Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time surfing the internet, reading through various websites relevant to our industry. The amount of resources and the conversations carried online are great!
It’s incredible how our industry keeps evolving to adapt to new media channels. These technologies didn’t exist 20 years ago! Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are just a few of the viral marketing tools we use everyday, both for business and personal use. The ability to share information and opinions on products and services is so influential to our industry. It’s a phenomenal tool that everyone should use and engage with.
Technicians from all over the world can now share their thoughts and experiences with each other. Social sites like Facebook and Twitter are amazingly powerful tools. It can connect someone in Asia with a technician in Russia, and that person can connect with another in England. The face of communication is continually changing and will never be the same again.
Now, not everyone loves this new form of communication, but we should all embrace it. Long gone are the days that a printed catalog made its time-consuming journey to your doorstep. Mass-producing printed materials are costly, especially when compared to using the web as a valuable resource for reaching people globally at a moments notice.
These advancements are all very exciting and interesting, but with every new technology there are also negatives. Although we can now communicate with people from all over the world, we are losing the ability to have face-to-face interactions.
Everyday, I notice people are so involved inside their own “constant communication bubble”. Whether it’s two friends at a coffee shop, not talking with each other, but choosing to go on Facebook to carry out their conversations. Or a couple at a restaurant, sending text messages to their friends about their experience, without actually living it.
I imagine you’re probably wondering how these new social media trends have a negative effect on the nail industry. Take a minute to think about it. Of the countless hours I’ve spent reading through hundreds of articles directed at our industry, I noticed a negative phenomenon developing. Customers are starting to buy products from beauty companies with whom they don’t know anything about. Even worse than that, your customers are buying products online without fully understanding how to use them and without taking advantage of its benefits.
I’m not inferring that all companies selling products on the internet are for-profit only. Some products are actually really great. But wouldn’t you prefer buying from a reputable company who cares about you and how you use their products effectively? Someone who wants to help you build your business step-by-step? This cannot be achieved without physically sitting down with a representative who is knowledgeable and passionate about their products and can share their expertise with you. There are companies who spend a lot of money on marketing their products and ensuring their customers are supported from the start. Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations. I’ve heard about products being blamed, but remember, a good technician never blames her tools! Don’t fall victim to buying cheap alternatives!
Let’s not loose sight of the personal touch that is vital to this industry. A majority of your day is spent with your clients’ hands in yours. They expect that extra personal touch from you. Why wouldn’t you expect the same from your supplier? Don’t do a disservice to your business or your clients. Learn about where your products are from, be knowledgeable of the company’s reputation, and make sure they will support the future of your business – otherwise, you might as well throw your money down the drain!
Tags: Facebook, salon, social media, spa, technology, Twitter