Taking a page from Taylor Swift, we are entering into a new Era. One dominated by technology and one that might feel completely disconnected from what it means to be an artist. If you work in the beauty industry – whether as a hairdresser, makeup artist, or nail artist – You’re not spending the day on the computer or writing copy, so what do you need AI for?
Why You Need To Use AI To Streamline Your Business
Here’s why. What we are seeing is that hairstylists are looking for innovative solutions to enhance their services and grow their salon and spa businesses. For example, the booking apps you use or the social platforms you are posting on. These are all areas that you can simplify using AI.
The Top AI Technology To Utilize in The Salon
The technology no one can stop talking about is ChatGPT – a powerful language model developed by OpenAI. We understand you are probably already saying “I do not need that in my life”, and we get it. But, give us a chance to explain how and why you might. There are a myriad of ways in which hairstylists, makeup artists, estheticians, barbers and nail technicians can leverage ChatGPT to revolutionize the salon experience, foster customer engagement, and ultimately propel your business to new heights.
Keep reading to learn about what ChatGPT and AI are, how to leverage them in the salon, and why you should start using it. We’ll break it down into simple terms with a little tech jargon thrown in as well.
What Is ChatGPT & Why You Should Be Using It
1. Understanding ChatGPT
Before diving into the practical applications of ChatGPT for artists, it's essential to have a basic understanding of what this technology entails. Including, what is it and why everyone is so obsessed. ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art language model based on the GPT-3.5 architecture. In tech terms this means, the version it’s using and the code base to make it work., As a tool, it is capable of generating human-like text based on the input it receives. To be clear, the human is essential in driving the narrative. You must prompt it, then, it gives you answers, copy, and information in return. So far, it has proven to be a versatile tool in various industries, from content creation to customer service.
2. Personalized Client Consultations
One of the benefits of popping ChatGPT onto your phone is by utilizing it to conduct personalized client consultations. We all know that consultation is the most critical part of the service, but studies show that clients often feel that step is skipped and they don’t get a proper consultation. By incorporating a chatbot powered by ChatGPT on your website or social media platforms, stylists can engage with potential clients in real time and get the feedback they need to give the clients the results they are looking for specific to their requests. Clients can input their preferences, hair type, and desired styles, and the chatbot can generate personalized recommendations and suggestions.
This not only streamlines the consultation process but also creates a more interactive and customer-centric experience. Your clients will feel heard and understood, setting the stage for a positive salon visit. There are many chat bots that can easily be installed on your website and give you valuable feedback.
3. Virtual Styling Sessions
In the age of social media and virtual interactions, hairstylists can use ChatGPT to offer virtual styling sessions. From a quick hair tutorial to a group class, your clients always say they wish you could be there in the morning when they get ready, and now you can offer this to them with a fee. Through video conferencing or even interactive chat interfaces, stylists can guide clients on at-home styling techniques, product recommendations, and maintenance tips. This expands your reach beyond the confines of the salon and positions you as an expert in the industry.
Additionally, virtual styling sessions present an opportunity for you to upsell their products and services. By seamlessly integrating product recommendations into the virtual consultation, you can boost retail sales and enhance the overall customer experience.
4. Content Creation and Social Media Engagement
You don’t have to reach influencer status, but a strong online presence is crucial for any business, and hairstylists, makeup artists, estheticians, barbers and nail artists are the perfect demographic to show off your skills online. After a long day at the salon, not everyone has the time, energy or desire to write captions that offer trends, tips, etc. “Blonde Balayage by Betty” might feel like enough of a caption, but it’s not.
ChatGPT can be a valuable asset in content creation for social media platforms, blogs, and newsletters. Artists can use the language model to generate engaging and informative content that resonates with their target audience by going to Chat GPT and adding a prompt like: “tell me the origin of balayage.”
This won’t be your full caption, but it’s a tool to add more content to your copy, and more engaging information that your followers will benefit from. From “5 Ways to create the perfect upstyle”, “The Top Nail Trends,” or “10 tips to the best men's haircut,” the options are endless and ChatGPT can assist in crafting compelling narratives. When you incorporate hashtags to the copy and post, this helps build a loyal online community and attracts new clients who are drawn to your expertise and personality as a stylist.
5. Improving Website SEO with ChatGPT-Generated Content
What is SEO and why does it matter for your salon website? Can you imagine how many salons exist with the same salon name or even just a similar name? Now consider how many come up if the search a potential client makes is not specific enough – this is why SEO matters, it brings you to the top of that list!
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical aspect of online visibility. Professional salons can leverage ChatGPT to create SEO-friendly content for their websites. Incorporating relevant keywords is key (pun intended)because Google is searching for specific keywords when ranking results for a search. This includes topics in blog posts, service descriptions, and text on your main landing pages. By improving this, you can improve your salon website ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
AI can be used to brainstorm and generate content ideas based on popular search queries within the hairstyling niche or nail community, and it can give you ideas on what content to create in the salon. This ensures that the content resonates with your target audience and address their specific needs and concerns.
6. Automating Appointment Scheduling and Reminders
Efficient appointment scheduling is key to managing a successful salon business. You can integrate ChatGPT-powered chatbots into your website to automate appointment scheduling and reminders. Now, if only we could remind clients to bring a Starbucks too! Well, that could be done. Clients can easily check their availability, book appointments, and receive automated reminders via chat, and to be honest, you may already be using something like this and didn’t realize you are already using AI.
Like others, ChatGPT specifically can be programmed to handle frequently asked questions about salon policies, pricing, and services, freeing up valuable time for you, the stylist or salon owner, to focus on your craft and the day-to-day business.
7. Enhancing Customer Engagement and Loyalty
We all know, that building strong customer relationships and solidifying customer loyalty is what creates a thriving salon business. AI and GPT can play a pivotal role in enhancing customer engagement and loyalty. It will never replace human interaction altogether and shouldn’t, but it’s a tool you can use to enhance the groundwork you have already laid down. By sending personalized follow-up messages, birthday greetings, and special promotions via chat, hairstylists can foster a sense of connection with their clients. All of these can be automated to save you time. Imagine a follow-up note that gets sent to every client, a service that you only have to set up one time!? Game changer right? “Personal” touches like this are the way we can retain loyalty without adding countless hours to your day.
Additionally, ChatGPT can be used to gather feedback and reviews from clients, providing valuable insights into the strengths of the salon and areas for improvement. This data can inform strategic decisions to elevate the overall customer experience and may highlight changes that need to be made in your salon. As well as highlight what your clients think you are doing right. Feedback (data) is what you need more of to make the right choices that will lead to your overall success.
8. Staying Ahead of Trends and Innovations
The beauty industry is ever-evolving, with new trends and techniques constantly shaping client requests, AI and ChatGPT can be valuable tools to stay informed and learn about new trends, terms, and techniques being requested by clients. By utilizing the model to sift through vast amounts of online content, versus just going to Google, stylists can curate relevant information to stay ahead of the curve. Information you can also share on your social channels.
9. Overcoming Language Barriers
For salons and stylists needing help overcoming a language barrier, ChatGPT’s multilingual capabilities can help overcome this obstacle by providing instant translation services. Whether communicating with clients via chat or creating content for your social in more than one language, audience, translations and effective communication will broaden your reach.
10. Addressing Common Beauty Concerns
Educating clients about proper home care for hair, skin, and nails is an essential aspect of any stylist’s role. AI can assist in creating comprehensive guides and resources that you can send home with your clients to address common concerns. Like the best maintenance practices for color longevity to skin care regimens or how to manage different hair types and provide tips for maintaining healthy skin – salons can leverage ChatGPT-generated content to establish themselves as trusted sources of information with valuable take-home information.
The reality is, AI is not going anywhere. And as an industry, we might as well find ways to leverage it to our benefit. The technology continues to reshape the way businesses operate all over the world and we are confident beauty professionals can embrace innovations like ChatGPT to elevate their services and expand their reach too. From personalized client consultations to content creation and SEO optimization, the possibilities are endless. By incorporating ChatGPT into business strategies, salons can streamline operations and create a more engaging and customer-centric salon experience. As the beauty industry continues to evolve, those who harness the power of technology will undoubtedly stand out and thrive in this competitive landscape.
