In the face of economic adversity, it's natural to feel overwhelmed as a salon owner, but remember, you are not alone.
Many salons are still navigating through similar challenges and are embracing innovation and forming meaningful connections with their clients through brand loyalty and customer service.
Every salon is unique, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution when attracting new business. So, we've put together the following guide to help tailor your efforts to align with your salon's branding and clientele.
Whether you're a seasoned salon owner or newly launched in your local area, there are things that you can do to increase your chances of attracting new customers and returning ones into your salon. This guide will provide you with the insights and strategies needed to not only weather the storm of economic downturn but emerge stronger than ever.
Social media
Social media is one of the easiest ways to introduce your salon to new customers online. Encouraging existing followers to share your posts and set up boosted posts to target certain demographics will help to attract higher levels of foot-traffic to your salon.
If you’re wondering what to post on social media, start by experimenting with a few different types of posts, such as:
● Before-and-after transformations
● Various hairstyles and haircuts
● Tutorials for trending makeup looks
● Nail art reels
Welcome new customers
To keep the customer journey going and to make your prospective new customers feel valued, send them a welcome email or text message when they sign up or visit your salon for the first time.
Include a discount code or time-sensitive incentive to get them to book an appointment at your salon as a returning customer.
You might even want to send them a copy of your price list, to let them know exactly what services you offer.
Booking confirmations
Once the client has made that step and booked an appointment at your salon, send them a confirmation email so they can be sure it is in your system.
At this point, you may wish to also include any consultation consent forms you need them to fill in ahead of the appointment, such as medical history, any special requirements, etc. Mention anything that they need to be aware of – don’t wear make-up to the appointment, bring open-toed shoes, come in for a patch test, etc.
Approximately 48 hours ahead of the appointment, send them a booking reminder and state how much you are looking forward to seeing them.
Make them aware of your cancellation policy at this stage too, in case they need to cancel or postpone their appointment for any reason.
Special offers
You don’t want to bombard clients with promotions, but you also don’t want them to go elsewhere. Building up a loyal customer base for your salon is vital for the success of your business long term.
Consider offering discounts or refer-a-friend programs as a great way to attract new customers and secure returning ones, keeping your appointment diary full.
To really gain customer loyalty, have some form of stamps or points system that can be accrued to pay for further appointments, and send them a special offer or discount code on their birthday as a gift.
This will communicate that you are a customer-facing organization that really cares about its clients and goes the extra mile to make them feel a valued part of your salon family.
Offer flexible payment options
Running a hair or beauty salon can become extremely busy. The majority of your day will be spent greeting customers, taking new appointments and providing quality service to everyone who walks through the door.
Opting for flexible payments will help streamline your operation whilst you grow your database of clients. Investing in this early on will give you greater flexibility and help facilitate growth for your salon long-term.
Offering flexible payment options at your salon with SumUp Solo will help speed up checkout for customers and ensure a seamless transaction so that your customers leave your salon feeling on cloud 9 after getting their haircuts or treatments.
Inclusive salons services
Making your salon inclusive through service positioning involves deliberately creating an environment that welcomes and caters to a diverse range of clients. The following strategies will help you attract a wider demographic of customers to your salon whilst building your brand in the right way.
Promote body waxing services
Highlight some of the benefits to your target customers across all genders. Emphasize the benefits of body waxing, such as long-lasting smoothness, improved skin texture and a reduction in ingrown hairs.
Testimonials are a great way to build trust with new clients. Share testimonials with your clients either online or in-store. Include before-and-after pictures from delighted customers to showcase the effectiveness of your service.
Hair care and styling
Segment your target audience based on the different hair types of your existing customers and provide personalized recommendations for products or services that cater to their specific needs. This could include:
● ‘How-to guides’
● Hair styling tutorials for textured hair
● New trends and styles
Offering limited-time offers in your growth strategy will create a sense of urgency with limited-time discounts or promotions on selected hair care products or salon services based on your segmented target market.
Encourage potential customers to explore your website, schedule a consultation or visit your salon for bespoke hair care and styling advice.
Nail care and artistry
Seasonal promotions are a great way to introduce seasonal nail colors, designs or themed nail art packages to capitalize on specific holiday periods and events throughout the year.
Encourage your customers to schedule a nail appointment, browse your gallery for inspiration or follow your social media accounts for more nail care tips and trends.
Give your customers an option to update their preferences for future marketing material when they are paying. Have a tick box where new and existing customers can update their areas of interest. Once you have this type of information, you can send them details of the specific products or services that you offer at your salon based on their input.
Building trust and customer loyalty
Lastly, once the client has been in for an appointment, send them a follow-up email or text message to check that everything was okay with their visit and the service they received.
Now is also the time to ask them for a Google review, which is increasingly recognized as a way to choose between businesses.
If you can also suggest that they book their next appointment at the same time, even better, as you are striking while the iron is hot to continue that customer relationship.
Final thoughts
There are many ways to approach growing your business as a salon owner, but, with the strategies we’ve described in this guide, you’ll be building up a list of potential clients in no time.
Disclaimer:
The above paid-for content was produced by and posted on behalf of the Sponsor. Content provided is generated solely by the Sponsor or its affiliates, and it is the Sponsor’s responsibility for the accuracy, completeness and validity of all information included. Beauty Launchpad takes steps to ensure that you will not confuse sponsored content with content produced by Beauty Launchpad and governed by its editorial policy.
