Social Media Strategy for Small Business Adam Salazar Project created in partial fulfillment for the requirements of the Master of Professional Communication program, April 3, 2014 2 Table of Contents Audience Analysis ............................................................................................................ 3 Literature Review ............................................................................................................. 3 Communication goals ..................................................................................................... 7 Resources and budget .................................................................................................... 9 Timeline ............................................................................................................................... 9 Lessons Learned/Recommendations .................................................................... 12 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 13 References ......................................................................................................................... 14 3 For my project I am working to create a marketing and social media strategy for Gents Barbershop. Gents is a classic barbershop, run by Shawn Housley, that offers traditional, full-service haircuts and straight-razor shaves. They are currently located on the fourth floor of the Old Post Office building (298 24th St) in downtown Ogden. Gents is a new business that is trying to build awareness among the general public and grow a customer base. As a one-man operation, resources are very limited. There is no customer database, no existing marketing budget or strategy and their web presence is minimal. However, one incredible asset the business has going for it is that it creates great content with every customer. Great haircuts and freshly shaved faces make for great photos. The setting, tools and outcome products all have potential for creating compelling visual content that people are likely to share. The business also has a few creative professionals that are already helping out. There’s a graphic designer that has developed some identity work and collateral pieces. A web designer has already developed and posted a basic website, gentsbarbershop.webs.com. Audience Analysis Before my initial meeting with Gents, I had hoped to organize potential customers into a few key categories. I’d then use these categories to develop marketing personas, detailed outlines of a sample customer. Then I would use these personas to drive messaging, media platforms and communication channels. However, during my initial consult, it was obvious that the first priority would be to build a little bit of infrastructure first. I’ll work with Shawn to create a Gmail account that we’ll use to add calendar functionality to the website so people can see what appointment times are available. This will allow customers to see what times are available. Once the web site is fully functional, he’ll be able to add a third-party application that will allow customers to schedule online. We’ll also create a YouTube channel to host the video content. Raising overall awareness among the general public and streamlining a way for people to make appointments is the first thing I’ll be working on. For now, the general audience for Gents is men who are between the ages of 16 and 45 or women who are in relationships with men. Once the infrastructure pieces are up and running, I plan to break this audience grouping up into more specific segments (hipsters, blue-collar workers, throwback dads, etc.). If time and resources permit, I’d like to conduct existing customer and potential customer surveys (see appendix 1 and 2). The surveys would be created as forms in Google docs and distributed on the Gents Facebook page for existing customers and on my own personal page for potential customers. Literature Review Social media represents a tremendous opportunity for small business owners and entrepreneurs. These platforms give businesses immediate access to customers and bring unlimited ways to interact and reach existing and potential customers. While large 4 corporations may have a great deal of money and resources to tackle social media challenges, they also have many levels of bureaucracy and infrastructure between the general public and those who are responsible for social media strategy. Small business owners, on the other hand, are often the ones who engage directly with the public and maintain their company’s social media accounts. It’s this direct access to both resources that gives small business owners an edge when it comes to social media marketing. Customer-centric communication As traditional marketing channels continue to grow more fragmented, there are fewer barriers between the consumers and the content or service providers. Every year, it gets easier for people to seek out and interact directly with the brands that are most meaningful to them. Whether it’s exchanging tweets with a favorite pop star or adding a “like” to a local business on Facebook, consumers are beginning to expect direct, and sincere, interaction with their favorite brands. While this creates tremendous opportunity for small business owners or entrepreneurs providing services directly to consumers, it also creates a tremendous need for comprehensive social media strategy. The ability to grow a platform of dedicated social media followers is a vital part of success for businesses and other content creators. “The platform is a MUST HAVE, and authors cannot ignore the process of building one” (Clifton, 2010, p.107). One thing that separates social media from traditional media forms is it’s ubiquitous presence among consumers. Consumers now expect to be able to find directions or look up special offers at any time and from any place. This pervasive use of social media is most obvious in the coveted demographic of college-age consumers. “As cohorts in this generation, college students network or interface online with friends from around the globe 24/7, while watching television, texting Mom, and studying for an exam” (Lester, 2012, p. 119). This constant state of being connected means that businesses must work even harder at providing relevant content to their audience. Content that is obviously meant to drive sales is easily disregarded. Content that is fun, clever, or useful, however, is likely to be shared and passed around well beyond the original intended audience. Now that the burden has shifted for businesses to provide relevant and meaningful content to consumers in addition to useful goods and services, the most crafty businesses are beginning to see the importance of publishing original content as part of their marketing strategies. As content marketing and telling business stories becomes a larger part of the marketing and public relation efforts, we are seeing an evolution of the marketing department transform itself into more of a publishing department. (Pulizzi, 2012, p. 119). While this may not be much of a challenge for large businesses who outsource much of their marketing efforts, smaller businesses must work even harder and craftier to stretch the most out of every marketing dollar spent. Relevant and actionable One of the major challenges for small business owners in the social media age is to create regular marketing content that is meaningful to their target audience and encourages them to take some type of action. “Compared to marketing, advertising places greater emphasis 5 on the persuasive power of social media (e.g., how to grab consumers’ attention, build brand image, and garner greater attention, interests, and desire), while marketing is more interested in social media’s potential for action” (Khang & Ki, 2012, p. 292). Keeping action and attention at the forefront of social media efforts is the best way to ensure interactions with potential and existing customers. While many small businesses focus on marketing messages that showcase the features and benefits of their products and services, the nature of social media encourages an approach that emphasizes usefulness. “The marketing messages should be designed to enable relational oriented consumers to learn more about something relationally useful” (Dominic Yeo, 2012, p. 307). Content that is useful to consumers is more likely to be shared. Small business owners can also work to establish themselves as thought leaders in a given category if their social media content is useful to their followers online. One advantage small business owners have over larger corporations in the social media space is their direct access to customers. In a large organization, there may be multiple levels of infrastructure between those who interact directly with customers and those who are responsible for social media strategies. “And the retailer considers its associates to be one of its best resources. Home Depot has already invested in their training, and they pick up on trends through hours spent in the store aisles talking to vendors and customers” (Zmuda, 2011). Frontline staff who interact directly with consumers can offer invaluable insights into social media strategies. These workers can also offer insights into the effectiveness of social media. Direct interaction with consumers can help steer and tweak the direction of social media efforts. “As marketers increasingly look to Facebook and other social-media platforms as new ways of communicating with their consumers, they seek metrics that can help them understand the value and create an effective strategy for reaching key audience segments” (Lipsman, Mud, Rich & Bruich, 2012, p. 52). Understanding an audience is at the core of social media marketing. While content and platform selection is important, it can’t replace the intrinsic value of focusing on consumer behavior itself. When it comes to determining social media strategies, starting with an understanding of consumer behavior is the best approach. “In fact, marketers might be more successful when leveraging social media by concentrating more on human traits than on tools and technologies” (Moran & Gossieaux, 2010, p. 233). Web analytics, survey data and focus group findings can all be helpful in understanding consumer motivations, but should also be taken in the context of real-world consumer behavior. Strategies that focus too much on survey and focus group data are likely to miss a more holistic approach to reaching customers. “The benefits of customisation, interactivity, and social connection can only occur if employed according to individual preferences and needs, and social marketers must understand new media user ‘segments’ before designing and delivering their programmes” (Hill & Moran, 2011, p.827). Part of the strength behind social media tactics is the ability to focus on smaller customer segments that may be overlooked in more traditional media advertising. Businesses should be mindful, however, to not develop strategies for one specific market segment at the expense of overlooking, or even alienating, another. “As male-generated content continues to 6 dominate the realms of media platforms such as YouTube, alternative voices need to enter into the exchange” (Tucker-McLaughlin, 2013, p. 47). Savvy marketers also understand the importance of pairing the right type of content with the right social media platform. “From a macro perspective, marketers have to make sure their products and messages are synergistic across different media and channels, while taking advantage of each medium’s unique characteristics” (Chan-Olmstead, 2012, p. 5). Photos, videos, audio and text all have a myriad of social channels that are designed to take advantage of the strengths of that specific medium. Each social media channel also has a specific set of official rules and unspoken guidelines. “Depending on the context, including the product being marketed and the target market, managers should proactively explore the norms associated with the respective communication forum” (Kozinets, de Valck, Wojnickj & Wilner, 2010, p.86). Understanding the strengths, limitations and subtleties of each social media platform will help entrepreneurs develop and grow a loyal following. Sharing and the value of word-of-mouth Part of the benefit of a well-crafted social media strategy is the ability for loyal customers to champion the cause. The social component of social media is often overlooked by marketers but it remains one of the most powerful mechanisms of each platform. Positive messages from actual customers carries far more credibility with potential customers than marketing messages from official business channels. “What companies say to consumers about their products and services through their marketing and advertising channels is rapidly losing ground to what consumers say about those products and services to one another through their network of Internet-enabled channels” (Blackshaw, 2011, p.109). Word-of-mouth marketing has always been one of the most effective ways to influence consumer behavior. While consumers have always been using social media to recommend and critique brands, organizations are starting to enabling customers with the tools and resources they need to reach larger audiences more effectively. A technology-enhanced, loyal customer base is one of the best resources an organization can have, especially when it comes to addressing naysayers and critics. For example, practicing Mormons are encouraged and recruited to share their positive experiences to counter negative reviews by critics (Chen, 2011, p.193). As more social media companies look to monetize their features and services, it puts the burden on marketers to find a balance between raising brand awareness and interfering with online communities. Small businesses are especially vulnerable to overselling their companies on social media. The low cost of operating social media accounts, compared to traditional advertising, makes it easy to overload consumers with pushy messages. Marketers are better served by devoting their social media efforts to creating ways for their existing customers to spread their message for them. “Second, because messages are perceived as more relevant if received from strong ties, the current findings underline the 7 importance for social network communities to balance between advertising revenues and the network users’ experience” (van Noort, Antheunis & van Reijmersdal, 2012, p.50). In the social media age, businesses are better served by the idea that they are in a perpetual dialog with their customers. The flow of information no longer a one-way conversation from company to consumer, instead it’s a multi-faceted array of discussions taking place at the same time. What businesses have lost in control of their messages, they’ve more than made up for in the quality of engagements. Customers are looking for meaningful relationships with the brands they care about. Creating useful, relevant content on a regular basis is the best way for those brands to show they’re ready for commitment too. Industry experts agree that the best way for a business to engage current and potential customers is to provide regular, meaningful content. With this in mind, my goal is help Shawn build some infrastructure for creating great content and a simple distribution plan to get it out to his audience. This will help ensure that Gents will be producing great content long after my involvement is over. These solutions are also scalable, they will be effective regardless as to how much time and energy Shawn is able to commit to them. This way, even when he’s not busy cutting hair, he can still be working to strengthen his business. Communication goals This is a list of the communication goals I had for working with Gents, along with what actually happened. • Build a process for capturing photo content: Every time a customer steps out of the chair with a new haircut, it’s a great photo opportunity that would work well on Facebook. I’d like to figure out a simple way for Shawn to take a photo of the customer and post it on the Gents Facebook page. People are likely to seek out and tag photos of themselves online, so this would be an easy way to create content people would share. I’m envisioning some type of backdrop on the wall that shows the Gents logo and customers would stand in front of it for the photo. This way it would only take Shawn a minute after each haircut to take a photo and post it online. What really happened: Shawn’s current workspace is not large enough for a backdrop and it doesn’t have enough light to take good photos of customers. Instead, Shawn takes photos of each piece of vintage wall décor he gets and posts them to his social media accounts. • Streamline appointment process: At this point, Shawn has people call him directly to schedule appointments. Walk-ins are problematic in that a full-service shave and haircut may take an hour. I’d like to make this process a little easier for potential customers by adding some calendar functionality to the website. I’m 8 working to develop a Google calendar that Shawn can update easily when someone calls to schedule an appointment. That way people can visit the site and see what times are available before they call. What really happened: I was never able to secure access to the Gents website, so I couldn’t try setting up some scheduling functionality with a Google calendar. Shawn still gets occasional walk in traffic, but he’s usually able to accommodate these customers with minimal waiting. • Launch YouTube channel: Shawn is very engaging and well-spoken. He also has great ideas on how his work as a traditional barber is tied to a larger movement of vintage style, values and masculinity. I’d like to do a video of him talking about his ideas and show him in action. I’d also like to do two to three videos of customers getting a shave and/or haircut. These videos would be the basis of a YouTube channel and shared with local social networks, like Indie Ogden. Shawn could use basic video equipment, even his phone, to create additional video content in the future. But I’d like to see which videos perform well and come up with a scalable strategy for him to create relevant content on his own. What really happened: I was only able to do one video but Gents, but it’s performing very well (over 3,000 views so far). I posted the video on a YouTube account that I set up in Shawn’s name so he’ll be able to add content as he has time and resources. • Conduct a keyword audit: I’d like to use a few online tools to determine the best keywords as we create content. For example, is straight-razor shave or vintage shave more popular in web searches? Is vintage barber or retro barber used more often? Google trends lets you compare different keywords to see which are more popular in searches. Google adwords is a useful tool to get a listing of terms associated with your keywords. Developing a list of the best 10-15 terms to use in titles will go a long way toward ensuring that content is found organically in web searches. What really happened: I was only able to do one video but Gents, but it’s performing very well (over 3,000 views so far). I posted the video on a YouTube account that I set up in Shawn’s name so he’ll be able to add content as he has time and resources. • Develop an editorial calendar: Often the hardest part in any social media campaign is coming up with ideas for what to write about. I’d like to develop an editorial calendar that outlines the appropriate content to post for each week of the year. This type of planning also makes it easier to generate relevant content. What really happened: I created an editorial calendar (see appendix 3) that give at least two content suggestions per month. I looked at the editorial calendars 9 from several men’s magazines (Esquire, GQ, etc.) for ideas on ways to capitalize on topics that would be featured in other media outlets. • Explore strategic partnerships: I plan to reach out to other businesses and organizations that have the same audience or similar styles and look into potential collaborations. This could be something as simple as a poster for Gents in the local tattoo parlors or a video series with a roller derby team. What really happened: I was never able to get design assets (logos, posters etc.) from the graphic designer to create materials to pass around to local businesses. Shawn needs a portable barber chair in order to set up at other locations, and he doesn’t have the resources to invest in one at this time. Resources and budget I’m anticipating just a few expenses for this project and most will be scalable. Shawn will have limited budget based on how busy he is so I may have to chip in on a few projects. Equipment rental: Based on the location, I may need to rent a few pieces of camera equipment for the videos. Estimate: $200 Print materials: We may need printed pieces (posters, gift certificates, etc.) based on projects or collaborations with organizations. Estimate: $50. Promotional materials: We may also need some promotional items (t-shirts, magnets, etc.) for some projects. Estimate: $100. Timeline October 2013 Objective: Publish content for social media channels. Once content is up on Facebook, fans of the page will likely share it. The videos on YouTube will be available to people searching for related content. The video will also be shared with local bloggers and web sites. The idea is to have this content up early so it can be working for us in the next few months. Tasks: • Create gmail account for Gents (to be used for youtube channel) o gentsclassicbarbershop@gmail.com secured • Photos for facebook sharing o Get demo shirts produced for photoshoot. o Reach out to silkscreen vendor for possible trade. o Secure art files from graphic designer. 10 o Secure two male and female models for shoot. Models must be well socially networked (active on facebook with many friends and active on at least one other social media platform . o Schedule at least one photoshoot (photos of one male and one female model at barbershop and one other location). • Develop keyword list using Google keyword tools. • Video for YouTube o Secure male subject for video (will receive free haircut and shave in exchange for being highlighted in video). Calls out to a few candidates but no response yet. o Interview Shawn ! Submit questions to Shawn in advance. ! Schedule time for interview. o Edit video o Post on Gents YouTube channel with appropriate keywords. o Share video with three local sites and five other classic shave and barber sites. • Start collecting customer contact info, if not doing so already. What really happened: The video went well, it was about a two-hour shoot and editing took about three hours. I shared the link with Indie Ogden, who then posted it on their Facebook page. As for customer contacts, Shawn doesn’t have the infrastructure to collect that information at this time. November 2013 Objective: Explore strategic partnerships As the holiday rush starts, I’d like to reach out to five local businesses that have a similar customer base and pitch some strategic partnerships. Tasks: • Identify five local businesses that have similar customer base (men’s apparel, health and beauty, counter culture, etc). • Meet with Shawn to discuss partnership ideas (poster swap, business cards at point of purchase, onsite shave day at business, etc.). • Approach selected business o Identify decision maker o Arrange meeting (or visit when available) o Make pitch What really happened: I never got the files from the graphic designer to create posters to distribute. Shawn doesn’t currently have a portable barber chair to use at other locations, but he really likes the idea and will likely purchase one soon. 11 December 2013 Objective: Develop editorial calendar, survey tools and social media planning. I’d like to use the down time during the holidays to develop some foundation pieces to be used for the next year. Tasks: • Create editorial calendar o Identify relevant seasons and occasions for potential customers (holidays, school dances, playoff sports, etc). o Develop special offers and content ideas for each event (father’s day special, graduation promotion, shave your playoff beard promotion, etc.) o Identify expanded area of relevant subject topics or pop culture events to include in social media efforts (vintage style, o Schedule specific content to go on specific social media channels for each week. • Develop process for collecting photos and posting to social media o App that lets you add logo or watermark to photos directly o Arrange for lighting and backdrop o Explore ideas for video series • Develop surveys for existing and potential customers o Review drafts of both sets of questions with Shawn o Identify goals, timelines and distribution strategies What really happened: The editorial calendar wen smoothly but Shawn is not set up to capture photos of customers and doesn’t have a way to collect emails either. These objectives were a little too ambitious for a small business with only one person doing all the work. I did create a series of Facebook and Instagram graphics (see appendix 4) for Shawn to post during the holidays to promote his gift certificate special. We didn’t end up using either of the survey tools. Shawn doesn’t have a contact database for existing customers and since most of his Facebook followers are already loyal customers, there wasn’t a cost-effective way to reach potential customers. First quarter 2014 Objective: Reassess strategy, make adjustments and continue to build awareness and grow customer base. Based on the success or failure of the efforts from the previous months, I’d like to make any necessary adjustments and continue the promotional efforts. I’ll also look at the available staff and resources to make adjustments to the content strategy. I don’t have any tasks for this timeframe yet, I’ll develop those in the first week or two in January. What really happened: I spent most of this time checking in with the graphic designer to see if I could get the art files and visiting with Shawn about how the marketing efforts 12 were going. His business over the holiday period increased steadily and he has a growing base of new and returning customers. He attributes this growth largely to organic internet searches. Gent’s is one of the top businesses listed on searches for “Ogden barbershop.” Lessons Learned/Recommendations Just keep moving Many of the ideas I had for Gents relied on resources from other people. Finding well-networked models to donate their time was easy, but I never got any files from the graphic designer to use for print pieces, t-shirts, or video graphics. If I had waited for everything I’d planned to come together, I wouldn’t have accomplished anything. I figured out early on to just keep working on things and pitching new ideas that were based on the resources I had. For example, I wasn’t able to get t-shirts made for a photoshoot, so instead I used snapshots that Shawn had taken for social media ads on Facebook and Instagram (see appendix 4). Make deliverables that work in the real world Some of the materials I developed for Gents were conceptual strategy pieces (personas, editorial calendar, etc.). These are not much use to a one-man shop. Instead of trying to sell Shawn on the importance of these pieces and how to use them, I spend some time showing him how to create good visual content with the resources he had. One favor begets another (…and another) I called in a number of favors to minimize my expenses on this project, but as a result, I ended up doing some additional projects in return. A friend who owns a screen printing shop agreed to print some t-shirts for me in exchange for producing a video about his business. I never got the art files to have the shirts printed but I still did a video for him. The model I used in his video wanted a separate photoshoot for her. I didn’t mind paying them back for their help, it was good practice and networking for me anyway, but I didn’t anticipate these things and they could have easily taken up a great deal of time. The promise of social media for small businesses, and what it means for freelancers Social media is supposed to represent a great opportunity for small businesses, a chance to level the playing field and reach customers with the same tools that larger corporations use. However, a great social media strategy depends on great visual content. The easiest way to develop a grassroots following is to regularly post photos and videos, but this requires some technical knowledge and equipment. Investing in these resources is not really an option for new businesses. New businesses would be better served by using the resources they already have, like posting cell phone pictures directly to Facebook or Instagram, instead of investing a lot of time or money in social media strategies. 13 For freelancers looking to target small businesses for work, price points need to be very competitive. It may not be worth the hustle for jobs that are only going to yield a few hundred dollars. Freelancers should also consider which businesses are most conducive to great visual content. Does the product photography well? Is there a service that’s demonstrable? Is there easy and consistent access to customers? Is good lighting readily available? Factors like these will have a tremendous impact how easy it is to produce quality deliverables for a client. Conclusion I was fortunate to be able to work with Shawn at Gents Barbershop. He cares deeply about his business and was very receptive to all the work and ideas I came up with. His work is very conducive to creating strong visual content and he has a loyal customer base that is eager to share his work. I was a big fan of this retro style barbering before but now that I’ve had a haircut from him, I’m even more passionate about it. It was much easier to do the work (and it was a lot of fun for the most part), since it was something that I cared about. I hope to continue working with Shawn in the future (as I have time or he has money) and I know he’ll be an excellent reference for me as I look to do more of this type of work for other small businesses. 14 References Blackshaw, P. (2011). User-Generated Content In Context. Journal Of Advertising Research, 51108-111. Chen, C. (2011). Marketing Religion Online: The LDS Church's SEO Efforts. Journal Of Media & Religion, 10(4), 185-205. Clifton, P. (2010). Teach Them to Fish: Empowering Authors to Market Themselves Online. Publishing Research Quarterly, 26(2), 106-109. Dominic Yeo, T. E. (2012). Social-Media Early Adopters Don't Count. Journal Of Advertising Research, 52(3), 297-308. DO'S & DON'TS: LESSONS FROM MCDONALD'S SOCIAL-MEDIA EXPERIENCES. (2012). Advertising Age, 83(30), 20. Dumenco, S. (2013). Does your social-media strategy involve wasting time on idiots like me?. Advertising Age, 84(32), 22. Hill, R. P., & Moran, N. (2011). Social marketing meets interactive media. International Journal Of Advertising, 30(5), 815-838. Khang, H., Ki, E., & Ye, L. (2012). Social Media Research in Advertising, Communication, Marketing, and Public Relations, 1997-2010. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 89(2), 279-298. Kozinets, R., de Valck, K., Wojnicki, A., & Wilner, S. (2010). Networked Narratives: Understanding Word-of-Mouth Marketing in Online Communities. Journal Of Marketing, 74(2), 71-89. Lester, D. H. (2012). Social Media: Changing Advertising Education. Online Journal Of Communication & Media Technologies, 2(1), 116-125. Lipsman, A., Mud, G., Rich, M., & Bruich, S. (2012). The Power of "Like": How Brands Reach (and Influence) Fans Through Social-Media Marketing. Journal Of Advertising Research, 52(1), 40-52. Moran, E., & Gossieaux, F. (2010). Marketing in a Hyper-Social World. Journal Of Advertising Research, 50(3), 232-239. 15 Pulizzi, J. (2012). The Rise of Storytelling as the New Marketing. Publishing Research Quarterly, 28(2), 116-123. Tucker-McLaughlin, M. (2013). YouTube's Most-Viewed Videos: Where the Girls Aren't. Women & Language, 36(1), 43-49. van Noort, G., Antheunis, M. L., & van Reijmersdal, E. A. (2012). Social connections and the persuasiveness of viral campaigns in social network sites: Persuasive intent as the underlying mechanism. Journal Of Marketing Communications, 18(1), 39-53. Zmuda, N. (2011). Home Depot social-media strategy pays off. Advertising Age, 82(33), C-2-C-3. Appendix 1 This survey would be created as a google doc and shared with current customers. Existing customer survey How often do you need a haircut? !Every few weeks ! Once a month or so ! Every few months How often do you come in to Gents when you need a haircut? !Every time ! A few times a year ! Only for special occasions How often do you come in to Gents for a shave? !Once a month ! Every couple of months ! A few times a year What part of the Gents haircut did you like the most? What part of the Gents shave did you like the most? What additional services or features would you like to see at Gents? Have you ever had a straight razor shave before? How much do you normally pay for haircuts? • Free • $1-$14 • $15-$24 • $25 or more Appendix 2 This survey would be created as a google doc and shared with followers on social media. Potential customer survey How often do you need a haircut? How much do you normally pay for haircuts? • Free • $1-$14 • $15-$24 • $25 or more How far do you normally travel for haircuts? • Less than 5 miles. • 6-10 miles. • 11-20 miles • More than 20 miles How often do you receive health/beauty services (spa treatment, massage, etc.)? • Once a week • Once a month • Once every few months • A few times a year • Almost never Do you frequent the same business for haircuts each time? Yes ____No Do you frequent the same barber for haircuts this time? ___ Yes ____ No (just to make it easier for people to resond) Do you know any barbershops in the area that provide traditional barber services? If yes, please list… Do you know any barbershops in the area that provide straight razor shaves? If yes, please list… Appendix 3 Editorial Calendar Gents Barbershop The following is a list of content suggestions for Gents, a local barbershop offering traditional haircuts and straight-­‐razor shaves. The purpose of this list is to give ideas for social media content for each month of the year. January • New year resolutions: Tips for styling facial hair. • Bear round up: How do men from different cities in Utah wear their beards? February • Valentines Day: Gift card push as a great Valentines Day present for men. • Photoshoot: Formal dressed men and women in the city. March • March Madness: A tournament-­‐style bracket of some of the most popular beards and moustaches from history. • The Essentials: The five grooming tools every man needs. April • Spring training: Hair and beard styles to go with warmer temperatures • Nail the interview: Get the beard and haircut style for the job you want. • Photoshoot: Casual dressed men and women in the city. May • Local pride: Top ten beards in Ogden. • Barber spotlight: Behind-­‐the-­‐scenes photo series. • Look the part: Top 5 hair and beard looks for men in their 20’s. June • Eating right: Best foods to improve your skin • Travel guide-­‐Outdoorsman: The must-­‐haves for any camping or outdoor adventures. • Dads and grad: Gift card push as gifts for father’s days and school graduation. July • Summer fun: Hair and skin care under the summer sun. • Gift card push: Discount on haircut and shave combo package. • Look the part: Top 5 hair and beard looks for men in their 30’s. August • Local pride: Top ten moustaches in Ogden. • Photoshoot: Men in outdoor activities. September • Get ready for beard season: Transitioning your bathroom sink setup from clean shaven to beard maintenance and style. • Travel guide-­‐Road Warrior: The must-­‐haves for any work-­‐related overnight traveling. October • Rediscover the classics: The story of a few classic grooming products (lotions, moisturizers, etc.) and how to use them. • Look the part: Top 5 hair and beard looks for men in their 40’s. November • Movember: Discount moustache touchups. • Winter is coming: Hair and skin care during the winter months. December • Gift card push: Discount on haircut and shave combo package. • The classics: Timeless hair and beard styles that work in any period. Potential partnerships with local businesses • Local women’s salons • Local clothing shops • Tattoo parlors • Gyms • Motor sports (ATV, motorcycles, etc) Google alerts • Mens health • Mens style • Barber • Mustache • Beard • Barbershop Photoshoot logistics: 2-­‐3 male and female, vintage or professional dress show up for cut, then travel to location for two-­‐hour shoot SAMPLE FACEBOOK PHOTO POSTS SAMPLE INSTAGRAM POSTS Appendix 4 IDEAS FOR PHOTOSHOOTS couples on the trails couples in the city—casual couples in the city—formal Appendix 5 Appendix 6 DEVIN SNOW 30 YEARS OLD HAIRCUT/BARBERING NEEDS • Easy access and convenient • Affordable • High perceived value • Indulgent, but not too indulgent • Style ownership • Bragging rights, something to show off GOALS • Look good • Feel good • Right price MOTIVATIONS • Take time for himself without guilt. • Feel pampered/indulged • Connect style to identity • Looking to fill out masculinity • Looking to the past to connect to something bigger than himself and gain reassurance that he’s on the right track. BACKGROUND • Devin is an IT professional working for mid-size company in the Ogden area. • He is married and has two young children. • He owns a home in the Ogden area. • Having enjoyed his single life in his early 20s, he is no longer the center of his universie and he’s just now starting to resent it. Appendix 7 Customer Persona