Socializing in salon goes online – Social Media for Salons

Salon, a commonly association with French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th and 18th centuries, was once an occasion to gather people for socializing through refining taste and increasing their knowledge. Later on, the term evolved to a more specific realm as Beauty Salon, where dedicated women visit for pampering themselves in regards to cosmetic treatment, at the meanwhile, socializing with others. And now, socializing in salons even goes further – they go online via the power of social media.

As a marketing profession, my work experience from L’Oreal as E-Commerce Project Manager coupled with an advanced study on IMC at Northwestern University lead me keep an eye on how phenomenal e-commerce presents marketers at large with titillating opportunities to sell and bond with consumers in the four corners of the world - then that’s how I find myself amazed by the genetic improvement of the powerful techniques and tactics regarding to the online space when I was acknowledged with The Salon Facebook Program developed by L’Oreal Professional Products division.

 

The aim in social media marketing for the beauty industry is to reach the audiences. Since dealing with salon market represents a B2B business model, the establishment of The Salon Facebook Program acts as a two-folded clever platform where the company is capable to reach the distributors and the end users as well. As a result, L’Oreal partnered with Buddy Media to provide abundant resources with which salons could begin enhancing their Facebook Pages, while allowing L’Oreal to measure and control traction and furnish content for all of its salon locations. As an innovative and breakthrough digital project, the program allows the brands and their salons to partner in a marketing and communication effort using the power of social media. As salons struggle to drive more business in a sluggish economical climate, the Salon Facebook Program enables salons to market themselves to existing and potential clients. Features that salons can launch on their Facebook Page include dynamic how-to videos, an appointment-booking engine and information on L’Oreal products which directly connected with end users in a B2C perspective. From a B2B approach, on the other hand, L’Oreal could easily tap into their distributors with online training scheme and product launch events.

When identifying the success in the beauty industry, a commonality amongst these brands is that they understand and communicate well with their audiences. The combination of passion, expertise, accessibility and gratitude make a perfect recipe for social media marketing success.

Judy Yang

Graduate student at Medill Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University

Follow me @JudyYangnu