. For example, if you have a salon that caters to children or families, a good cause may be children’s hospitals or the like. Alternatively, if your salon is geared toward more cosmopolitan clients, your cause should reflect what your customers are interested in, like arts in the community or organic food.
Keep Your Focus
After you identify several charities that are good fits for your salon, limit your scope. Sure, your salon could participate with a number of charities, but do that and you could pull yourself too thin or dilute the advantages you earn. Instead, choose one subject matter, like children or organic, and stop there. Also think about getting your team involved in the decision making so they feel involved and excited about the cause.
How to Participate
You can participate in the charity’s work in several ways depending on what you’d like to contribute to the cause. Here are some ideas to mull over:
- Keep it simple and offer a coupon or a discount to members
- Host a raffle for salon services (like a makeover) or something completely separate from your business like a steak dinner.
- Volunteer at the local charity, whether that’s hair services for the elderly or just reading to children.
- Host an event at the salon that raises money, like a cut-a-thon.
- Join up with a charity that’s specific to the industry, like Locks for Love or Cut it Out.
Promote Your Cause
Once you figure out your heartfelt angle, you have to get the word out. Use your typical channels and get everyone to include bring friends, family and anyone else in their path. One creative way to get your cause to go viral is to include it as a special tab on your Facebook page and even host RSVP’s for events or get people to even donate using special applications that you can host on your Facebook business page. Ask your linkup coach for more details if you are interested.
Author Bio: Valorie Reavis
Social Marketer, foodie, closet geekA marketing professional who has focused primarily on the hair and beauty business for of the past decade, Valorie now runs linkup marketing, a digital marketing agency for the hair and beauty professional. Valorie works to engage clients in the marketing process and help them successfully engage with their clients and community. Energetic and passionate about the industry, Valorie focuses on blending traditional and digital media in order to bring salons closer to their clients.
