Barbershop Marketing – Best Strategies That Yield Results

Every barbershop business will eventually need to develop a marketing strategy to attract new customers. Free haircuts and printed flyers will only get you so far. If you feel this doesn’t work anymore, it’s time to think outside the box and implement a field-proven barbershop marketing strategy that’ll take your business to the next level.

The ultimate goal? To turn potential customers into recurring customers.

Let’s see how!

How to Develop a Barbershop Marketing Strategy From Scratch?

Developing a successful barbershop marketing strategy requires more than just creative ideas- it takes careful planning, research, and understanding of what will work best, depending on your circumstances. Regardless if you’re opening a new shop or looking to revitalize your current marketing efforts, the first step is always to focus on building a solid foundation. 

A strong marketing strategy isn’t just about attracting new clients either; it’s about creating a long-term plan that fosters customer loyalty and builds your brand reputation.

Know your target audience

Conducting market research

If you want to know who your target audience is, you should conduct market research. In fact, this research should be done as soon as you decide to start a barbershop and start writing your business plan.

Market research involves a variety of methods, including focus groups, analyzing demographic data, and surveying your existing clients. Social media insights and online reviews can also provide valuable information. Pay attention to factors such as their age, gender, interests, and income levels. All in all, you should look for patterns among your current clients.

Once you clearly understand your target audience, you’ll be better equipped to communicate with them effectively. You can also turn potential customers into new clients. Learn exactly what content to share on your social media feeds and improve your social media marketing strategy. Offering promotions that cater to their specific needs will increase your chances of attracting and retaining them.

However, the question of defining a target audience is not without debate. While some will tell you to start from the market, others will advise you to start from the business. Ultimately, most will agree that using segmentation is the key to success.

Simply put, segmentation involves grouping customers based on shared behaviors or characteristics. For example, people may book appointments at a barbershop because they want to look their best for a special occasion. Understanding what motivates your clients to seek your services will help refine your marketing strategy.

Thus, segmentation becomes vital in your barbershop marketing strategy because it helps you create your buyer personas. You will build the biography of your potential customers and can plan your advertising accordingly. Thanks to this, you can adjust your services, prices, landing page, loyalty programs, business cards, and branding.

Understanding your competition

While knowing your target audience is crucial, it’s equally important to understand your competition. You need to know what’s already out there so you know how to differentiate your brand. A thorough analysis of competing barbershops in your area can provide valuable insights into what works- and what doesn’t – in the industry.

Take a look at what other barbershops are offering, what their pricing structure is, and how they market themselves. You can also learn from their online presence – what’s resonating with their audience and what’s being ignored?

This research will allow you to identify gaps in the market where you can position your barbershop to attract clients who feel underserved by other local businesses.

Developing a customer persona

Before getting to customer management and actually working with clients, you first have to develop a customer persona. This strategy will help you know what people to target in your barber shop advertising efforts.

Once you define this, you can reach a larger audience and ultimately provide a better customer experience. Remember that the happy customer is the one who returns.

But what makes an audience a “target” for your barbershop? The answer is simple – the things they have in common. Now, you have to create a product-market fit. This means you need to focus your barbershop services on your target audience’s needs.

For example, it could work like

• Location: Local businesses must consider where their potential customers live (how near or far from the barbershop).
• Age: How old are your model customers, and what trends do they follow?
• Income: What kind of income do they have? How much are you willing to charge for your services? Can your audience afford them?
• Demographics: Consider the type of hair that you’ll be cutting or styling.
• Lifestyle: What habits and way of life are your customers accustomed to?

Standard customer personas for a barbershop

Busy professionals: They are typically males between 25 and 45. Their income is high, but their schedules are tight. If you want to attract new customers of this kind, consider offering premium services and fast solutions. They can afford them and are willing to pay extra to save some time.

Style-conscious millennials: You can get great marketing ideas if you think about this group. Usually, they are between 18 and 35 years old and are interested in appearances. They are willing to try bold new styles and are influenced by social media marketing. A Facebook page, an Instagram account, and a TikTok profile would all be a good way to reach this audience.

Budget-conscious family heads: They are usually between 30 and 50 years old and don’t have much money to spare. They will look for affordable prices and a community-oriented environment.

Top 10 Barbershop Advertising Strategies to Grow Your Business

Here are some barbershop marketing ideas to help you boost your local business.

1. Use printed advertising

Although it may seem outdated, you may be surprised to hear that printed ads still greatly impact people’s decisions. Barbershops of all sizes can benefit from well-placed print ads in the right locations.

Printed advertising, whether in local newspapers, magazines, or flyers, can help you increase brand recognition and attract foot traffic to your shop. In all cases, ads must be appealing to the eye and have the essential details of your barbershop business. This includes services, the name of the business, and contact details. Offering discounts in these ads is also a good option. For example, offering 15% off to those who come in and bring the flyer with can be enough to get people motivated to check out your business. 

2. Update Google My Business profile

A well-maintained Google My Business profile is essential for any barbershop aiming to attract local customers. This free tool allows your barbershop to appear in local search results and on Google Maps, making it easier for potential clients to find you when they search for services nearby.

To capitalize on this, make sure your business profile is up to date with accurate information. Include your business name, address, contact details, hours of operation, and a link to your website. 

Local search has become so popular that there is a 900% increase in searches that include the phrases “near me” or “close by,” and Google is the most popular search engine.

In addition to basic info, upload high-quality photos of your barbershop, your team, and your work. Photos can make a huge difference in attracting customers, as they provide a glimpse of what clients can expect when they visit. Besides all this, your profile will show a star rating based on customer experience, so be sure to prompt satisfied clients to leave a review. 

3. Use email marketing and direct mail

Even though it was out of fashion for a while, email marketing is now more alive than ever. It allows you to stay connected with your current clients and reach potential customers with targeted messages. This is a great channel for announcing new services, upcoming events or offering limited-time discounts. Pro tip: Create a compelling subject line to boost email open rates.

Emails, too, must be visually appealing and have a call to action. You can also include a picture or two but don’t overdo it, as your mail can end up in spam. If you are going to send your promotions through SMS, make sure the message is concise. Don’t forget to include relevant links, like your website or online scheduling page.

4. Implement promotions and discounts

Offering promotions and discounts is one of the most effective ways to attract new customers and retain existing ones. A well-timed discount can create a sense of urgency and encourage people to book an appointment or try your services for the first time.

Consider offering special deals for first-time customers, holiday promotions, or discounts for referrals. You can also bundle services together at a discounted price or offer seasonal specials to keep your offerings fresh.

Once you create your deals offering, be sure to market them via your website, social media, email newsletters, and in-store to maximize visibility. Here, the more, the better is the right approach. 

5. Build an online presence

Having a strong online presence is important for any barbershop that is looking to expand its reach and attract new clients. With the majority of customers searching for services online, a well-established digital footprint can set you apart from the competition.

Create social media profiles

If you are looking to build brand awareness and connect with your audience, there is truly no channel like social media to help you do so. Create profiles on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, where you can showcase your work, share promotions, and engage with potential clients. While this may seem like a lot of work, especially on top of your other duties, keep in mind that you don’t have to devote all your time to social media platforms; rather, you have to choose which ones to create and which ones are not really important, depending on your target audience.

Be sure to showcase your work, share promotions, and engage with potential clients. Post consistently, share behind-the-scenes content and client testimonials and interact with followers to foster a loyal community. Social media is also a great way to run targeted ads, offering promotions directly to people in your local area.

Make a website

With a website, you can present your services to the world. It’s your opportunity to get more clients and go beyond the limits of your neighborhood.

Taking your business online allows you to reach a wider audience and enable your barbershop name and logo to go viral. Moreover, a website gives you plenty of room to share your knowledge, together with the most important business information. Here are some guidelines:

• Include a portfolio with pictures of your best work.
• Include contact details and ensure it’s easy for new customers to contact you.
• Make your price list available.
• Include your promotions.
• Add a blog section where you can share your expertise.

6. Launch a Google ads campaign

As we already mentioned, the best way to reach your target audience that is actively searching for barbershop services is through Google ads. When someone types in a search query like “barbershop near me” or “best haircut in the city,” you want your barbershop to appear at the top of the search results.

That’s the key advantage of Google Ads: it lets you reach people who are ready to make a booking immediately. Google Ads allows you to set a specific geographic radius for your ads, ensuring you’re not wasting your budget on people who are too far away. For example, you could set your campaign to target a 5-mile radius around your barbershop, increasing the likelihood that the people seeing your ad are already within reach.

Another important element of a successful Google Ads campaign is your landing page. When users click on your ad, they should be directed to a well-optimized page that makes it easy for them to schedule an appointment. Ensure that your page is mobile-friendly, as many users will be coming from their phones, and provide an online scheduling tool or a quick contact form.

Lastly, it’s crucial to keep track of your ad performance. Google Ads offers a lot of data, including click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost-per-click (CPC) metrics, which will help you understand what’s working and what isn’t.

Optimizing your local SEO results

Choose your keywords

Firstly, write down a set of words that describe your services. Go for phrases like barber, hair salon, hair coloring, or haircuts nearby. Once you do this, set up your Google Adwords account.

Optimize your keywords

The key to a successful Google Ads campaign lies in selecting the right keywords to target. These are the terms potential clients are typing into Google when they search for services like yours.

Once you’ve chosen your keywords, you’ll need to incorporate them into your Google Ads campaign. The more relevant and targeted your keywords, the better your chances of connecting with customers who are ready to book an appointment.

Optimize your website

Make sure your main pages look stunning. They must have the relevant information and load fast. This includes a service page, a homepage, an about page, and a contact page. Other options are a FAQ section and a blog. This will be your website’s structure, which you must optimize carefully. Lastly, make sure you include your most relevant keywords here as well.

7. Offer loyalty and referral programs

Even if your clients are happy with the service you provide, they may not always think to recommend your barbershop to their friends or family. They need an incentive. Thus, referral programs will encourage customers to refer friends to you, and you will reach more people.

A referral program works by offering rewards or discounts to customers who refer new clients to your shop. This could include offering a free haircut after a certain number of successful referrals or providing a discount for both the referrer and the referee. For example, a program like “Refer a friend, get 20% off your next haircut” can encourage clients to talk about your services with their friends, knowing they’ll receive a tangible benefit in return. The essence of this strategy is that prospective customers tend to rely more on people they know than on flyers.

8. Advertise through TV and radio

For local businesses, TV and radio advertising can be an incredibly powerful tool to increase brand awareness and attract new customers. Despite the rise of digital marketing, traditional media channels like television and radio still hold a strong influence, especially if you are trying to reach an older audience. 

Whether it’s a catchy radio jingle or a visual TV spot, these outlets can help get your barbershop in front of a large, engaged audience. You can place an ad during peak listening or viewing times. Include a call to action and all your business information.

Your main goal should always be ensuring that potential clients know how to easily contact your barbershop. A memorable phone number, website URL, or clear instructions to visit your location will make the process seamless for anyone interested in your services.

9. Leverage positive reviews and backlinks

With backlinks and reviews, you can optimize your site. In a way, this is Google’s way of verifying your reputation. If you have good reviews and good sites linking back to your webpage, Google will rank you higher.

This barbershop marketing strategy consists of getting backlinks from reputable domains. It is a great way to prove that you’re trustworthy.

Something similar happens with positive reviews. Encourage your clients to leave a Google review. This will only take them seconds, and it will help you build a significant relationship with your current customers. Do this, and you’ll be surprised at the results.

10. Run social media ads and PPC campaigns

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Similar to Google Ads, social media ads are a highly effective way to increase your barbershop’s visibility and attract new clients. Having an online presence is vital nowadays, as it allows you to communicate with your customers. And platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok will help you target local customers based on interests, behaviors, and demographics, allowing you to reach the right audience at the right time.

One of the key advantages of social media ads is the ability to showcase your work in a visually engaging way. People spend a lot of time scrolling through social media, so you need ads that catch their attention. High-quality photos, videos of your services in action, and even behind-the-scenes content can all be used to create ads that stand out.

Running social media ads also gives you the option to promote time-sensitive deals like discounts for first-time clients or special holiday promotions. 

PPC (Pay Per Click)

PPC is an excellent tool for barbershop marketing.

It consists of publishing ads on search results and paying for each click you get. Besides optimizing your marketing costs, this helps you attract relevant clients.

Each ad must include a call to action so that people contact you or visit your website. Don’t forget to include a negative keyword list to prevent your ads from showing to the wrong audience.

Collaborative Barbershop Marketing Ideas

Focus on collaborating with other businesses to increase your visibility. You can partner with local businesses, sponsor events, and establish a referral marketing campaign. You’ll find that this is a great way to get new clients.

Partner with local businesses

All business owners are after the same thing: success. So, why not collaborate to help each other achieve mutual goals?

At this point, you must find a business category that’s related to your services without offering the exact same thing. For example, you can connect with grooming product stores. Contact them and offer them an agreement. While you offer their products in your barbershop, they can promote your shop at their stores. You can even offer coupons for one another’s clients.

Sponsor events

This is another great way to promote your shop. Build valuable networks with other players in your area by sponsoring or holding events. For instance, sponsor a charity event. Another option is to host a competition related to your services, like a beard and mustache competition, to create brand awareness.

Barbershop Marketing Through Influencers

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Influencers take the concept of word of mouth to the next level. While one customer can reach three or four people, an influencer can reach hundreds. So, make deals with social media influencers or popular YouTube channels to get more brand exposure.

Anyway, make sure that you contact the right people. The influencer must have a good reputation and fit your business spirit. Ideally, they have to speak to the same audience and be in the same area as you.

How to identify relevant influencers and partner with them

Research is step one. They can be YouTubers, Instagramers, or bloggers, but they should speak to an audience that’s interested in your services.

Once you identify them, you can reach out to them and propose a partnership. For instance, you can offer them free haircuts in exchange for a post in their feeds.

Leverage influencers to grow your barber shop advertising ideas

Content: They can help you create amazing content. Sometimes, brands struggle to create the amount of content their social media needs. Your influencer partner can help you strengthen your online presence.

SEO: Provide them with discounts or freebies, and ask them to include a link to your website. Including this in a blog entry is a good idea because more people will be able to find you.

Attend events: By partnering with influential people, you can make yourself known within the community. For example, go to product launches and make sure your brand is visible.

Brand awareness: An ongoing collaboration will be helpful for your barbershop marketing, especially when you work with local influencers. Let’s say your barbershop is located in Los Angeles – offer top LA influencers free treatments in exchange for ongoing posts. 

Community-Focused Barbershop Marketing Ideas

Hosting community events is a good marketing idea. You can organize gatherings or support charity causes. Either way, you’ll make your brand visible so that everyone in the community recognizes it.

All in all, the purpose of these gatherings must be to entertain people while they get to know your barbershop.

Here are a few marketing ideas that may inspire you:

• Organize board game gatherings and invite people to have a good time. Healthy competition is a great way to promote companionship. Make sure there are snacks and beverages for everyone.
• Organize a haircut event to drive customers into your shop. You can relate the event to popular occasions like the FIFA World Cup, Christmas, Father’s Day, etcetera. If the football championship is about to start, you can get a Messi-style haircut at a discount.
• Host get-togethers for matches like the Super Bowl or the NBA playoffs. Such a strategy will bring you a lot of returning clients, especially if they have a good time.
• Organize charity events or fundraisers. For example, you can host a head-shaving event and gather funds for victims of cancer.

Any of these barbershop marketing ideas will help you promote your brand and get new clients.

Benefits of community outreach

The essence of these events is that they enable you to build connections. By becoming a trusted member of the community, you can expect to have a loyal audience.

Increase your visibility and reach new areas of your community, thus reaching new potential clients. Community outreach can also work wonders for your reputation because people will view you as generous.

All you have to do is make sure that attendees have an amazing time at your event. Also, make sure you provide value to the community. In between, you can always offer referrals, promotions, discounts, and free haircuts.

ROI 101: Measuring the Success of Your Barbershop Marketing Campaigns

A powerful marketing strategy has to bring benefits. Hence, you must make sure you get your investment back.

Ideally, a campaign should bring you more money than you invest. The minimum ROI must be one dollar for every dollar you spend.

The importance of having measurable goals

When you create a campaign, the first thing you must set up is your objective. The more measurable it is, the better. Choosing your objective first is the foundation on which to build all the other campaign details.

Here are some questions that might help you:

• What is the timescale for this project?
• What financial result do you want to achieve?
• What non-financial gains will you obtain?
• What’s the budget that you can allocate to this campaign?

Track and analyze your data

Estimating your ROI is quite simple. Take the value of your investment and subtract how much it costs, then divide it by the investment cost.

Simply speaking, you must take the revenue your campaign brings and subtract the expenses. The result is divided by the cost. Thus, you’ll know the return you get per dollar that you spend.

With this simple procedure, you can quickly understand what works and what doesn’t. The next step is to adjust your marketing strategy to get better results.

The result of your analysis is the basis on which you must build the next marketing steps. Among other things, this involves changing the message, targeting other audiences, or investing more money in certain channels. All in all, making decisions based on analytics will help you optimize your marketing efforts. Also, you can avoid unnecessary expenses.

How Automation Tools Can Transform Your Barbershop

Automation tools help facilitate various business processes that eat away your time and impact your productivity.

Besides reducing the time you spend on routine marketing tasks, these solutions can help you manage online booking and scheduling (an essential part of every service business out there), streamline employee management, and handle payment processes.

This translates into better use of your time and a better experience for customers, which does wonders for word-of-mouth marketing.

Get a good automation resource for your barbershop, and you’ll see immediate results.

Barbershop marketing automation

Marketing automation is a great way to optimize your barbershop marketing efforts. Why waste time doing everything manually when you can automate the entire process, kick back, and watch your customer base grow over time?

You’ve probably heard about Mailchimp and SendFox, which are awesome software designed to help you create automated email campaigns. There are also Google Analytics and Meta Pixel (previously known as Facebook Pixel), which help analyze customer behavior and fine-tune your content and your ads.

While all these tools work great on their own, what if we told you that there is a way to have access to them all via a single solution?

This solution is called Trafft.

Final Thoughts on the Best Barbershop Marketing Strategies

These strategies provide a strong foundation to launch your barbershop marketing campaign and take your business to the next level.

If you’re passionate about styling and hair care, owning your own barbershop can be incredibly rewarding. However, running a successful business requires more than just skill—it requires the right marketing and management strategies. 

For those who are starting, everything will seem difficult, but things get better as you get more experience.

You can choose to continue with traditional advertising methods like print ads, billboards, and direct emails; you may find these approaches useful. Nonetheless, a digital strategy can help you grow your business and reach new levels. You’ll have to become familiar with social media, website optimization, email marketing, and analytics to do this.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to other local businesses or influencers. Events, coupons, and referral systems can also be of great help. To launch a good barber shop advertising campaign, make sure to set your objectives clearly. Then, establish what steps you need to take to reach the said objective, and before you know it, you’ll get there. 

FAQs on Barbershop Marketing

What are the most effective advertising channels for a barbershop?

Social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter), Google AdWords, local newspapers, and radio are some of the best offline and online advertising options for a barbershop.

To get your name out there, you should run advertising that specifically targets your demographic and maybe even show up at some local events.

How can I create a unique and memorable brand for my barbershop?

Establish your barbershop as a distinct entity by giving it a one-of-a-kind logo, color palette, and layout.

Give your customers your whole attention and work to create a memorable in-store experience. Introduce yourself and what you stand for to potential customers, and make sure your marketing messages all sound like they came from the same person.

What is the ideal budget for barber shop advertising?

Depending on the scope and location of your barbershop, different marketing strategies will yield different results.

As a first step, set aside a sum of money (between 5 and 10 percent) to spend on advertising. Keep an eye on your campaigns’ performance and make any necessary changes to your spending to get the best return on investment.

How can I leverage social media platforms to promote my barbershop?

Use social media to your advantage by producing interesting material like behind-the-scenes videos, fashion advice, and customer endorsements.

Get in front of local consumers by placing tailored adverts.

Followers should be interacted with through the use of comments and direct messages, and customers should be prompted to share their experiences with others online.

What are the best practices for targeting local customers through advertising?

Advertise online using location-based targeting and attend events in your area to meet potential clients face-to-face.

Make cross-promotional deals with other neighboring establishments.

Boost your visibility in local search results by using search engine optimization techniques to tweak your website and social media profiles for your target area.

How can I use online reviews and testimonials to enhance my barbershop’s reputation?

Inspire happy clients to share their experiences on social media and search engines.

Highlight positive reviews on your website and social media pages. A commitment to client satisfaction can be demonstrated by how you handle both good and negative feedback.

What are some creative promotional ideas to attract new clients to my barbershop?

First-time customer discounts, “men’s night” and “ladies’ day” events, partnerships with local influencers, and limited-time deals are all examples of ingenious methods of barbershop marketing.

Promotions such as loyalty programs, referral bonuses, and freebies can help you spread the word about your business.

How can I track the success of my barbershop marketing campaigns and measure their return on investment (ROI)?

Create quantifiable objectives and use analytics software to monitor the efficacy of your advertising initiatives. Track important indicators, including traffic, sales, and participation.

Return on investment (ROI) can be determined by comparing the price of campaigns to the money they bring in.

Should I hire a professional marketing agency or handle advertising in-house for my barbershop?

Whether you employ the services of a marketing firm or handle advertising in-house is a decision that needs to be made with consideration given to your resources, your knowledge, and your availability.

While doing advertising in-house could potentially save money, outsourcing to an agency would mean missing out on the specific knowledge and experience that such a team would bring.

Think about what you want and what you have available in order to make the greatest selection for your barbershop.

How important is maintaining a consistent brand image across all advertising channels for my barbershop?

If you want your brand to be trusted and recognized, it’s important to keep your marketing messages consistent across all platforms.

Maintaining a constant visual style, voice, and messaging is essential to building a memorable and unique brand identity for your barbershop that will resonate with your target demographic.