Facebook Live l has become a very popular feature for news outlets, celebrities, businesses and individuals alike. It allows users to interact with their Facebook followers in real-time through video. You broadcast live video that shows up on your followers’ news feeds and they have the ability to like, comment and ask questions. For salons, this offers a unique platform that really has tons of possibilities.

Here are a few ways you can use Facebook Live to interact with your customers.

Give them a glimpse behind the scenes. One of the best things Facebook has done for business is put a face on it. People like to feel connected to the businesses they buy from, and Facebook has made that more accessible than ever. With Facebook Live, you could really take this concept to a new level. Show them how excited your staff is when they’re unboxing new products. Give them a peek into how seriously you take maintenance by showing what goes into a bulb change. Going to Nashville to brush up on your skills and find new products your customers will love? Share the experience with them!

A word of warning with this one: there is such thing as oversharing. Facebook really shouldn’t be used a venue for you to complain about difficult customers or struggles your business is having. People want to know the personality behind your business, but give them something that will leave them with a positive image of your business.

Show them product demonstrations. Ever wish you could just show all your customers how to properly apply a product? Or demonstrate how your spray booth works? Or show that really awesome feature your new tanning bed has? Facebook Live lets you do just that in real-time, so if your customers have questions, they can ask and you can give them an immediate response. This is something you could do on a whim or schedule ahead of time to build anticipation. Either way, Facebook Live lets you post a recording of your live cast so that people can view it at any time. This would be a great way to grow interest in new products and services, while also giving you the opportunity to teach on proper usage to ensure consistent results.

Hold Q&A sessions. Sometimes customer have questions that they don’t want to ask in person – whether because they’re uncomfortable or because they want to hear from the owner/manager. You could schedule Q&A sessions to answer those questions and educate all of your followers. For best results, schedule these ahead of time and ask people to send in their questions. You could even compile a list of common questions you get asked. This is a great opportunity to educate and hopefully overcome objections that people have with products or services they’re just not that familiar with.

Announce new products. New products and lotion lines are usually pretty exciting for your staff and customers. Why not capitalize on that and make an event out of it? You could have a physical product launch party at your salon, but there’s a lot that goes into that. Instead, you could do a product launch party on Facebook Live! Introduce your new products, build some hype about them and use it as an opportunity to sell your customers before they even step in the door. You could really gain viewers and build excitement by offering some giveaways to those that tune in and participate in the product launch party. And because it’s interactive, you can really get a read on what people like, and you can answer any questions they might have.

There really are a lot of ways you could utilize Facebook Live to communicate and interact with your customers in unique and measurable ways. If it’s something you want to try in your salon, be creative and fun with it. You know your customers well enough to know what they want to see, so tailor it to your audience. That’s what social media is all about.