Featuring, Blake Reed Evans *Podcast available below* I started using social media first as a hobby then it became an obsession. I love studying social media and the impact it can have on growing our business behind the chair. I am a level four Summit Stylist at Shear Art Salon & Spa in Tampa, Florida. I also have the honor of being on the Redken Artistic Training Team for Social Media where we are trained on all things social media. Plus, across all of my social channels I have over 13,000 followers, @blakereedevans.   It is vital for salon professionals to understand the true difference between a personal page and a professional page. A personal page is where you have a social media account that is meant for personal use. This is typically done with an “Add Friend” page on Facebook, “Private Accounts” on Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. A “Professional” page is where a user can “Like” or “Follow” a Public account. This is where things get blurry for most people. Just because your account is “Private” does not mean it is personal. The second you accept ONE guest or coworker as a friend or follower, your page is no longer “personal.” You are now a representation of your salon company and personal brand as a stylist behind the chair. Everything you share, like, and post is visible to someone who you have professional connections to. Our industry in particular has to be cautious of our online presence due to the close relationships we develop with our guests and coworkers. With this being such a politically polarizing time, social media posts and in salon conversations can get excessively passionate. I have a guest who is very involved in politics. Due to the nature of her interests, she is exceptionally vocal about her opinions. I allowed her to talk further than it should have gone and it led to verbal disagreement between two guests. This created a tense environment for the entire salon floor and is definitely not a representation of our salon company experience. The tense emotions that were present in this example is the same for the debates that we engage in online, however some clients might just scroll on by and cancel their next appointment. The REACH of this incident is limited to the salon floor, your ONLINE reach can be hundreds or thousands- and it is timeless. Moral of the story: We have to control the conversations we have behind the chair AND online.            Blake’s TOP THREE TIPS to Staying Professional * Be on stage! Be mindful of what you share, comment, or like on social media. The social networks have algorithms that show the comments and likes of people they think you know. * Be supportive! There are so many negative people on the internet so when you see gorgeous work, call it out! And when you see things you don’t agree with- scroll right by! * Find healthy ways to get involved in issues that matter to you! Although we would love to change the world with online activism, most of the time it ends up with someone getting their feelings hurt. Your opinion on current events should be kept privately between your real life friends and family. My last bit of advice is to challenge yourself to keep reading. I recommend, “Ego is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday. He dives into how we view ourselves and how we project ourselves. It also helps with how to remove your ego from a situation. Ryan Holiday says, “you will be less invested in the story you tell about your own specialness, and as a result, you will be liberated to accomplish the world-changing work you’ve set out to achieve.” What social media etiquette tips do YOU have? Tell me what you think!