Salon Rising: The Podcast

Transcript

You've gotta find your niche in that. And I think where people get stuck is they rely on clients to create content. They just want to get something up, like, "Oh, I just gotta get something up. Oh, that hair's a bit short. Oh yeah, that's not actually my specialty, but I'll get a post up." Getting a post up is not a strategy anymore. I’d rather you not post than post something that’s not on brand. This was huge for me. Also, just changing the way you do things sometimes, like I've got more writing across my posts than I ever have. Is my feed aesthetically pleasing? Probably not. But is it converting? Yes, it is. It's engaging. People don't want to follow curated accounts anymore. I’m really against overly curated feeds. I don’t like Canva tiles or a grid that’s just completely hair and doesn’t show the staff, the salon, the people, because those aren't the accounts people want to follow. You look back at that grid and you go, "Ah, yeah," and you move on.

Even for me, if I look at my Salon Rising account, for example, my first five videos or reels on there, how many of them are hair? Two of them are hair, and four of them are funny content, right? The ones that are performing the lowest are the hair videos. The hair videos get like 1,800 to 3,000 views, whereas the other ones have around 5,000 views. So, my recommendation is your grid should be 50% hair, 50% non-hair content. It gives you a recipe to follow when you're like, "Shit, I need to get a post up." It’s not about who came in today, it’s more about balancing hair with non-hair content, whether it’s behind-the-scenes, showing some products, or showcasing the salon space. There are many non-hair things you can do, and they’re in your camera roll too, you're just not considering them.

There is still a fixation on wanting to show perfect hair. Some people want their Instagram to be their visual portfolio, and it still can be 50% that, but that's not going to fully convert a client anymore or grow your business. I've noticed for me, I’ve done that, and again, I work with you on a regular basis across both my brands. Like we say in everything, I don’t know this industry; you’re learning it all day, every day, and putting it into place all day, every day. I need constant, “Okay, what next?” Every single time I’ve done stuff with you, I’m like, “Okay, I feel refreshed, I’m ready to go,” and I boom. People say to me, "I'm just done. I'm exhausted with social media." And I'm like, "Too bad. Do something to excite yourself again, like work with a coach, like call Ash and say, 'I need to feel inspired,' because social media is what is giving you clients." When I’m quiet on social media, both my businesses go quiet. When I’m constant, both businesses are flourishing.

It is a very necessary tool, and it's okay to feel overwhelmed and sometimes just feel like you can't be bothered. But there aren’t many other marketing tools for our businesses, and we know it can work. So, we do need to put in the time. If you get frustrated that you have to spend too much time, work with someone like me who can be like, "Okay, just do this." For me, I make sure that on a Tuesday, I work across both businesses. For example, I dropped the kids off early this morning, went straight to the salon, had a call for Salon Rising, and then I was in the salon doing one-on-ones but also creating four pieces of content.

It’s about getting good at integrating it into your everyday life and documenting your day, which is a great way to capture content. I just found four reels and recorded four funny reels, and everybody loves it. You've allocated time to film those, and people might say, "Oh, but I've got to make time," and I'm like, "I just wait until one of my staff members is available, and as soon as they are, I'm like, 'Let’s do this right now.'" You've always had a great can-do attitude when it comes to content; you don’t overcomplicate it. You don’t have an ego about how you look, so you just get things done. Instagram has filters; I look better on Instagram!

I think that’s something you could definitely help encourage other hairdressers and small business owners to do, because that’s half the battle: getting them to show up. I did a class in Canberra yesterday, and I talked about the strategies for growth, and one of them is showing up and showing your face in content. Every time, it’s the same reaction: “Oh no, I don’t want to do that.” How do we actually get them to do it? There's magic in the mess, right? I just do it. I find it easier on social. If you put me in a room full of people, I’m the biggest introvert, but on social media, I don’t care—it’s just me. And when I’m in the salon with the girls, it’s even funnier.

This morning, the girls were being naughty, and I was like, "If you get ready, I’ll let you watch my Salon Instagram page." I think it's hilarious. I love that my kids choose to watch it; they think the salon videos are so funny. Today, they were even giving me ideas, like with Monopoly cards that say, "Just Say No." They’re like, “Mom, you should ask someone to sweep, and then she should give you a 'Just Say No.'” It’s so cute; they're giving me ideas. It’s a really nice look into other people’s worlds, and that’s why we follow people, right? To feel inspired.

It’s important to unfollow anyone who doesn’t make you feel good enough. It doesn’t mean you don’t like that person; it’s just that sometimes you compare yourself and don’t feel enough. So, for me, it’s better to unfollow because I don’t want to compare myself; I just want to be me. At the end of the day, being a creative person means being an artist, and to create, you have to feel like you’re in a safe, positive place.

That was one of the best things I did when I started Ashley Valley Consulting—taking my Instagram seriously and cutting off all the high school people. I’m from that generation, and I don’t know if it’s being in Adelaide or what, but showing your face on Instagram might be perceived as being a bit self-important, like "tall poppy syndrome." Maybe I’ve made this up in my head, but when a certain person from high school was looking at my stories, it didn’t make me feel like I wanted to keep doing it, even though plenty of people were engaging positively.

It's about focusing on the people who matter and letting go of those who don't. Doing a good cull of anyone who triggers you is key. Sometimes it might just be noticing who comes up on your feed and then realizing, "Why am I following this person?" If it’s someone who worked for you and they're now posting at their new salon, why would you stalk them? It’s not going to help you at all. I would recommend not following their journey if a staff member leaves. Mute them if you have to, so you don’t see their posts and stories until you’re emotionally ready to engage again.

Be honest about your boundaries. If you need to distance yourself from someone's posts so that they don’t affect you, that’s okay. It’s about protecting your mental space and focusing on your journey, not theirs. Social media is such a bizarre space; we’re all more connected, but not always in a healthy way. It’s about keeping your focus on your own life and business. If a client leaves and goes to another salon, you don’t need to see that. Just focus on your journey and what makes you feel good.