Partnerships & Team Development:
Driving Marketing and Recruitment Efforts
Since opening the first salon in 1963, TONI & GUY had the belief that every client has their own unique style. As they provided clients with the latest trends, they knew that the next step was to teach the new generation of beauty professionals how they could also stretch their creativity in the industry. TONI & GUY has since expanded the company to include numerous hairdressing academies that are continually updating their curriculum.
The TONI&GUY Cosmetology program focuses on their "Classics" curriculum including eleven cut and nine color techniques. Students graduate with a fundamental education in hairdressing, with expertise in products, makeup, skincare, and an understanding of the salon experience as well as how to further their professional development.
The Opportunities & Challenges
The 17th Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy was opening its doors in Atlanta (2011). The campus offered technical education in haircutting and coloring as well as job placement assistance in one of their revered salons across the globe.
I was tasked with attracting and recruiting a minimum of eight (max 12) students each month into the 15-month program. There were, however, additional challenges to consider:
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There were two competitor academies that each had two, well-established campuses (15+ years) in the state
All four of these competitor academies were located in the heart of Atlanta where our ideal student-base went to live, work, and play.
The competitor academies had scholarships and various program schedule offerings (flex day/evening classes, full/part-time, etc.), whereas the new TONI & GUY campus offered one, full time schedule and no scholarships/ financial aid
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The TONI & GUY Atlanta campus was located in a small suburban town (30-45min outside of the city depending on traffic) in a not-so-frequented strip mall with poor signage; making it difficult for passerby to know we had arrived
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At the time, Facebook had launched a few years prior the opening of the Atlanta academy. Twitter and YouTube were just born. A small team of three personnel oversaw the TONI & GUY corporate social media channels available for each of the three platforms. If communications needed to be distributed by any of the over a dozen campuses or salons across the country, several weeks would lapse prior to content approval. This often meant promotions or any other outreach from the academies or salons were sent out too late for customers/ prospects to move forward on the calls to action.
Solutions & Key Results
Drove recruitment (50%)
Increased retention (100%), and
Ensured job placement (85%) within six months - during the 2011 economic crisis.
Among other results, here’s how I used experience design, storytelling, and strategic partnerships to deliver these results:
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Through phone interviews, campus tours, outreach events, and meeting with students from other vocational programs, I identified the common "story" of current cosmetology students and that of prospects within each target segment (recent high school grads, career changers without post-secondary schooling, career changers with some/completed post-secondary education).
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Initiated, pitched, and launched the Toni & Guy social media marketing blueprint and communications training plan for over two dozen salons and 17 vocational academies nationwide in collaboration with the Toni&Guy corporate Marketing team.
Created and oversaw three campus ambassador programs to enlist faculty and students in the effort to increase online engagement as well as on-campus and community events.
Developed experiential events designed to attract, recruit and retain both prospective students and community partners who would serve as future employers. These events also created a platform for current students to showcase their skills and tell the stories of their learning.
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Secured and managed freelancers including but not limited to photographers, videographers, graphic designers, makeup artists in an effort to support students with their portfolio development.
Secured over two dozen strategic partnerships to create a pipeline for internship and job opportunities for students. Partnerships were in and outside the cosmetology industry, including film production companies. A key finding from research and interviews with current and prospective students was their desire to graduate and secure careers that afforded them the opportunity to style hair, makeup and wardrobe within TV/Film. At the time, Georgia had just implemented tax incentives for production companies, which meant an influx of major LA and NY studios to ATL who were open to collaboration and the additional support from students.
