Salon Marketing: 8 Ways to Make the Most of Your NAHA Win

So you won at NAHA:  Now what?  Here are 8 salon marketing ideas to help you capitalize on your NAHA win – or any other beauty industry award – and grow your salon and your reputation in the industry. 

Although I could not attend this year’s NAHA Awards (NAHA, the North American Hairstyling Awards is held in conjunction with the annual Las Vegas Cosmoprof industry tradeshow – find out more at probeauty.com/naha), my social media feeds were blowing up with acquaintances at the show and even a few winners among my social media connections.

 

Entering NAHA as a competitor is tough enough.  Months (sometimes years) of planning, practice and preparation goes into each entry – as well as a sizeable financial investment for everything from time lost behind the chair to props, costuming, makeup, photography and other resources.

Entering is tough enough, being listed among the 2014 NAHA Winners is an outstanding achievement, and more!

While receiving award might feel like the culmination of the process, it shouldn’t be seen as the end.

Making the most of winning at NAHA, being recognized by manufacturers, achieving mastery in education, winning industry or local awards – any type of recognition like this can provide you with new tools and opportunities to grow your business and enhance your professional reputation.

Here are 8 Ways to Make the Most of your NAHA Win (or Any Award or Recognition)

1.  Follow through on “why” you entered to begin with.

Remember back to why you did it in the first place.  There may have been more than one but there was probably a key motivator that led you to enter the NAHA competition (or another competition) to begin with.

First and foremost, think back to the reason you decided to enter and check that goal off your list. Whether you did it to prove to yourself or others that you could do it, you wanted to be nationally recognized, you wanted to create publicity for your salon or add to your professional credentials – TAKE A MOMENT.

You deserve it.  You did it!

2.  Think about who else needs to know.

Invite local city dignitaries and media from local newspapers, radio stations and TV stations to attend a reception at your salon and gain publicity and press coverage as a reward for your achievement (or your team’s achievement).

3.  Add it to your trophy case.

Ok, you might not have a trophy case in your salon, but there should be some place in your salon where this and other special recognitions are displayed.  For an accomplishment as big as winning or being a finalist the 2014 NAHA awards, this can be a big display!  From signage at the point of sale to station talkers, a poster for your wall or window, be sure that the people who come into your salon can see visible reminders that help them form stronger connections to your brand and to you as a professional.

4.  Talk about it on social networks, and add logos to your profile pages.

Now that you’re back from Cosmoprof, don’t let your social updates cease.  Plan to publish a special announcement on your social networks and add a NAHA logo to your public profile pages, website and other internet properties.

5.  Feature it on your website.

Add a page (or a set of pages) to your salon’s website as a permanent tribute to this accomplishment. Tell the story of why you entered, challenges overcome along the way, the experience of attending NAHA and what it felt like to win.

Being recognized as a finalist or winner at NAHA (or being recognized for any other industry or civic accomplishment) gives your salon real clout.  The web page/s that you publish highlighting this achievement tell site visitors that your salon is worth visiting and answers the question “why” for those who question your prices.

6.  Write and publish a press release.

Not all of your salon’s announcements deserve media coverage; this one does.  Publish a press release on PRWeb (or another paid service) along with photos and links back to your website.  This document will not only serve to tell people in the media about your salon, it will help drive traffic back to your website in perpetuity!

7.  Send all your contacts an email news update.

Let your clients feel like they had a part in your success!  Telling your salon’s clients and prospects about this achievement isn’t bragging! Your achievement provides a good reason for them to feel proud of their continued patronage and make them feel even more connected to your brand.  Your achievements give your clients a truly compelling reason to refer friends, family and co-workers to your salon.

8.  Thank everyone who had a part.

Chances are, you did not get there on your own! From supportive friends and loved ones to mentors, peers, co-workers, staff, people who helped with costume design, photography, filling out the entry forms – whatever – there are people who are glad that you won and deserve to be thanked for the role that they played.

Those who played a supportive or direct role in this achievement can be invited to and acknowledged at your media reception, listed on your web pages and email news blast and major players should be acknowledged in your press release as well.

I would like to extend my own congratulations to all 2014 NAHA Winners, Finalists and those who did the hard work to enter as well as the supportive loved ones, friends and staff they represent.  Kudos, cheers and best wishes as you turn this achievement into long-term success!

 

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Elizabeth Kraus is the author of the newly released 2015 Salon Marketing Calendar  called “Making the Cut.”  Written just for Independent Beauty Professionals, Making the Cut has hundreds of low-cost and no-cost marketing ideas which can help booth renters, salon suite owners, salon owners and salon managers engage, motivate and retain more clients in 2015!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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