What are the best ways for hair and beauty professionals to keep in touch with their customers during this period of [the first UK] lockdown? And what sort of things should they be saying to their customers?

Time on screens, according to NordVPN Teams, has risen by 3 hours [on average] per day since the UK entered 'lockdown' 3 weeks ago - meaning your customer is spending more time on the internet than ever before. Social Media has always been a welcome escape from work time, so any communications through those channels should be just that - escapism! Provide your customer with beautiful imagery over Instagram and Pinterest, alongside any important facts about your business, but it's important to offer them something else in return; a break.

Blogs and emails are the place to inform your customer, as they search for information about your staff, re-opening (as and when that becomes more clear), home-visits you may be making, and general messages of reassurance.

What about marketing? What should the main messages be? Should salons, brands and practitioners be trying to sell or thinking more about building relationships and supporting customers?

At this time a true break has been put on consumer spending - your customers have time to consider all their outgoings, and will reconsider their values around spending, in every sense. According to research conducted by WGSN concerns about financial wellbeing will change the 'value equation' for many consumers' discretionary spending - they'll certainly be concerned about price, but will also be seeking products that reflect their personal values, and create a sense of stability and routine.

With all this in mind; during lockdown the main things salons should communicate to their customers are: a) that all is calm and well, and that they are there for them if they need support (this is likely not something they'll have to step up to, but customers need a connection with their salon now more than ever. b) that the salon will be reopening - and the date of that opening, as soon as it becomes clear, and c) that their standards for safety, wellbeing and stability are as high as ever - maintaining that sense of pure trust that the customer has in their local salon, or salon of choice.

Trying to 'sell sell sell' in this situation may be met with messages of unrest or discomfort from your customer, as most employees, needless to say, have been placed on furlough, or simply laid off. This is certainly a time to build trust - not to force messaging about deals or exploit the crisis with light-hearted connections to your brand. As the saying goes: 'It takes years to build up trust in any relationship, and only seconds to destroy it, but forever to repair it.' Dhar Mann

What promotions could hair and beauty professionals put together during this time of lockdown ready for when they reopen?

· As we’ve seen on Thursday evenings at 8pm [since 26th March 2020] the nation's appreciation for the NHS has grown to stellar heights - and rightly so! One promotion that would resonate with most customers at this time could be to offer an NHS discount for doctors, nurses or anyone involved in the 'front line battle' against COVID-19.

· With a nod to the WGSN research about stability, safety and wellbeing concerns, it might be wise to construct some sort of wellbeing package - something like a structured regimen of weekly facials, massages, hair, nails etc. to show your customer that you're caring for re-establishing their routines, and their mental wellbeing by creating a parcel to allow them to feel great, and take the pressure off totally.

· Alternatively, as purse strings inevitably tighten, perhaps gifting will grow as the focus for Q3 + 4 of 2020. It might be profitable, and thoughtful (always keep this is mind!) to create a gifting system, gift cards or vouchers etc., for customers to buy for their friends, family or colleagues, to show that they have each other's wellbeing at the heart of their thoughts too.

Any other advice for salons/ spas/ barbershops and freelancers around marketing/ PR during this time?

The greatest thing to remember here is to keep your customer at the heart of your communications. Any and all posts, blogs, emails, press releases etc. should be centred around your service, what your customer is feeling and what they'll be looking for from you as a Salon, and as a brand.
Some manufacturers and beauty brands are switching production capabilities to produce hand sanitiser, to contribute and 'do their bit' to fight this pandemic - and that's brilliant. Some brands may not have that capacity, or provide services that aren't relevant to the 'front line' (as it were). These are the brands that should simply focus on making their customers feel safe, providing support where they can, and being there when the 'lockdown' is lifted. Simple, uncomplicated communications are what will get brands through this difficult time, and work to reinforce the trust shared by their customers, so that they will return in good time.

Old-school ‘marketing’ involves paying through the nose for [mostly] unimaginative campaigns that plaster the nation’s billboards, and get minimum chatter for your buck. Correct? We think so.

Years of research, marketing psychology and higher levels of consumer perception have all contributed to ‘the rule of 7’.

The Rule of 7

All this research has taught companies that consumers need to ‘hear’ a company’s message 7 times before taking action. Apparently this ‘rule to live by’ was coined in the 30s in Hollywood when studio bosses realised quite how much advertising was needed for a movie to become a hit.

Today, with attention spans being shorter than ever, and really having to earn someone’s time, companies’ odds of reaching that ultimate ‘7 time’s a charm’ mark are slim. Hence why Social Media and PR are really where time and attention needs to be spent, as these are the easiest ways [many would say] into a consumer [or group of consumers]’s brain.

Social Media allows businesses to engage a consumer whenever and wherever they like: on the tube, on their walk to work, between meetings, or (and we know you’re guilty of this too!) even in the bathroom. This content becomes meaningful when you connect on a personal level with a consumer, and offer them something they want, something they didn’t already know, or something they think is beautiful. If you can tell the consumer a story about your business, why it’s different, and something personal about yourself, your employees or the journey you’ve been on to get where you are, you’re on the first stepping stone to making those meaningful connections, and sticking in their mind.

Another of the key elements of Social Media, that many companies overlook, is the ability for consumers to tell others about the positive experiences they’ve had with a/your brand. If these are genuine and positive reviews, you’ll start to see that they become contagious, and your army of advocates will start to grow.

If you’re interested in The Brand Whisperer’s Social Media or PR offerings, and the difference they could make to your brand’s interaction with your target market, please do send us an email or follow us on Instagram.

siena@thebrandwhisperer.co.uk