How Salons can Prepare for the upcoming Prom Season

As many are finishing exams and summer is slowly approaching, it is also that time of the year that many pupils look forward too: It’s Prom night! 

Sparkly dresses, golden skin and impressive hair up-do’s are all part of the night. For many pupils this is one of the most special times in their school life. Hair and beauty salons are especially busy during this time for a good reason, as they contribute significantly to the outcome of the night. As we move towards summer, there are plenty of opportunities for salons to increase their revenue. Anything from wedding season to May Bank Holidays can be used as a potential marketing opportunity to get new clients through the door and retain current ones. There is more to a prom night than just finding the right dress. A great dress has to be perfected with matching nails and hair. Prom season can be just as profitable as wedding season if you play your cards right and treat your guests like it’s the special day they want it to be.

Therefore, we are breaking down the best strategies this prom season and have decided to focus on SMS, Email and Social Media advertising:

SMS Messages

Pretty much everyone these days owns a mobile phone. Therefore, SMS marketing is still a very popular technique in order to get the word on any offers and special events out there. A simple SMS campaign can be a fast and easy way that ensures the promotional message reaches clients instantly. If you use Salon Software, even better. Many systems have an integrated marketing feature that makes it much easier to send out your campaigns. All you have to press is send and the system will do the rest for you. It’s that simple.

In case you are struggling with composing text messages, we have compiled three examples for you:


<< Attention Prom Goers! Treat yourself and a friend this month @ SALON NAME to a luxury manicure. Two for the price of one! Call the salon or book online <link> >>


<< Hi ‘CLIENT NAME’, Free Blow Dry when you book your Prom Styling @ SALON NAME. Limited spaces available. Book now on 0123456789 or on our website <link> >>


<< Hi ‘CLIENT NAME’ Looking for glam make up for your prom night? Book this week and receive a complimentary treat bag. BOOK NOW @SALON NAME!


Email

If you rather work with images then email is the way to go. Whoever says email marketing is a dead art form is mistaken. Pretty much everyone these days have access to an email account. Smart phones and mobile data make is possible to receive emails on the go, wherever you are. It is therefore a given to use this opportunity to reach out to mums and their daughters. A visually pleasing email campaign to capture the client’s attention can be just as effective as a SMS message. If you sign up with an external provider such as Mail Chimp you can upload prom inspired images and include any special offers. If you have pictures from previous years then it would be a good idea to include them as well in your template. This way clients can see what you offer and how the end product will look like.

Social Media

Facebook & Co. are great places to spice up your marketing game and get creative. Why not run special prom competitions. This can be something simply such as a selfie competition. Anything from best dress or most dramatic hairstyle can enter the competition. As prizes, you can have a giveaway of products and services. 

Even if you don’t think the idea of a competition is the right way for your salon, there are many more options such as a Look Book of popular hairstyles to get your customers involved and inspired to make an appointment. Include an obvious call to action within any promotion. For competition this can be must be redeemed within 3 months in order for them to return and claim their price. Alternatively, a simple book now will do the trick. Always include your phone number or website if you offer online booking.
REMIND your customers to take pictures in their dresses all dolled up. You can then collect pictures and use them in your portfolio or in ads for next year’s prom season.



We hope you found these ideas helpful! If you have any questions or would like more advice on successful prom strategies then please get in touch with the Salon Tracker team. We are happy to help you with any marketing queries. Happy Prom Season!


Salon Tracker x