Are Salons and MySpace a Good Match?

I think MySpace is perfect for displaying your talents and I don’t think it’s at all unprofessional. I haven’t had my page long, but I’ve already had so many comments — especially from younger clients — saying how cool it is that I’m on MySpace and that they enjoy looking at the pictures. People can look at my work ahead of time and get an idea of what I do. I got a few new clients after of one of my clients posted a bulletin about her toes on her MySpace page.

I originally got MySpace because so many people wanted me to do a website. Frankly, that costs so much and is too time consuming.
—G. Elizondo
D’Hair To Be Different
Las Vegas
www.MySpace.com/atwistoffrench

 

MySpace can be a great place to do networking at no cost to you. It’s the wave of the future and over 200,000,000 worldwide are part of it. It’s a great form of advertising and linking it to your salon’s website (if you have one) is a great way to draw people. You can post upcoming events and specials. You can also invite a lot of people to be your “friends.” Doing a search in your area is the best way, because then you can send “friend requests” to all the people in your area and make them aware of your business. If it’s free and effective then I say, go for it!
—Carrie Kohuch
About U Salon & Spa
South Lethbridge
Alberta, Canada
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5368912356

 

MySpace can be a safe environment for advertising your salon, but due to the personal nature of most MySpace pages, I would suggest keeping it to a “friends only” setting — meaning only “friends” can view the page. You could use it for posting salon specials and salon news. You would just need to limit the personal information on it (like stylist’s names and photos).

And you would need to keep in mind that mostly the younger generation are on MySpace, so if that is your target demographic, then yes, put one on there. If a more “mature” demographic is what you are shooting for, you might be better off finding something else. MySpace is not someplace I, personally, would search for a salon if I were looking for one, but it takes all kinds to make the world go ’round, so you never know.
—Laura Campos
Southern Accents Salon
Gainesville, Fla.
www.LaurasProNails.com

 

My salon does have a MySpace page. It gives you the ability to be creative. You can display images of your work, employees, menu, and salon or spa. You can post blogs or bulletins about things that are happening in the salon, such as highlighting a new employee, products, or services without the price of costly ads. You can answer client questions and look at the posts that the clients leave and get a feel for their personality so that you can customize things. I love the versatility of MySpace and it is so much fun.
—Hope O’Connor
A New Dimension Salon & Spa
Ormond Beach, Fla.
www.MySpace.com/anewdimensionsalonspa

 

When I left my last salon, they wouldn’t let me contact “their” clients, but I had been telling everyone about my MySpace page and a few of them had invited me to be friends and so that’s how they found me at my new location. I think it’s the perfect place to advertise your business. The site is as professional as you make it. A lot of the people that find me through MySpace don’t read the local paper. Plus they can see a little bit of what I do — my page reflects me.
—Karla Jones
Beach Tans & Hair Designs
Rehoboth Beach, Del.
www.MySpace.com/soultosolenailz

 

I didn’t have any luck getting business with MySpace, but have had great luck with my free website from Microsoft. It amazes me because I thought it would be the other way around.
—Stefanie DeMent
Nails by Stefanie
Spokane, Wash.
www.NailsByStef.com

 

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NAILS has launched its own MySpace page. Check us out at www.MySpace.com/nailsmagazine

 

KEYWORDS: social networking website, website launch, round-up, MySpace, redesign issue