Being a professional freelance hairdresser can be liberating and financially rewarding.
You have the freedom to create your own schedule and your creativity has an outlet. If you know how to brand yourself! Like any freelancer, getting work in the field of cosmetology requires a lot of self-promotion because name recognition is essential to your success.
Brand Yourself
By developing a strong name, you stand out among other makeup and hair stylists and become a unique brand unto yourself. It should be striking and memorable so that it really sticks out. With a unique name, you increase word of mouth and increase repeat business. Look up nearby hairstylists and make-up artists and see what names they are using and you will get an idea of what they are doing.
Get Active
Once you have your name, you need to make it yours. Get active on Facebook, Twitter and all of the relevant social media sites. Instagram is especially good for visual mediums because it relies mostly on images and your trade is all about image. This will require a lot of time and effort because you will need to stay on top of social marketing. This will help you stay culturally relevant.
Be Professional
When you use social media to promote your business self, it is essential that you keep your personal life private or at least separate from your marketing persona. Keep your posts relevant to your line of work. Avoid personal drama, posts about your weekend partying and political opinions. This will detract from your professional appearance. No matter how culturally relevant you portray yourself, you must also cultivate an atmosphere of professionalism.
Stay Relevant
You can comment on the latest fashions and Hollywood trends. In fact, as a stylist it is a crucial tool as people will always follow their favorite celebrities and gossip about them. Engaging in commentary about media figures and commenting on what is and is not working for them in regards to their look is a sure fire way to build up your fashion cred.
By doing this, people interested in your services will be more apt to seek out your expertise and look to you as a fashion authority. This is also a good way to build word of mouth.
Develop Your Skill
If you have not yet attended a professional academy, you need to do so. You can only go so far on natural talent and like all careers, professional training will take you from being good to exceptional. In any creative field, it is the exceptional ones who create brand names and position themselves as freelance hairstylists.
If you desire to further your career as a hair and make-up stylist, visit Avenue Five. Take a free tour of the academy and see how they are molding and fostering the best creative talent in cosmetology.