Why You Are Missing Out If You Don't Have A Website For Your Beauty Business

“I don't need a website. Instagram and facebook are working perfectly fine.”

“All I need to do is post client photos and inspirational quotes, so ill just stick to instagram”

“A website isn’t going to serve my needs as a beauty professional.”

I literally cannot tell you the amount of times that I have seen beauty professionals justify to themselves of why they don’t need a website without even understanding the benefits. There are many of reasons as to why beauty professionals need to take it a step further when it comes to their online presence, but today I am going to highlight on four reasons that I think are the most important.

You don’t own your following on social media

Let’s hypothetically say that instagram or facebook decides to shut down one day, your online presence would be gone. “GASP, INSTAGRAM WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ME.” Girl, don’t even come at me like that because instagram could decide to be dirty one day and hit you with the deuces. (Don’t act like you don't remember myspace and Xanga disappearing). I’m not over here trying to crush your instagram theme dreams, but just throwing it out there that there would be nowhere else for your ideal client to dote over you and your great work. Having a website allows you to have another outlet for your ideal client to keep up with you. Having a website allows you to use that outlet to install an email newsletter to cultivate the relationship even further.

Extend the client experience beyond the salon

I am a firm believer in creating an intentional in-salon client experience, but let's be boujee and extend this client experience even after they walk out of the door. Having a website allows you to serve your clients in a different way - blog posts, tutorials, e-books, email opt-ins - you name it. Don't tell me you dont think your clients wouldn't feel more appreciated and loved if you kept serving them after their appointment. Don’t let them walk out knowing they will never know how to achieve that hairstyle you just created even though you walked them through it for forty-five minutes (that feeling is scary as crap, so don’t be that person). Think of it like a cycle - you want to showcase your work and expertise to get them in the door, you want to create content and education for those prospective clients, you want to create content and education for when they turn into an actual client of your beauty business, and you want to create content and education for when they turn into past (or in-between) clients. Having a website to serve your clients through the series of steps in this cycle will literally set you up for success.

Your website works for you even when you aren’t working

If I hear “I use instagram as my virtual business card” one more time, I am going to scream. Girly pop, instagram is supposed to be social - engaging, encouraging, entertaining. Use instagram to do those things, but don’t depend on it to entirely sell your beauty business. From the 9-square view of your instagram feed, can you ideal clients see a full listing of your services? Can they see the full version of your blog posts? Can they see the subscription box to your email list? Don't think too hard because I’m going to give you the answer and the answer is no.  Having a website can answer 100% of the questions your prospective and present clients have without you even exerting the energy. Your website can list your services even past salon hours. Your website can display client testimonials that make your ideal clients want to book you immediately (which your website can also give them the capability to do so). One last thing on this topic, but promise me that you aren’t going to take this harshly. Ya ready for this?! YOU ARE A BEAUTY PROFESSIONAL. *say it louder for the people still only on instagram* YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL AND PROFESSIONALS HAVE WEBSITES. Having a website gives you a complete 10/10 professional rating. Don’t let your ideal clients think you aren’t as professional as industry peers just because your hesitations of having a website.

Your ideal client assumes you have a website

One day I got curious as to how regular schmegular people searched online for their beauty services, so I decided to create a poll on facebook. Go ahead and get you some tea to sip on because you are about to be shooketh. I will give you the exact question I asked so you can instill some trust on me. Question: “when looking online for a beauty service (hair, nails, spa, etc), where do you search FIRST?” The two poll options that were answerable were, “search for a website” or “facebook/instagram”. Out of 124 voters 59% (74 votes) said they search for a website first, while 41% (51 votes) said they searched for facebook and/or instagram first. I know what you are saying. “Haley, that isn’t THAT much of a difference, but guess what. What if some of those voters gave up looking after not finding a website? What if your instagram handle is so difficult that it’s not even accessible to the average person? I’m just going to stop justifying the voters response and just say this - they look for a website first, so to your ideal clients, it’s worth having.  

So, what’s stopping you?!