Facebook has been criticised as a social medium that is aimed more towards the social side and less towards business activities.
Well, this was proved wrong by Perry, my beautician friend. She effectively used Facebook to combine social and business together to further her success.
She has just launched her new unisex beauty salon called Perry’s Beauty in Caversham, a well-to-do part of Reading. It is a wonderful place, full of purple and white (we have a lot in common), large, airy and welcoming. It’s not like a usual salon which tend to be pink and fluffy.
This was a big venture for her, because at just aged 22, she spent all her savings on what she had always wanted, her own beauty business. She also has a fantastic business brain and hopes to start franchising her business brand within the next few years – I wish her well, as I can certainly see her potential.
She wanted to create a large launch party in October and invite all her friends. The incentives were bubbly on arrival, with five minute therapies available, an enticing raffle draw and a collection towards her favourite charity. The launch was to raise awareness of her new premises, and to encourage word of mouth advertising.
She used Facebook to invite all her friends, of which 100 responded and attended the party. It was like sardines in her little salon. The press came and she got two huge write-ups in the local newspapers.
She updates her Facebook Group Page with photographs of her salon and information about her services, and aims to post special offers every month. And her clear, bright, purple branding is working, as she gets new clients every day from passing trade, plus referrals and recommendations.
By the beginning of the New Year she will start looking for an assistant so she can stay open for longer to treat more customers, and to stop working such long hours. She needs more time to work on her business, not just in it, and that includes updating her social networking profiles and pages.
Perry sounds like she is off to a great start. Thanks Alice for illuminating your message with a great example that, as a new business owner, I can really identify with.
For anyone not yet resolved to spend more of 2010 working ON their business rather than IN their business then I highly recommend reading E-Myth by Michael Gerber.
…or if you have already read it, then re-reading it!
I am halfway through my second read in 12 months after being re-energised by Michael Gerber in person earlier this month and boy am I feeling inspired!