Marketing Your School: How to Do Social Media Right

If you need more students but haven’t yet embraced social media, now is the time. Social media is a cost effective component of marketing and a great promotional tool – when it’s done right.

We’ve compiled some of the best social media advice to help cut through the clutter. Take a deep breath and get ready to take a first step into social media (or freshen up your social landscape) to grow your business!

Nail Down Your Message

The number one most important question you need to ask before embarking on a social media plan: “What do I want potential students to know about my instructors, classes, students and career support?”

Are you known for top-notch instructors? Creative hands-on atmosphere? Job placement after graduation?

Jot down what has made your business successful so far and brought students in the door. Once you’ve wrapped your head around your message, you can take the next step.

Choosing the Platform

Vine is fun, Foursquare is easy, Twitter is fast…and what about Yelp? Social Media can be overwhelming – how do you keep up?

Be realistic and start small. Ask your students where they go online for social media interaction. Younger students might say Instagram, older students might prefer Facebook. Poll your instructors as well – they can give you a peek into what’s working and what attracted them to your school in the first place.

Start with Yelp

Yelp is often the first stop for consumer research – it’s not just for restaurants! If you don’t already have a Yelp page, you can create one here: https://biz.yelp.com/. Once you claim your Yelp listing, flesh out your profile by adding hours, great photos and a link to your website. Yelp has additional tools for business owners so you can create a special offer, message potential students and reply to reviews. Make it a habit to check in on Yelp at least once a week to highlight a particularly glowing review or address a dissatisfied student.

Consider Your Resources

School owners have limited time and energy. How much time do you actually have to devote to social media? Are your instructors able and willing to contribute? Although time and energy can ebb and flow, having a good idea to start can keep you from getting frustrated.

Let Everyone Know!

When a student enrolls, they should be aware that you’re participating in social media. Put a table top card on the front desk with your social media account addresses and display a favorable student review. Ask current and former students to follow you and engage online.

Social Media “No No’s”

Avoid the following or your social media efforts can fall flat.

• 1. No engagement – Ask questions, share relevant anecdotes and request thoughts and feedback.
• 2. Lack of passion – If you’re not excited, how can you expect others to be? Are you excited about an up-and-coming beauty trend? Did you hire a new instructor? Put it out there!
• 3. Constant promotion – Don’t overdo it. You might be excited about fans and followers but…slow down! Make sure you’re engaging and offering information that’s not always a sales pitch.

Finally, if you know social media is a good fit for your school but you just don’t have the knowledge or time, reach out! There are many agencies or individuals that specialize in small business promotion and can give you a great return on investment.