To be completely honest with you all, I did not want to talk about COVID anymore after about May. I was over it. After canceling client appointments, postponing our educational events, and seeing my own grandparents test positive, I wanted this whole COVID thing to be OVER. But it’s not. It’s still here, shutting down salons in parts of the country AGAIN.
Luckily, here in Fort Smith, our salon has not been mandated to close a second time, but that has not been the case for many, many of our fellow stylists. On my most recent podcast episode, I got to talk to Carly Zanoni about how she’s coping with her second salon shut down of the year. It got me thinking: how can we not just survive in this season but THRIVE instead?
UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA GAME
A little break in your schedule is the perfect time to reevaluate and refresh your social media strategy! Do you have story highlights? Does your bio clearly showcase your name, special skills, and location? Are you using effective hashtags? Be ruthless as you make a list of the things you can improve!
Now is also a great time to pull from your camera roll to inspire your clients. Encourage them to archive your posts so you’ll exactly what color they want at their next appointment!
INVEST IN YOUR EDUCATION
There are plenty of great opportunities for online learning, Stylist! Did you know you can get certified in the Harper Ellis Method ONLINE? We even mail you your very own Harper Ellis Essentials kit, complete with everything you need to learn and master the method. Grab you doll heads and get to sewing!
If you need a doll head to practice on, here is one that we recommend from Amazon!
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
Whether you’ve just learned the Harper Ellis Method or you’ve been doing it for years, now is a great chance to practice. You can always get better and faster!
The best part of practicing? It’s perfect content for social media! Learn how to make an Instagram Reel or a TikTok, and you could be the next viral hair video! Two birds, one stone, am I right?
RECONNECT WITH CLIENTS
You miss your clients, and they miss you! Reach out to some of your regulars and ask how you can serve them during this time. Do they need someone to talk them off the ledge the next time they reach for a box of dye? Could they use some advice on trimming their trendy new bangs? They might give you great idea for your next tutorial video!
Remember, the connection you have with your clients is so, so important. They trust you with their hair and often, their secrets! Make sure to check in and see how you can be there for them.
REFRESH YOUR WEBSITE
We all know that trends and technology change every few minutes, so use this time to do a full sweep of your current website!
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Are there updated photos, bios, and contact information?
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Could your blog use some love . . . or do you need to START a blog?
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Are your hours correct?
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Are all of the links working?
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Is the booking process user-friendly?
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Do you have a subscribe option for an email list so you can contact your clients about important updates?
Clearly, there a million little improvements we can make! Have a friend or family member go through your website like a customer would and see what you can tweak!
SUPPORT EACH OTHER
At Harper Ellis Hair Co., we are always asking ourselves, “How can we elevate stylists? What can we do for our stylists?” Right now, the most important thing we can tell you to do is to lean on your community. Whether in person or online, remember to be good to each other. Ask your chair neighbor, “Is there anything I can do for you?” It could just mean lending an ear or offering some babysitting services! They might just need a hug . . . or an affectionate elbow bump.
There are SO many ways you can turn these turbulent times into triumphant times. We encourage rest, of course, but we also want you to use this time wisely! Hopefully, we won’t have quite so much free time in the near future!
Cheers to Success,
Terra + the Harper Ellis Team