Nourishing a relationship, whether it’s professional or personal, has grown more convenient with the rise of social media. Facebook notifies us when it’s a friend or acquaintance’s birthday. Our algorithms show us precisely what we want to see. If we post an image or video on our social media accounts, people can comment with questions, recommendations, or sweet and reassuring comments. If we publish content on Instagram stories, it can be as fleeting as a Snapchat––there for 24 hours, then gone (unless you decide to archive it).
Virtually all of us have experienced long-lasting relationships due to social media. The minutiae and busyness of life often keep us from connecting with old friends, colleagues, clients, and companies we believe in. Yet, social media has given us personal access to the lives of everyone we know (or follow) and given us a chance to connect and develop more profound relationships.
Businesses now rely on social media to promote products, run campaigns, answer customers’ questions, and basically remind people of their existence. While many may gripe about our time on our phones and social media, not many can deny how many benefits come from engaging customers on Instagram or Facebook to retain clients and keep our followers loyal and interested.
How to Engage Your Client on Instagram
Lara is a makeup artist. She’s prolific in her tutorials, has developed captivating looks, and always takes the time to respond to her commenters thoughtfully.
Attribution: @larabeautysage
Candace Marino is a Los Angeles-based facialist who posts intriguing tutorials and engages her clients by telling them to “stay tuned for glowing results,” as she does an acne treatment on a client.
Attribution: @thelafacialist
No matter how popular hair colorist Sam gets, she invests the time to answer a question on one of her posts, or responds by simply saying, “thank you.”
Attribution: @samploskonka
If you start with a good following that seems interested in the work you post, you’ll eventually accumulate more clients and followers through consistent, solid content. You don’t always have to respond to a comment, but acknowledging or liking their posts, especially if you’re interested and want to maintain a relationship, will certainly help.
Content creators can use several modes of storytelling to their benefit. Whatever mode of communication you choose, be true to your followers and post things you care about, which are also relevant to your work. If you are an esthetician and you can see that your clients always have the same skin care-related questions, create a post to answer those questions.
Here are some things to consider as an esthetician if you’re looking for ways to engage your followers:
- What is timely in the news?
- What are common questions you get in your profession?
- What is a common misconception about skincare?
- How often should a person with sensitive skin exfoliate?
- Should your acne-prone patients skip that delicious, sugary dessert?
- Do people truly need anything else beyond SPF and moisturizer?
Here are some things to consider as a hairstylist if you’re looking for ways to engage your followers:
- Will only cutting an inch of hair have a beneficial effect on hair?
- If your hair grows from the roots, why do you need to cut the ends for hair to grow faster?
- How many times should you shampoo your hair weekly?
- Which style of hair looks best with every kind of face shape?
These questions may seem absurd and obvious to the seasoned beauty aficionado. I guarantee some people don’t know the answers to these questions and would feel enlightened if you informed them in an engaging post via social media. Plus, giving free, reputable, and helpful information online will earn you bonus points and help to retain clients.
Have you been considering starting a new career as an esthetician or cosmetologist? Check out Ogle Beauty School’s program offerings and learn more about how you can reach your goals and get your dream job.
