Market Your(Selfie!) – National Selfie Day 2019

What do Kermit the Frog, the Pope, Beyoncé, Ellen DeGeneres, Barack Obama, NASA and Ava DuVernay have in common? Really great selfies! Selfies are a fantastic way to engage with your client base, create online bonds, and build relationships with the friend networks of your clients. For National Selfie Day, we’re here to help you show off your best self(ie)!

A Selfie a Day Keeps the Blues Away

Selfies get a bad rap in the news, usually associated with “narcissism,” implying that those who post selfies are shallow or self-absorbed. But did you know that despite the negative perception, selfies are actually good for your well-being? Posting selfies is indicative of a personality characteristic tied to extroversion, self-love, and positive self-esteem. Selfies are, more often, small acts of self-care and mindfulness that promote healthy social interaction and help some manage grief or combat loneliness.

Map Out Meaning, One Selfie at a Time

We know that cell phones and digital devices have transformed nearly every aspect of modern life over the past 20 years. We can communicate, engage, and share information in ways we never dreamed we’d see in our own lifetimes. According to a new study out of England, selfies help us create meaning in our lives, bridging the divide between communication and self-expression. They’re a great way of presenting yourself to the world and asking, What do I want to say about myself and the world I live in?

Selfies Build Brands

Nielsen reports 92% of people trust personal testimonials—even if they don’t directly know the person making the recommendation—more than any form of corporate marketing. Likewise, 74% of consumers say that word-of-mouth plays a major part of their purchase decision-making. For this reason, word-of-mouth campaigns can improve marketing effectiveness by up to 54%! With this in mind, consider: The Millennial generation is expected to take over 25,000 selfies in their lifetime. This means that when implemented the right way, you’ve got an easy, fun, and low-cost marketing tool sitting in your pocket right now.

Selfie-Savvy Tips

You don’t need a huge following, but you do need a social media presence. Make sure your business social media is easy to find, and that you’re actively posting as often as possible.
Figure out where most of your customers are and cater to that channel. Instagram is the natural choice for a selfie campaign, but don’t underestimate the power of Facebook, Pinterest or even Twitter!
If you haven’t activated your online presence, a selfie campaign is a great way to launch your business social media, add a new channel, or promote a new feature, like Vagaro’s instant booking from social media.
Make sure that your selfie-day campaigns align your business goals with what your customers want to see.
Creativity is key! Guidance is great, but also allow your customers to take selfies their own way! Chances are your customers already have defined their own personal brand, so think of creative ways to get them snapping!
Remember that social engagement is hard to quantify, with a return on investment that’s not always immediately recognizable. Selfie marketing may not show huge increases in sales, but they increase brand awareness and web traffic, which are both valuable to the small business owner.

Bright Ideas

Set Up a “Selfie Station” to encourage visitors to snap a selfie and post socially! Create a dedicated space with “selfie-friendly” lighting and a background that includes your business logo. These can easily be achieved with items as simple as a standing LED ring light (or a mini ring light for phones), and a sticker or flyer with your business logo hung on the backdrop of your Selfie Station.
Post A Sign Inviting Patrons to Snap A Selfie! Include your social account info and suggested hashtags on the sign. That way, they can tag your business and location in their selfies, letting their followers know how to find and book you.
Create a “Selfie Frame” for Snappers! You don’t have to know how to build a specialized app or filter, but you can provide branded frames, word bubbles, or playful selfie accessories like hats or props to encourage selfie-snappers to have fun in your storefront.
Create an Exclusive Hashtag! Unique hashtags help strengthen your brand on social platforms. It could be something as simple as your business name or tagline. Or you could create a hashtag cross-promoting the products or services you sell. Remember to add your business hashtags to your Selfie Station info, so customers will tag you! Examples might include: #FlamingoSpaSelfie #FlamingoFitness #FlamingoSalonStyle #SalonSelfie #GymSelfie #SpaSelfie #HaircutSelfie #YogaSelfie #SelfieSaturday
Tag a Friend! Did you just finish the most stunning unicorn melt hairdo? Did your client just bench-press the weight of a Volkswagen? Ask them to take a selfie & tag a friend who would love the look or appreciate the achievement.
Reward Their Selfies! If you want to make sure your customers engage, offer them an incentive like a discount, freebie, or Bonus Points for your loyalty program when they tag your business and use your hashtags in their selfies. Examples: “Love the new you? Share a #SalonSelfie After Your Visit & We’ll Add 200 Bonus Points!” or “Feeling the New You? Tag Us in a #FitnessSelfie & We’ll Give You a Free Water Bottle at your Next Check-in.”
Showcase the Before & After! Because of the way that selfies document our lives (and our major changes), selfies are perfect for beauty and fitness professionals. Encourage salon clients to snap a Before/After selfie for dramatic changes in their style (the transition from long hair to short, getting bangs, etc.) or transformative color (ombre, balayage, etc.) For personal trainers, nothing can be more empowering for clients (and inspiring to would-be clients!) than showcasing the progress from Day 1 to Day 90 of a new fitness or training regimen.

You’re a Certified Selfie Pro!

Selfies help us connect with ourselves, friends, and the world we share. They make us feel good about ourselves and encourage self-expression. What could be better than helping your clients feel great about themselves in your shop? Don’t let them feel self-conscious, let them know that when they walk through your doors, they’re entering a pro-selfie zone! Every happy customer that leaves is a walking billboard for your business. That means that the selfies they take and tag you in are the most powerful marketing campaigns you have access to. So smile & say “Cheese!”—it’s Selfie Time!

Feeling cute? Don’t delete later—show us! We want to see your selfies! Tag the businesses who help you create your look or tag your shop as a prime selfie location! (After all, who doesn’t want to post a fresh hairdo selfie, or a gym workout selfie?) Use #NationalSelfieDay or #VagaroSelfies to show us your social media selfies.