We have been talking about continuing education and ways to let our clients know that we’ve received advanced training. Last week we talked about posting it on your salon’s website. I gave you a great example of a website from Jackie and Debbie at the Hair Company in Leonardtown, Md. Jackie even posted a comment about it. This was just an example so you could see how one salon is showing clients by posting pictures of their education classes.

Another form of posting your advanced education was mentioned by Sandy— Facebook! Last week, when I said “Post, Post, Post” I meant it! This is another great place to brag about the education, certifications, and training classes you have taken. If your salon doesn’t have a Facebook page yet, get on it! This is a great place to post so many salon happenings. It’s so easy to set up too. Facebook makes it so easy to upload pictures too.

Here are several ways to post on Facebook:

Start by posting your class. You can say, “Our salon will be closed August 1st from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so our staff can attend a salon training class.” This lets our clients know that our salon will be closed and that the staff is receiving educational instruction. Even if just the nail department is going to take a class outside of the salon, post it. Every time the salon has a class, it should posted it on Facebook. The more our clients see about salon education, the more they trust us.

Post “before and after” shots: Facebook is a great place to post before and after shots so clients can see the improvement. A lot of classes ask that you bring a model. If you are working on a model, take a picture before and after, then post them side by side. Before and after shots are a great way for clients to connect. When they look at pictures of nails, hands, and feet they can relate. They think things like, “Those look like my feet. I could wear that color too.” For clients, before and after shots help them to make decisions and move forward and try something they may not have considered before.

Post pictures of the event. Last week I mentioned: “Take pictures when you attend education classes! They say a picture is worth a thousand word right? Take a commemorative photo with the facilitator, instructor, or educator. Take shots of you and your team attending the class. Get a snapshot of the hands-on training or a picture of you with your class certificate. Post it on your salon website along with a paragraph or two about the classes attended. Talk about ideas, products, and procedures you hope to implement.” Facebook is a great forum to post all of this information.

Post a picture of your work: Take pictures of the process if you are taking a hands-on class. Take snapshots of the techniques the educator is showing and then a picture of you perfecting those techniques. Pictures tell a story and a series of pictures is interesting to your clients. Not a play by play of pictures with 100 photos —  just a few to tell the story.

Post a picture of your certificate or certification: Let clients know that you have completed the class you attended. Be proud to show off your educational certificates of completion. Take a photo of yourself holding your certificate. Make sure that it’s close enough to read the certificate or that you post something like this: “Sandy holding her certificate for completing the CND’s Masters Nail Program.” Then talk about the program and give a little information about the class. Don’t say things like, “ We learned how to upsell our clients and make more money.” Instead mention, “We learned new ways of offer our clients new services and additional benefits.”

When you take your education to the next level, you turn your job into a career — one more way to help you stand out above the rest and become the BEST! Find out more about in salon education with me! E-mail me at jwilson@summitsalon.com for more information.

— Jill