Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance based on what you've shared about starting your hair services and looking to get your first paid clients.
It's completely normal to start with models and friends when you're building your book. The jump to getting paid clients is often the tricky part, and finding the right way to get in front of people who are actually looking for your services is key.
You're exploring ads, which is a smart move. It's one of the quickest ways to get visibility. But choosing the right platform is pretty crucial, especially when you're starting out and probably on a tighter budget.
Finding people who are actually looking...
When you're offering a service like hairstyling, you're generally trying to find people who have an immediate need. They've decided they need a haircut, colour, or style, and they're looking for someone to do it for them right now.
Think about how you or your friends search for a new hairdresser. Do you scroll through Instagram hoping to stumble upon one? Or do you typically go to Google and type something like "hairstylist near me" or "hair salon in [your town]"?
For most people, especially when they have an immediate need, it's the latter. They use search engines.
This is why for services, we almost always start clients on platforms where people are actively searching for solutions. Google Search Ads and Google Local Service Ads are built exactly for this.
With Google Search Ads, you can target specific keywords that potential clients are typing into Google. You'd bid on terms like:
Keywords to Consider:
- "Hairstylist near me"
- "Hairdresser [your town/area]"
- "Haircut for women/men"
- "Hair colouring service"
- "Balayage [your town]"
- "Best hair salon [your town]"
- "Emergency haircut"
- Specific types of services you offer (e.g., "bridal hair", "extensions", "perm", etc.)
When someone searches one of these terms, your ad can appear right at the top of the search results. This puts you directly in front of someone who has high intent – they are looking for a hairstylist *right now*.
Google Local Service Ads are even more direct for local service providers. They show up as a box at the very top of Google search results, even above traditional search ads, and list local businesses. Users can call or message you directly from the ad. You only pay when a customer contacts you through the ad, which is great. You do need to be "Google Screened" or "Google Guaranteed" to run these, which involves a background check and verification process, but it's definitely worth looking into for a local service business.
How about social media ads?
Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) and other social platforms *can* play a role, but they are usually less effective for driving immediate bookings when you're just starting out compared to search. Social media is more of an interruption channel – you're putting your ad in front of people who might not be thinking about getting their hair done right at that moment.
Social media is fantastic for:
-> Building awareness and showing off your work with high-quality photos and videos.
-> Targeting people based on interests (e.g., "beauty", "hairstyles", following specific influencers) or demographics.
-> Retargeting people who visited your website or engaged with your ads but didn't book.
-> Building a brand over time.
However, for getting those first few paying clients in the door relatively quickly, Google Search is often where you'll see the most immediate return because you're capturing existing demand.
What about costs and budget?
The cost per lead (CPL) or cost per booking can vary wildly depending on your location, how competitive the market is there, and the specific services you offer. Higher population density and more salons advertising will mean higher costs.
Based on our experience with other local service businesses:
-> We're currently running a campaign for an HVAC company in a competitive area, and they are seeing costs of around $60/lead. An HVAC lead is quite high value though.
-> We've also run campaigns for services like childcare where the CPL was closer to $10 per signup.
-> And our best consumer services campaign for a home cleaning company saw a brilliant cost of just £5 per lead.
For a hairstylist, I'd estimate you might be looking at something in the range of $15 - $40 per lead/booking initially, but this is just a rough estimate. It could be higher or lower.
To get started and gather enough data to see what's working, you probably need a bit of budget to test things out. I'd usually recommend starting with maybe £500 to £1,000 per month for ad spend as a minimum. This isn't a fixed rule, it depends on how many leads you need and what the actual cost per lead turns out to be in your area. If you need 10 bookings a month and the average cost per booking is £30, you'd need £300 ad spend. But you need a buffer for testing.
Getting people to book once they click...
Running ads isn't just about getting clicks; it's about getting bookings. Where are you sending people who click on your ads? Do you have a website? Is it easy for someone to see your work, find your services and pricing, and most importantly, book an appointment?
Even the best ads will fail if your website isn't up to scratch or if the booking process is clunky. Make sure your website (or landing page) is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, clearly shows your services and prices, has appealing photos of your work, and a very clear call-to-action – a button that says "Book Now" or "Schedule an Appointment". If you don't have an online booking system yet, make it obvious how people should contact you (phone number, email, contact form).
Make sure your website looks professional and trustworthy. Since you're just starting out, maybe having a page with testimonials from your models/friends (with their permission, of course!) could help build confidence for potential clients. Show before and after photos. Make it easy for people to see you are legitimate and skilled.
Here's a quick overview of recommended next steps:
| Action | Details | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Improve Online Presence | Ensure you have a mobile-friendly website or landing page that showcases your work, lists services/prices, and has a clear booking process. Add testimonials/before-after photos. | High - Essential for ad success |
| Look into Google Local Service Ads | Investigate the "Google Guaranteed" program for your service area. This is often ideal for local services. | High - Direct leads from search |
| Set up Google Search Ads | Target high-intent keywords people search when needing a hairstylist locally. Start with a focused set of keywords. | High - Captures existing demand |
| Allocate a Testing Budget | Start with maybe £500-£1k monthly for Google Search Ads to gather data and see what works in your specific location. | Medium - Requires investment |
| Optimise Your Booking Process | Make it as easy as possible for someone who lands on your site to book an appointment. Consider online scheduling tools. | High - Converts clicks into clients |
| Consider Social Media Later | Once you have Search Ads running, you can use social media (Meta Ads) for showcasing work and building awareness, but it's usually not the best starting point for immediate paid clients. | Lower - More for long-term brand/awareness |
Getting the first paying clients takes time and effort, and testing different approaches is part of the process. Advertising, particularly through Google Search, can definitely work to accelerate this, but it needs to be done strategically and backed up by a solid online presence and easy booking process.
Navigating the world of paid advertising, especially when you're focused on running your business and providing services, can be a lot. It requires specific expertise to set up campaigns correctly, choose the right targeting and keywords, write effective ad copy, and continuously monitor and optimise performance to make sure you're not just spending money but actually getting paying clients at a profitable cost.
If you'd like a more tailored look at your specific situation or need help getting these campaigns set up the right way from the start, we'd be happy to jump on a free consultation call with you. It's a chance for us to understand your goals and your local market better and give you some concrete steps, with no obligation.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
