Start by delivering amazing service to existing customers (it sounds like you already are), and they'll do most of the work for you. Expedite, by running a contest for a "free repair credit" at your company via your existing social media channels to build your audience, and have a clause included that the winner agrees to deliver a google+ review about their service upon collection. That way, you've got increased SEO (google+ reviews are huge this year), plus increased legitimacy (everyone reads reviews). PLUS, an additional raving fan. I shattered my iphone a year ago and a friend who worked for the Boost Mobile near my house sent me there and took care of it for free. They were quick and sweet and I have sent them at least 10 referrals since then...

I've tested every system I could possibly find (and am constantly on the lookout for the next best thing to aggregate and streamline all of my social media management) and so far, the best thing out there right now is Sprout Social. It's super reliable which is # 1 for me, and has the most integrations. The reporting feature is also top notch. Stephanie who works with me actually did a really good post comparing Sprout Social with Hootsuite which you should check out: http://www.neworleanssocialmediaconsulting.com/sprout-social-vs-hootsuite/

In my experience, starting out testing one against the other is ideal (i.e. running campaigns on each and seeing which performs better). It's also important to look at what your immediate and long term goals are for the spend. Are you trying to sell them something now, keep them engaged for a later release of a product, or some other action? The key thing to note is that depending on what you're selling and what your keywords are, the bar can be a lot lower in terms of your bid per click if you go with Facebook Ads. Additionally: you can hyper target your audience with Facebook Ads like whoa (Google Ads are more limiting). Ex: I ran both sets of ads for a new line of ballet inspired barre-wear (targetting both ballet dancers and barre students). Both Facebook and Google Ads were linked to the sales page. For Google Ads: I used keywords like "barre-wear" (low search volume) "ballet attire" "activewear" (limited relevance) and about 20 other related terms. The spend to results ratio here was underwhelming. Keep in mind: I've only been working with Google Ads for a couple of years now. Better results are possible if you've got someone with 5+ years of experience who knows the system backwards and forwards, but for the most part, Google Ads are not DIY friendly if you want serious results. For Facebook Ads, I did 2 campaigns: 1. Ballet Dancers: I targetted women in major cities (NY, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles), who were under 26 and fans of ballet companies and schools in their city, and also those who were fans of major dance supply companies. 2. Barre Students: I targetted women nationwide who were between 26 and 52, married, above average household income, fans of barre studios in their area, fans of Lululemon Athletica (high end activewear brand), and did a couple of variations on different hobbies and activities to target specifically stay at home moms or wives who were active. The results: $100 in ad spend // over 150 clicks to the product page // 20 new email newsletter signups // 3 immediate sales // 2 follow up sales within that week (so for a $100 product the ad yielded about $500 in sales that week from individuals who could be potential customers again (and 20 new people to market to for future sales).

Start with the low hanging fruit: Be able to be found. Make sure you're listed on Google+, Yelp, Foursquare and other location based listing sites and link them all back to your website. Since your salon is upscale, you'll want to make that clear in all of your marketing messaging and consider including a pricing list on your site that says "Haircuts starting at $$..." etc. The main thing to focus on is an exceptional website that represents the vibe of your salon - this is the first introduction to a potential client so they should be wow'd. Best of luck! I work with a few salons and beauty schools here in Louisiana and would love to share more insight and ideas so let me know if you want to chat more!

I've found that with the saturation of retail on social media sites in general, the best way to make a sale is to target the right people who are already looking for what you offer... For you: I'd recommend using highly targeted Facebook Ads (Target by age & gender plus any other things you know about your audience/buyers in terms of things they are interested in). You might also research companies who provide holistic relief for hot flashes, find their facebook pages and create a filter for your ads to target fans of theirs. You could see a HUGE return on just $100 Facebook ad buy. Good Luck and let me know if you'd like to schedule a follow up call; I'd be happy to walk you through the setup and some additional strategies!