Salon Endorsements: Influencers Or Celebrities?April 10, 2020If you are someone who is an avid follower of social media celebrities and influencer culture, you will know how successful some of them have become. Influencers and celebrities now walk shoulder to shoulder. They are invited to the same events, and many of them have grown to form friendships. Real or fake, who are we to judge! Influencers have increasingly become involved by brands to market their products; some brands go to the extent of showcasing them in their commercials too. Other brands fly influencers to exotic locations and give them a taste of ultimate luxury. The point being, both types of endorsements are well appreciated. Nonetheless, both types of marketing are very different from each other. What’s the difference between a celebrity and an influencer? We have to admit, the line between the two has blurred out in recent years. The differentiating factor between the two has come down to how they have built their following. Influencers create content on social media platforms. Celebrities become famous due to traditional channels like TV, music, radio, film, modeling etc. Followers of celebrities want to know where their favorite celebrity shops, what they eat, and how they look so good. On the other hand, influencers are followed because of their content. Influencers tend to share common interests with their followers, interests they generate content about. From a marketing perspective, it is necessary to know the difference between the two. The strategy you need to implement for your marketing campaign depends on it. Not quite sure how they’re linked? Think about it this way, if Kim Kardashian likes getting weaves, her followers who want to achieve the same look will get them too. If Nikki Tutorials uses a product, you will want to know if it’s worth it. There’s a stark difference in what we expect out of such endorsements. Advantages of Celebrity Endorsements Power Celebrities have been well loved and followed for decades now. Crowds drooled over Marilyn Monroe, her platinum hair and ruby lips. As per conventional standards, she wasn’t attractive, she didn’t have a taut stomach and she had hooded eyes. Celebrities can effortlessly create a following for themselves. Sales will surely go through the roof if a celebrity is taken onboard by a brand! Appeal Every part of the world knows about Beyonce at this point! In the increasingly globalized world we live in, we have access to the work of prominent celebrities. Their recognizable face makes the products more relatable to diverse audiences. Disadvantages of Celebrity Endorsements High risk Most prominent celebrities have signed endorsements with big names in the beauty industry. Emma Stone for Revlon, Sofia Vergara for Covergirl, Eva Longoria for L’Oreal Paris to name some of them. Celebrity endorsements have been going on for decades, but in the past 2 years or so, they have decreased. That’s because the target audience no longer believes the advertisements portrayed. They know that the products mentioned aren’t products actually used by the actresses, mainly because they are drugstore style products and, therefore, not as effective. How many of you will actually believe that the secret behind Sofia Vergara’s hair is Head and Shoulders? Hefty price tag Celebrity endorsements are looked upon skeptically by most. Big names can get any celebrity onboard for the right price. As a salon, you won’t have that kind of money to invest in your marketing campaign and that’s okay! Who can you get to endorse your work? Look for influencers, with small or large followings. Your services should be in line with their content too. Advantages of Influencer Marketing More focused target market Influencer marketing has developed organically into a way of targeting specific online audiences. Influencers are followed for their views and expertise in a specific area. Lucky for you, the beauty community of influencers has grown leaps and bounds. Hair care, hair styling, makeup, and skin care are always going to be popular interests among followers and influencers. Such an industry is highly commerce-rich. Innovative and unique content Influencers are known for the style of content they make. As a brand, if you hire an influencer for your marketing campaign, you have to let them play by their own rules. They know the best ways to interact with their audience and they know the best selling techniques too, techniques that are well appreciated. On the bright side, your salon won’t have to brainstorm content ideas for the influencer! Disadvantages of Influencer Marketing Budding industry Influencer marketing is quite a new venture. Previously influencers were sent PR packages for reviews but now brands collaborate with influencers and give them a share in the pie. Many processes in this industry are yet to be set into stone. With no guidebook available on the subject, brands and influencers are working to the best of their abilities to make such collaborations work. The full potential of influencer marketing is yet to be achieved. Selecting an influencer Selecting the right influencer for your salon isn’t an easy task. You will have to follow their work for a while before you come to any conclusion. The right face for your salon would be someone who believes in the same ideology as you. If your salon is all about wellness then a lifestyle influencer is your go to, if your salon is about making a bold statement then a more risqué blogger needs to be chosen. What is best for your salon? There are two decision-making points for this question How much money can I invest in my marketing campaign? Every brand has a marketing budget to work with. In the salon industry, some salons are highly popular with clients all over the world. On the other end of the spectrum, you could be a more modest, local salon. Salons with a big budget can afford to sign on celebrities as their face. On the other hand, if you have a limited budget to work with or you are a small salon, an influencer is a good choice. The smaller the salon, the more we encourage salon owners to invest their time and effort into micro-influencers. They are more than capable of convincing their audience to visit your salon, don’t you worry! What outcome am I looking for? Sometimes, even if you have the big budget to work with, you don’t necessarily want a celebrity. You know that celebrities can have volatile careers and so it could hurt the image of your business badly if something were to happen. You can’t keep track of all of their activities and chances are, they will break the terms of your contract at some point. As mentioned in the beginning of the piece, celebrities are followed out of inquisitiveness. Their audience won’t expect value out of the products and services they endorse. Influencers, on the other hand, are seen as trustworthy. Their audience will easily believe their claims on a product or service. Salon Income Booster is a great online platform that discloses all such information to improve the sales of your salon. We provide marketing solutions and upselling salon service techniques to help your salon reach its full potential.