Building a branded website that converts (a.k.a., gets your target market into your chair or attracts your dream team) can feel impossible.
But it is possible… All without a pricey web designer or bribing your best friend’s blogger cousin with a free haircut.
Let’s dig into your website building for beauty professional FAQs to make building your own branded, effective website feels easier than ever!
“I know I should offer online booking, but what if I don’t like the idea of offering online booking to my clients?”
The beauty of online booking is it allows your clients to book an appointment without calling. As a society, we’ve decided we prefer texting and email for personal and professional communication.
If you don’t want to offer online booking, allow clients to request appointments through a special email address on your website. Commit to checking that email address twice a day to assist your clients.
“Should I have a gallery or portfolio page on my site?”
Yes and no. Portfolios with 20 or more images are great, but skip the Instagram shots or the six pictures on your phone. Instead, stock your portfolio with eye-catching professional or clean photos in great lighting.
Make sure to add to your portfolio quarterly.
“What should I include in the stylist bio section?”
This is the only area where you should be more casual and share some fun personal information. We suggest breaking it down into three paragraphs:
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Your career and education
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Your specialties
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Get personal. Clients like to know what your hobbies are and want to connect with you on an emotional level.
“Where can I find the gorgeous images needed for my site?”
There are few options here. You could…
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Hire a professional photographer to take shots of you, your team (if needed), your workspace, and you working on a client. That is enough to get you started and usually costs a couple hundred dollars.
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When you work on clients, take great after pictures with good lighting and a clean backdrop. It’s surprising how great a picture on your smartphone looks when you set the stage correctly.
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If all else fails, find beautiful stock images that will appeal to your target market. Don’t upload generic, pretty pictures on your site. Clients will relate better to pictures of your own work or candid stock images than the glamour-shot style photos.
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“What website platform should I use?”
Our preferred platforms for all beauty professionals are WIX and Squarespace. Both are customizable and integrate with any online booking software. You can also add videos, an online store, a blog, and so much more.
Wix has a little more customization than Squarespace, but both are great choices to use!
Want to grab the ultimate plug-and-play website templates? Check out the Website Academy Templates! They are designed from the ground up to get your website up and ready to go in one weekend!
“How do you get a web address?”
There are tons of web address hosting sites where you can buy a web domain (web site address). GoDaddy, HostGator and Bluehost, to name a few, are popular options. WIX and Squarespace can also set you up with a domain through their site or transfer an existing domain into their system.
“Do you need anything special to sell products online?”
Yes and no. You need a resale license or certificate, which you can get through your county or state. If you sell retail in your salon, you already have one. If you don’t, take care of that ASAP.
If you plan to sell product you purchased from a major brand’s sales consultant, it’s a good idea to let them know.
Don’t forget to research shipping costs and stock up on boxes. You should box, address, and ship orders within than 24 hours of being placed.
Be wise about jumping into online product sales. It can be a great source of income, but it also requires a plan and organization.
Building your own website can feel intimidating, but we’ll be 100%: it’s the best way to create a curated, converting site that your target market will love.
If you need help building a website or want to get a quality site up ASAP, check out the Website Academy Templates! We’ve done the hard work for you so your install time is cut in half!
