Show the method before the result
In the weeks before opening there's no work to show, and the gap gets filled with countdowns and photos of the build. Those speak only to people who already know you and give nobody else a reason to follow.
What works is showing how you'll work: how a consultation runs, what you look at before proposing a cut, how you explain the upkeep of a colour. That's content a person can judge before trying you, and it answers the question she actually has, which is whether she'll be understood.
After opening the material increases, but the criterion stays the same: a before-and-after shows a result achieved on someone else; explaining why that choice was made shows how you would reason about her.
Content people who don't know you can judge
The chart is qualitative and shows how useful each type of content is to someone deciding whether to try the salon.
Before and after opening
The table sets out what to post in each phase and with what goal.
| Phase | Content | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks before | Method, criteria, introduction | Give a reason to follow |
| Opening | The real space and how to book | Make the first step easy |
| First weeks | Work with the reasoning explained | Show how you think |
| Steady state | Cases, advice, behind the scenes | Maintain the relationship |
How to set up the content
Show the method
How you run a consultation, not a countdown.
Collect consents
Notice and specific permission before publishing images.
Explain the choices
Why that proposal, not only the result.
Keep it consistent
Two posts a week for months, not one intense month.
How to set it up
- Post content people who don't know you can judge.
- Get consent and provide notice before using client images.
- Explain the choices, don't only show results.
Consent for images should be handled as a genuine obligation: clear notice, specific permission and the ability to withdraw it. A photo published without those steps is a problem worth far more than the visibility it generates.
Consistency matters more than frequency. Two pieces of content a week sustained for months build more than one intense month followed by silence, which is the most common pattern around openings.
The service to include in the new salon
Saloria enters the opening project as a consultation tool, not management software. The new salon can use it to guide the first visit, analyze the face, build the look plan and generate a protocol useful to the team. This way technology isn't an accessory: it becomes part of positioning and professional selling.
To consult before deciding
These sources are reliable starting points to verify requirements, procedures and tools. For operational decisions, always run checks with state board, local municipality, accountant and technical advisors.
- SBA: 10 steps to start your business
- IRS: Small businesses and self-employed
- OSHA: Hair salons safety guidelines
- Department of Labor: State labor offices contacts
- USA.gov: State business licenses and permits
- State Cosmetology Boards directory
- FTC: Privacy and security guidance for businesses
- Google: Guidelines for local businesses on Business Profile
- LoopNet: Commercial real estate for lease and sale
- Crexi: Commercial real estate marketplace
Frequently asked questions
What should you post before opening?
Content showing how you'll work: how a consultation runs, which criteria you use. That's what people who don't know you can judge.
Can you post photos of clients?
Only with notice and specific consent, and the ability to withdraw it. It's an obligation, not a courtesy.
Is it better to post often or consistently?
Consistently. Two posts a week for months build more than one intense month followed by silence.