One thing that can set you on the path to success is having a solid plan on what social media platform will best suit you and your salon business. As beauty professionals, a picture speaks volumes.  It grabs attention, creates engagement and showcases your work. Your clients will enthusiastically share your posts since their image is featured. This will create a wave of interest in your business.  Ultimately, you will start gaining new clients and spark the interest of others.

Meet Sandra Garcia, nail artist extraordinaire.  The TXManiMuse was booked solid for 2018 in June and began booking clients for 2019, a very rare feat for a nail technician.  Today, Sandra will share some of her top Instagram tips on building her salon business, creating her unique voice, and how to stand out in a sea of hashtags.

Sandra Garcia – TX Mani Muse

Broadcasting Your Unique Story on Instagram

Instagram has helped me increase my clientele tremendously over the past 5 years.  There are so many tools to utilize that will help you present your profile page in your own unique style.  A huge part of being successful on Instagram is expressing yourself and who you are. This makes people feel like they know you and they WANT to follow you.  I’ve learned through Instagram there are peak times to post (having a business account allows you to view your analytics which is very helpful).

Creating interaction with an audience through IG Stories

I like to change up my posts.  Rather than posting regular pictures of my work. I started creating collages of my work and asking the audience, “ Which is your fav?”  This started to get people reacting and responding which got them looking forward to my next post. I also incorporated the use of Instagram Stories and personalized each story post.  I began seeing an increase in views as each day went by. There are a lot of fun tools that you can use on Instagram Stories which make it fun. Having the ability to now follow and search via a hashtag has also been a game changer.  Make sure you use hashtags in all your captions to gain the best Instagram experience for you and your business.

Be a creative storyteller through your photos and use of trending hashtags

13,600 Followers and Growing

When I see that I have 13.6K followers it still amazes me that THAT many people chose to follow me.  I feel fortunate that when I first started out, I landed a news segment right away in 2013. That really helped my following grow.  Throughout the next two years, I was offered two more news segments and my following kept growing. Networking and putting yourself out there are very important as you grow your business.

I have also collaborated with other nail techs at various events throughout Texas that have increased my following.  When I work with them they will tag me in their posts which helps increase my visibility and in turn, people follow me.  Of course, word of mouth by my clients, former clients and friends is where it all started.

Booking for 2019: Loyalty Matters

How did I get booked for the year 2018? I have loyal customers! I am so grateful for my clients.  They know how fast I get booked and they book in advance every time they come for their appointment.  This year, I booked up quicker than usual. So once they saw that, they didn’t risk it and made sure to book right after their appointment with me.  It’s key to get their next appointment set up before they get up from your chair. This practice helped me stay booked and before I knew it, I was booked through December.

Working away at an event

Instagram is the only social media platform that I use at the moment for my business.  I had a Facebook Business Page but didn’t see the amount of interaction that I did on Instagram, so I chose to stick to Instagram. Instagram is also my main source for booking appointments. I’m old school and I still write my appointments in my appointment book.  This method has worked well for me and my business.

Advice for Other Beauty Professionals

Use Instagram to all its advantages.  There is so much on there to utilize. Every year it grows and gains more features that can help you grow as a business owner.  I would also like to say, be yourself. Don’t try to become a big name you see on social media. Make your own page unique like you.  Look at me! I’m just a girl from the Southside of San Antonio that loved doing nails and has turned that passion into a successful career throughout the years.  Thanks to the support of my followers, loyal clients and Salons by JC.

Sharing my talent, making your nails shine

Uniqueness, passion, and determination have made Sandra Garcia one of the top, if not, the top nail artist in the South Texas area.  Known for her works of nail art, the TX Mani Muse remains true to her roots and is appreciative of the support she has received from Salons by JC.  She is one of the many reasons we are the #1 ranked Salon Suite franchise in the industry.  Sandra’s suite can be found at Salons by JC Huebner Commons alongside her nail partner Megan Davis.  Together, they are empowering one another and inspiring an entirely new wave of eager nail technicians. 

About Salons by JC: In 1997, Jack Griffey and Cecil Miller began their journey to transform the beauty industry one salon suite at a time. Like most young entrepreneurs, they started out with a big idea but had to learn how to start and run a business from scratch. After much perseverance and hard work, one year later, they opened Salons by JC in Dallas, TX in 1998, welcoming beauty and wellness specialists who were ready to break free from the traditional salon model. The company has since moved its headquarters from Dallas to San Antonio, where it continues to grow through franchising. Today, Salons by JC has over 87 locations in 24 states and Canada.  For more information, visit salonsbyjc.com or salonsbyjc.com/franchise

Blog written by:

Sandra Garcia – TX Mani Muse

Located at Salons by JC Huebner Commons  

Intro and Outro provided by:

Marlene Romo Flores

Salons by JC Marketing