Every month over 100 million Americans visit hair salons, according to a study entitled “Study on Consumer Attitude, Behavior and Opinion on Salons and In-Salon Media,” completed by Itandi Group, Ltd. This staggering statistic explains why there are so many hair salons in the United States (with approximately 360,000 locations). According to Itandi Group, Ltd., there is over $150 billion worth of worldwide sales, with 50% of that staggering number in the United States alone. And while this study investigates the role of Salons in advertising, (how salon patrons remain in a fixed place while their hair is cut, colored and dried), and how this stationary, almost “captive” position is, according to advertisers, an ideal consumer position, I’m more interested in the exposition that precedes their role as ideal consumers.
As the aforementioned statistics suggest, there are a lot of hair salons, and I never fail to notice the many hair salons within blocks, even feet of each other. These salons, in order to set themselves apart from their competition, must utilize the internet. And while certain people tend to become attached to a salon that they go to regularly, who’s to say these customers wouldn’t go to a competing salon with a modern, user-friendly website if they were growing increasingly visible online?
Salons with modern, informative websites will also capture the many “floating” customers, those who don’t form strong ties, but who float from salon to salon perhaps enticed by coupons, low prices or location. Salons who boast a strong internet presence will be more likely to catch the attention of these floaters, and they will be more likely to maintain floaters’ interest through their organized, visually appealing websites.
For certain cities or towns, visitors or college students can comprise a large chunk of business. Salons that don’t cater to Google search, will be less effective in reaching the people who live in the area seasonally, or in reaching those who are just visiting the town for indefinite periods of time. Besides the basic cut or color, many students attend formals, dances, graduations, ceremonies, and various other events that provoke them to seek salon services. A salon with a modern, easy-to-use website will grasp the modern students’ attention. The salon will seem more reputable, and more capable of giving the students what they want. Whereas, an outdated website may have students wondering whether that salon really knows how to execute, say, ombre style, or if the salon even does modern up-dos.
– Cara from HSM
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