Ep 303 – Marketing Beyond Your Social Media Handle

Summary

ASCP Esty Talk – Episode 303: Marketing Beyond Your Social Media Handle

Release Date: February 5, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 303 of ASCP Esty Talk, hosted by Ella Cressman, a licensed esthetician and content contributor for the Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP), and Maggie Stasik, a licensed esthetician and ASCP Program Director, the discussion pivots to a critical topic for estheticians: "Marketing Beyond Your Social Media Handle." This episode delves deep into the pervasive influence of social media on the beauty industry, the inherent dependencies it creates, and strategies for building a resilient brand outside the virtual realm.

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The Dominance of Social Media in the Beauty Industry

Ella kicks off the conversation with a staggering statistic, highlighting the financial clout of social media in beauty sales:

Ella [02:12]: "According to Cosmetics Design, a survey from August 2024, TikTok drives $3.7 billion in beauty sales. Can you believe it?"

Maggie echoes her astonishment:

Maggie [02:32]: "That's insane."

They discuss the phenomenon of the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, which has significantly influenced consumer behavior, contributing to a 15% growth in prestige makeup sales. Ella notes how TikTok has become a primary platform for product discovery, surpassing traditional avenues like department stores.

The Rise of Influencers and Their Impact

Ella introduces the concept of influencers, categorizing them based on their follower counts:

Ella [03:58]: "We have Nano, Micro, Mid tier, Macro, and Mega influencers. All of these are meant to signal or reflect how many followers you have or what perceived influence you have, depending on your category."

She reflects on the evolution of influencers from mere social media personalities to pivotal players in the beauty industry's marketing strategies. The discussion touches upon the vast earning opportunities that come with influencer status, emphasizing how metrics like follower count and engagement rates have become benchmarks for professional success.

The Dependency Conundrum

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around the potential pitfalls of heavy reliance on social media:

Ella [10:02]: "Meta is Facebook and Instagram, these own users' channels and dictate algorithms limiting crowd control over visibility engagement. So this is where I think you may be influenced inadvertently or indirectly."

Maggie raises concerns about the fragility of businesses that depend solely on these platforms:

Maggie [05:56]: "What happens to these businesses or these individuals who rely on social media to build their brands?"

Ella anticipates disruptions that could arise from algorithm changes or platform bans, posing existential questions for businesses entrenched in social media marketing.

Strategies for Diversifying Marketing Efforts

Recognizing the precariousness of social media dependency, Ella and Maggie advocate for a multifaceted approach to marketing. Key strategies discussed include:

1. Building a Personal Website: Establishing an online hub that serves as the centerpiece of one's brand, independent of social media platforms.

2. Email Marketing: Creating a direct communication channel with clients, free from platform restrictions.

3. Networking and Community Engagement:

   • Ella [16:00]: "Look at local advertising or community engagement. There's this one event that we have... I gained like five great clients just from that."

4. Local Advertising: Utilizing neighborhood magazines, community newspapers, and in-person events to increase visibility.

5. Content Diversification:

   • Building a Blog: Enhancing SEO and attracting traffic through valuable content.
   • Exploring Podcasts and Newsletters: Offering varied content formats to engage different audience segments.

6. Investing in Skills: Learning copywriting, digital marketing, and analytics to better navigate the marketing landscape, or outsourcing these tasks to experts.

Ella underscores the importance of these timeless marketing strategies in ensuring business sustainability beyond the volatile tides of social media.

The Power of Networking and Community

Maggie highlights the significance of in-person connections:

Maggie [18:21]: "We actually have one coming up February 17th. It's going to be in Denver... an opportunity to get your questions asked, network with other estheticians, build a sense of community and also boost your business."

Ella adds a personal touch by sharing her positive experiences with local networking:

Ella [18:49]: "There's this local esthetician... she's so cool... we can refer to each other and support one another."

These anecdotes emphasize that building relationships within the community can lead to sustainable business growth and a loyal clientele.

The Future of Marketing for Estheticians

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Ella and Maggie contemplate the future of marketing:

Ella [16:24]: "Maybe AI, maybe Threads or other emerging technologies. Change is inevitable in the digital world."

They discuss the potential resurgence of traditional marketing methods, such as flyers and door-to-door advertising, while acknowledging the challenges posed by modern consumer behaviors, like the preference for digital communication over face-to-face interactions.

Conclusion: Securing a Resilient Brand

Ella wraps up the episode by reinforcing the necessity of diversifying marketing efforts:

Ella [17:06]: "Learn SEO. Understand how search engines rank and how to optimize yours. Build an email list. This is a direct way to communicate with your clients."

She urges estheticians to view their brand as more than just a social media presence, encompassing their story, mission, and value to the world. The hosts invite listeners to share their own strategies for marketing beyond social media, fostering a collaborative community of professionals striving for resilience and growth.

Notable Quotes

• Ella [02:12]: "According to Cosmetics Design, a survey from August 2024, TikTok drives $3.7 billion in beauty sales. Can you believe it?"

• Maggie [05:56]: "What happens to these businesses or these individuals who rely on social media to build their brands?"

• Ella [18:49]: "So here's the thing. While social media is a powerful tool, it's not the only way to build and sustain a brand, specifically your brand."

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Final Thoughts

Episode 303 of ASCP Esty Talk serves as a crucial reminder to estheticians about the importance of building a robust and diversified marketing strategy. While social media remains a powerful tool, the conversation underscores the need for sustainable practices that ensure business continuity amidst the ever-changing digital landscape. By embracing both digital and traditional marketing methods, estheticians can create a resilient brand that stands the test of time.

For more insights and resources, visit ASCP and stay tuned for future episodes of ASCP Esty Talk.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Hello and welcome to ASCP Esty Talk. I'm Ella Cressman, licensed esthetician and content contributor for Associated Skincare Professionals.

[C]

I am Maggie Stasik, licensed esthetician and ASCP Program Director.

[B]

Hey Maggie.

[C]

Hi Ella.

[B]

How are you doing? Great.

[C]

How are you?

[B]

Good. We're going to talk about really fun topic for you today. This week we're going to talk about social media, but not the way you think.

[C]

Awesome. I can't wait.

[B]

All right, We've talked about TikTok before. I'm often mentioning things like Instagram and Facebook. So let me just start out straight with a statistic. According to Cosmetics Design, a survey from August 2024, TikTok drives $3.7 billion in beauty sales. Can you believe it?

[C]

That's insane.

[B]

In fact, there's even a hashtag called TikTok made me buy it and this is probably what led a 15% growth in prestige makeup sales. So where we used to go to the department stores, now we're looking to TikTok to see if it's relevant or to promote products.

[C]

That's that does not surprise me because you've got TikTok shop, which we've talked about before and so I mean I could see it, but 3.7 billion is insane.

[B]

$3.7 billion. That's a lot. Social media has given birth to influencers and that has really influenced our industry. And I kind of have a thought. I saw an old account back when I was a sales rep. I'm still friends with a lot of them on. I think this was a Facebook one. And I noticed one of my old accounts who's a licensed esthetician, is now selling an mlm. Oh, on that. But I'm, I just, I think it's. Listen, I'm not saying social media influencers are mlm, but I wonder if that wasn't the birth there because back at the beginning they were really encouraged to post on social media and look at me and look all my friends. This is all this amazing thing. So that was just a fleeting thought. But there's now many categories of influencers. We have Nano. Do you know Nano influencers?

[C]

No.

[B]

Micro influencers, Mid tier influencers, Macro and Mega influencers. And all of these are meant to signal or to reflect how many followers you have or what perceived influence you have, depending on your category. You have many different earning opportunities. So it's no wonder the metric of our success as professionals gives a huge nod to this perceived value of followers, engagement rates, likes and all of that. But hey, check this out. What happens if it all goes away?

[C]

I think for you and I, that's not so extreme because we grew up in an era where, I mean, one, Internet didn't even exist and then two, this concept of social media is like, what the heck is that? Yeah, you know, I mean, and so now our world certainly revolves around the Internet and social media and this is how you do your business. But I don't know if that's so insane and ill conceived.

[B]

There is this reality show, it came out last fall and I think they have a new season coming out anyways, Mom Talk. And if you know, you know, Mom Talk is this group of moms in a certain area of our country and they have built this amazing follower where they are considered mega influencers and they are the breadwinners and they have gorgeous homes, they have nice cars, they have expensive things, all because they've shown these little snippets of their life. They've gained these deals like for different posts. They get this much all these, you know, over my head. But these posting deals and I want to know, because they've built their life around this, what happens to these businesses or these individuals who rely on social media to build their brands?

[C]

I mean, I would imagine it's gone, it's poof, they don't have that anymore.

[B]

And then what? What are you gonna do? Um, and then what? What about us, the consumers? Because we've grown accustomed to these platforms. These are cornerstones of marketing and even communication. What are we gonna do?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, you're making really valid points. And honestly, I don't know.

[B]

For me, I see things, I mean, targeted ads constantly coming at me and it makes me go, oh cool, I'll see it. I go check if it's on Amazon and want to get it. You know, same day delivery. We don't even have to wait two days anymore. So it's crazy.

[C]

Let me ask you this. In terms of you making purchases for anything, whether it's beauty or your home or, or clothes or whatever, is it solely based on the fact that you've seen it on social media or you got some kind of pop up? That's how you're finding out and then deciding, I need to go make this.

[B]

Purchase at least 50%.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Even the clothes I wear, like the outfits I pick out because I'm seeing it on social media. Because I don't have to go to the grocery store anymore, I don't have to go to Target anymore, I don't have to go to the post office anymore. So my, my scene is when we go out to meet up with friends and dinner or I'm driving around town or they're coming into the shop or I'm seeing styles and trends on social media.

[C]

Okay, so coming from a girl that does not have social media, I simply am just. You mentioned Amazon. Let's say I am simply just going to Amazon and let's say, I don't know, I want a new top. I'm going to go to that section of Amazon and scroll for the thing I'm looking for as opposed to I saw this thing on social media or I saw this pop up or an influencer told me and now I need to go find it and buy it.

[B]

But why do you want that thing? Why do you want that top?

[C]

Why do I want a top?

[B]

That top?

[C]

Well, there is not the top that I know about. I just am addicted to my phone and scrolling and feeling like I need to fill a void. I'm gonna buy a top today.

[B]

You know what though? Check this out. It could be that you are influenced by social media even though you're not on there because the social media influencers pick these products and these products start ranking higher on Amazon.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

So that what you're searching for is actually going to the Top of the list. I don't know, I'm like totally guessing.

[C]

But I don't really know. But I think this is how it works.

[B]

So girl, you're being influenced even though.

[C]

No doubt. I mean all of these stores online are influencing me. Yeah, it's just not by social media.

[B]

Well, let's talk about the rise of social media marketing. Yeah, perfect segue. So platforms like Instagram and Facebook, they revolutionized branding and in doing that they made it accessible for small businesses and individuals. Right. Do you remember white page ads back in the day in there was yellow and white, yellow was business. And you, if you were a business where you would advertise was in the yellow pages so that your name wasn't just listed, you had more of a visual presence. And there's been huge shift now many of you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, but there's a shift from things like that or newspaper ads and traditional advertising to digital native era. So a lot more companies are putting their dollars into that. Many successful businesses existed before social media. I do want to point that out. But they relied on fundamental marketing strategies and those fundamental marketing strategies still remain relevant today. But here's the thing. I think we have a dependency problem. So Meta is Facebook and Instagram, these own users channels and they dictate algorithms limiting crowd control over visibility engagement. So this is where I think you may be influenced inadvertently or indirectly.

[C]

I, I'm sure it's true.

[B]

But what happens when these platforms are banned or algorithms change that could really disrupt business? Right. So things like exposure, audience building and partnership that drive social platforms might go away. So what's important to understand is as you as the business owner, because the majority of people listening in right now are business owners of some sort. Hold that thought, we'll be right back.

[A]

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[B]

Okay, here we go. Let's get back to the podcast. Let's talk about another social media like the very, very beginning. You had a MySpace, didn't you?

[C]

No.

[B]

You didn't even have a MySpace?

[C]

No.

[B]

Oh my gosh, really? Where were You.

[C]

I don't even know what MySpace is. I did have a Facebook. I had Facebook. And you were allowed to delete and cancel it. And I did. And then Facebook changed the rules and now you can't delete and cancel your Facebook.

[B]

Did you do it more than once?

[C]

Delete and cancel it?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

No.

[B]

Oh, okay. Just.

[C]

I mean, I had it. I don't. I never posted. I don't even know if I had friends and got rid of that sucker.

[B]

You're really an enigma. I have no words. Well, let me tell you what MySpace was. MySpace was this new thing that came out that allowed you to have digital connections with your friends. You could have music, you can have backgrounds, you can have your top eight. It was amazing.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

And then Facebook came out.

[C]

You're making me think of like Napster.

[B]

Right after Napster. Yeah, it was really cool. I had friends all over the world.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

But Facebook came out and then MySpace became Persona non grata. Got it done.

[C]

Yep.

[B]

And then Instagram came out, and then everyone moved to Instagram. In fact, I know people in their 20s that don't have a Facebook because Facebook is for old people.

[C]

Yes, I. I have heard that.

[B]

I hate that. Because then after Instagram came TikTok, and TikTok changed the world. So what's next? Maybe AI, maybe Threads or other emerging technologies. Here's the thing. Change is inevitable in the digital world. But we as businesses need to stay adaptable and ahead of these things. So this is what's important, owning your brand outside of social media. Because what happens if it all goes away? It's important to make sure that you're diversifying your marketing efforts because your brand exists outside of Meta, TikTok or YouTube. I think this might be a hard concept though, for those who have built their brands on there. What do you think?

[C]

I totally agree. So you had mentioned the moms who have built their business solely on social media. This is how they make their money. Their business exists strictly online compared to estheticians that are brick and mortar. But they need social media to help attract their clientele and bring awareness to their business. So should social media cease to exist, that brick and mortar business needs to find other means to attract and bring clients in. And I would say that for the esthetician that is solely only using social media to generate a client base, they are not paying attention to a huge portion of business development, which is networking. It's getting with your chamber of commerce. It is, you know, cross referrals with the business down the street, like the chiropractor or the massage therapist or whatever the case may be. So your business will not cease to exist. You just have to get creative, diversify.

[B]

Girl, you nailed it. Exactly what I want to to convey is that you need to do things like build a personal website. Don't just say find me on Facebook and hit me a dm. Or I guess it would be more like Instagram and DM me or whatever. You need to consider if you want to stay successful, get a website. Just as you're talking about all these different things, networking and word of mouth referrals are going to build sustainable or more loyal clients than just your posts. Email marketing, this is a direct line to your audience, to your. Maybe there are people who booked and like had to cancel or they booked one time and nothing else. Sending those nudges is going to be key. Look at editorial features in magazines or blogs that are in your area. There's a lot of neighborhood magazines or maybe community newspapers. Don't dismiss that. Look at local advertising or community engagement. There's this one event that we have. I live in Wheat Ridge, a suburb of. I don't live there, my business is there, but it's a suburb. And there's this bike event criterium and it's in the summer and we do a sunscreen booth so that we're there and we're spring. Sunscreen is free, but it's exposure and I gained like five great clients just from that. So consider it. And then building relationships with customers beyond just the screen. How do you do that? That's interesting. So these are strategies that are timeless and they work to build you up independently of social media.

[C]

I wonder if the pendulum is going to now swing the other way or if it's starting to swing the other way. Because social media, like you've been saying, is such a big part of doing business and whether it will fully go away or partially go away are all of a sudden we're going to see businesses start putting flyers on your car windows maybe. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah, that was a. That was another way of advertising. I tried that. I had. My brother owned a construction company so he paid his labors to go door to door with like doorknob hangers. For me, yeah, Fruitless. Fruitless took out an ad. Fruitless never got any of those things. I mean they'll sell you on it, make sure it's worth it. But yeah, it could be. It could be that there's other in person. I feel like. I feel like there's a strong Urge for people to connect in person.

[C]

Yeah, totally.

[B]

And then I feel like there's a generation here that is completely paralyzed with fear. To communicate in person.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

They'd rather text or email because it's more comfortable for them.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Which is interesting. So I'm excited to see how that pans out. I'm gonna ask them in person. How do you feel about me talking to you right now? It's really crazy for me because it's first of all not how I ever roll. And then it's like, am I getting old? I don't think so, but maybe anyways. So think of things like make sure your website is a centerpiece of your brand. Maybe integrate an E commerce store. Add a blog. Blog is gonna be key for you because blog is similar where you can work with the algorithms that are outside of Facebook, Instagram and just gonna draw right to you. So learn SEO. Understand how search engines rank and how to optimize yours. Build an email list. This is a direct way to communicate with your clients. And this is free from platform restrictions, which is going to be great. Diversify your content, explore a podcast, look at newsletters or even offline campaigns. And then invest in skills, things like copywriting, digital marketing and analytics. If you outsource that, this can really help open doors. So don't be afraid. And here's a thing, another really great way, and it seems counterintuitive, is to network with your peers.

[C]

Yeah, absolutely. And speaking of, one of the things that ASCP is about to launch is in person meetups. We actually have one coming up February 17th. It's going to be in Denver, so keep your eye out for marketing. If you're in the area, it is free. There's going to be local businesses there and estheticians. It's an opportunity to get your questions asked, network with other estheticians, build a sense of community and also boost your business.

[B]

That's really key because you can meet different people there. Oh, I'm going to give a ill timed shout out. Then there's a local esthetician. Her name is Angie Cisneros. She's so cool. She is so cool. I had put a, I'm building a new certification course and I'd put a request out. She understood the assignment. She came in. She was a model for me and she is just the bubbliest cutest thing. So I really like her. I met her at another event. She does skills that are different from mine and I know that at any time I can refer to her or even Kira or myself can refer to her and she'll refer to us for certain things. So that really does happen. So here's the thing. While social media is a powerful tool, it's not the only way to build and sustain a brand, specifically your brand. So take proactive steps to diversify your efforts, secure the future of their businesses. Your brand is so much more than just a social media page. It's your story, it's your mission and your value to the world. Now listeners, we really want to hear from you. Outside of social media, what are you doing to market your business? Reach out via Instagram, Facebook or send us an [e-mail] we want to know all the details. In the meantime, thank you for listening to ASCP STTalk. For more information on this episode or for ways to connect with Maggie or myself or to learn more about ascp, check out the show notes and stay tuned for the next episode of ASCP STTalk.