Using Social Media successfully for your Business: A Case Study

It is widely known that social media platforms are an incredibly useful asset to businesses. Websites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are used by millions of people, providing a ready to tap customer base. They are also free to use and provide the opportunity to raise awareness for your business, and services, which can lead to the generation of sales. The most effective social media platform for your business to utilise differs according to the product or service you are offering.

A woman who has a strong sense of her business and has utilised social media to compliment this is Sophia Hilton. Sophia is the owner of Not Another Salon, a London based hairdressing establishment with strong customer-facing values. The salon opened its doors in 2015 and has gone from strength to strength.  Sophia operates on a no judgement policy, aiming to make her customers feel comfortable and accepted. With specialities in both bright and natural shades, the goal is not just to change the customer’s hair colour, but their mentality, leaving the customer with confidence and a style that suits them.

Sophia not only runs the salon but has pioneered Not Another Academy, a business centred around teaching the array of knowledge she has garnered across the years. The academy offers workshops that are held at the London based salon, alongside offering the ability to travel to the client’s location. The workshops vary from teaching a variety of hair-based techniques, to hairdressing specific social media skills. However, her aim is not just to build the customer's skills, but their confidence.

The main social media that Sophia has utilised for these businesses is Instagram.

This is the ideal site for her, as the key information you want to see from a hairdressing company is a visual portfolio of work. Sophia has described Instagram as being incredibly important to her business and the main way that she communicates with the world. She states that, surprisingly, 40% of her following is in the states, showing that her ideas are spreading much further than London. She has 3 Instagram accounts: one for the salon, the academy and personal use. These are full of bright, stunning images showcasing the work of Sophia and her team.

Not only are these images pleasing to the eye, but they are also 100% natural. Not Another Salon has the unique selling point of being totally transparent with its customers. Sophia actively campaigns against the unrealistic portrayal of hair within the hairdressing community. With picture retouching being a prominent occurrence on social media. Not Another Salon posted an emotional promise to only portray the truth. This heartfelt act not only established their business as reliable; it helped gain the trust and respect of her customers. You can view the full post here.

Another highly successfully Instagram post that Sophia did was the reveal of her creation, The Hidden Rainbow Hair. This sensation went viral extremely quickly, being picked up by institutes such as HuffPost, MTV and BBC News.

The post led to great exposure for her company. This shows how powerful the right social media can be for a business.

Although social media is an incredibly useful tool, it is rather time-consuming to maintain. That’s where we can be of use. Formation Media can take control of your accounts, ensuring relevant and regular content is uploaded. This leaves you the time to concentrate on other aspects of your business. To find out more about our services, click here.