Marketing Vs. Sales Fog

Today I will address a topic that makes some people uncomfortable.
Why?
Because in the world of digitalization and virtual life, unfortunately, there is still the opinion that marketing and paid ads are "selling the fog", a shame, and proof that you are worthless.

Let's take a lash or nail technician for example. Or a technician (we're mostly women though, sorry, guys😉)
You've completed your education, opened your salon, invested in the interior, materials, and further technical development, and let's be honest, your work is excellent. You have a few clients, they're happy, and occasionally a new client comes along, but not fast enough for you to cover all your expenses and actually make a profit from your work.
You seek advice and everyone tells you to be patient, that quality will find quality. That it takes time for the right clients to find their way to your salon. And that every product has its buyer. Of course, all of that is true.
Unless maybe it isn't .
Unless we've reached a stage where the market is oversaturated with beauty salon offerings. Everyone does nails, eyelashes, shading, microblading, ombre, balayage, flamboyage, hybrid, classic, Russian, almond, ballerina, gothic (I don't know if this exists)... the options are endless. Everywhere you turn, there are services offered. Some are good, some are bad, some can't even be called a service, but even that has its customer.
Everything is screaming with offers.
Do you want a super discount, a mega discount, promotions, reactions, here, there...

And you, you're still sitting in your salon waiting for quality to find quality, because someone told you that only losers pay for advertising.

Let me tell you something and I hope it helps you.

Feel free to place an ad on IG or FB if ​​you see that change isn't happening on its own. If you have connections in the media, use them. If you have a marketing expert, ask them for advice. If you know a celebrity, collaborate. If you know people who know people, go for it.
Why?
Because the clients you want and know exist, don't know that YOU exist. Because they need to be focused on you . They need to be shown where to come.
And when they come to you - then you will show what you really know and how much you are worth.

We live in a world of social networks. On every social network, there are options for paid ads with which you can determine your target, the target group of people you would like to have as your clients. No offense to clients, of course. But it is known that there are salons where you don't order, or you wait a very long time for an appointment. There are salons that work only for a certain part of the day and are not able to receive clients who, for example, they work all day and need more flexible appointments. There are, of course, clients who like cheaper and who like more expensive. Clients who love luxury and those for whom it is not important.
There are all kinds of us and there is a place for everyone.

And so you can pay a certain amount of money and activate an ad to run within a radius of, say, 10 kilometers around your salon.
Yes, you can also specify the location.
Maybe you know someone who knows "someone." And that "someone" agrees to have their eyelashes or nails done in exchange for a great photo in that same ad.

Do you feel like you're cheating on someone? Don't!
You just paid for an ad so people would know you exist. If that "someone" will draw attention to your work, then it's bingo! Because you KNOW you have something to offer and you just want the chance for others to see it.

Social media contests are marketing.

Share, Like & Comment, and that's marketing.

The first 3 that come up are marketing.
Almost gone...

It's all MARKETING.
Everyone finds what suits them best for their job.

Back in the day, we would make flyers and hand them out. We would put them under people's windshield wipers. Or we would pull the sleeve of an unknown group of people who were rushing past you in the middle of downtown, while you were just trying to show them that you existed and that they would look at that flyer, so that it wouldn't end up in the first trash can. Paid ads are the modern version of handing out flyers.

Every entrepreneur who sells a specific product or service will invest in marketing. It's not for nothing that all large companies have marketing departments. These departments are the foundation of functioning, because every product has its buyer, and time is too precious to sit and wait. Instead of waiting for clients to find you - find them. Show them what you offer. And finally, prove to them that they were not wrong in their decision to put themselves in your hands.

There are few lucky people who can achieve success without the help of marketing these days. Not because they are less skilled or capable, but because a few years ago everything was much simpler. And there wasn't as much on offer.
At that time, there was a beauty salon in the neighborhood, let's call it "Marija", where Mrs. Marija, a master of her craft, worked. She didn't have Facebook or IG, but the whole neighborhood went to see her because there weren't hundreds of "Ivan Nokta", "Gog Ekstenzija Trepavica" and the like around her.

Back then, people didn't search for everything on the internet.

In a sea of ​​possibilities, stand out with a strategy that works for you. Know that you have many options and that there is a solution for every problem. Think like an entrepreneur and make sure you run a successful business with quality service.

PS Any resemblance to real people and names is coincidental.
Apologies to all the Ivans, Marijas and Gogas😊

Have a nice working week everyone
Xx
Martina Kallos