6 insider tips for finding a salon or barbershop on Instagram

The search for a new barbershop or salon can be a daunting task and in a world where social media rules and businesses market themselves – we’d confidently guess that Instagram would be one of your first points of research. But how much of what you see and what you’re told on social media can you take as gospel – after all, a lot of what you’re seeing are highlights of a much bigger picture which has most likely been cropped, filtered and edited down to portray an ideal. This practice isn’t anything new of course. Service providers have been doing this for decades in an attempt to garner your business and loyalty. Today, this endeavor has become a lot more accessible with the advent of smartphones, social media, and technology so even the smallest brands can showcase themselves to the world in unprecedented ways.

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A barbershop, salon, barber or stylist that is solely focused on communicating to other salons, barbers or stylists isn’t talking to you, and if they’re not talking to you then they’re not doing it for you.

 

For example, barbershops and salons can not only show you what their business looks like, but the barbers and stylists themselves can portfolio their work, tag it, and direct their audience to wherever they like. When you stumble upon a barbershop or salon on social media that you like, you will most likely be drawn to their great images. These images typically show the décor, brand identity and, of course, images of hair. You will most likely find three or four salons in your neighborhood that are following the same formula. Each showcasing their best body of work and there isn’t anything wrong with that – isn’t that the point of social media after all?

So how do you choose where to go and who to see when everyone is showing you a trailer to the best feature-length film ever made? The answer is to look beneath the surface. I’ll explain what I mean in these 6 easy tips below!

1. Who are they talking to? If you come across a barbershop or salon feed or hair related image on Instagram look at the hashtags, account tags and image description. Only see industry-related tags and descriptions? Scroll on. A barbershop, salon, barber or stylist that is solely focused on communicating to other salons, barbers or stylists isn’t talking to you, and if they’re not talking to you then they’re not doing it for you. Look for someone who is not only showing you what they can do but is also advising and looking at you as someone they value, not a canvas for the most likes from the hair community.

2. Are they advising? Salons and barbershops are a service industry, which means they are there to provide maximum value to you. If a barbershop, salon, barber or stylists are there to advise you offline then they should be doing the same online. Look for a feed that makes you feel like the organization or individual is knowledgeable in what they do – but buyer beware, you’re looking for advice on things like how to maintain your colour or how to apply a pomade and not an education in how to do a square layer or the correct way to apply highlights.

3. Who are they? This one is more directed at barbershops and salons rather than individuals. A good salon should actively showcase their biggest assets which are their staff, after all, there isn’t much going on without them and one could argue that the staff is the company. Look for somewhere that tells you very clearly about who they have working for them, why they’re working for them, where have they come from, what industry achievements they have, what their work looks like and generally seems to openly support and encourage each other. It is a fact that supported and respected staff are happy staff – no surprise there.

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Surprise, surprise there is a lot of ego in the hair community. A barbershop or salon that is all me, me, me usually just cares about exactly that.

 

4. Are they developing their people? A great salon or barbershop like any business should be actively developing their people. If you see a feed that gives an indication the staff is engaged in training or the company is developing their people through in-house or external resources, it’s a great sign. Education is a pretty hot topic in the hair industry right now and a salon or barbershop that invests in this is investing in you, the customer.

5. Is it all me, me, me? Surprise, surprise there is a lot of ego in the hair community. A barbershop or salon that is all me, me, me usually just cares about exactly that. However, if they engage in celebrating the guests that come into see them as a way of thanks or are involved in the community or event-related activities you can start to feel confident that their brand mantra goes beyond “look at how amazing we are”

6. Google it! Yes, that’s right, you found one you like now Google them (if you haven’t already). I include google because in a way it’s a form of social media through its ability to allow users to contribute and engage. Search the business listing in Google and see what’s what. Often guests will upload images to the barbershop or salons Google business page, giving you an insider’s eye to what’s happening. Also, a well put together Google listing demonstrates that the business is keen to show off their assets. Of course, you can also scroll through the reviews to get an idea of what people like and don’t like about a place. Just beware, not all reviews are born equal and in the age where everyone is a critic, you must take some with a pinch of proverbial salt. A one-star rating because everything was awesome, but the coffee was cold or a review saying the pricing was “too expensive” for that person is not the best indicator of whether an establishment should get your business – read between the lines.

I hope these six pointers help you in your search for a new barbershop, salon or stylist when searching on Instagram and social media in general. It is by no means a complete list but rather a good starting point for making the right choices.

Best of luck out there!

-Thom

Thom Robins is the Owner and Creative of Vancouver men’s salon thom.