Salon Tracker LAUNCHES online booking set to change the future of salon software!

What people are frequently taught is how we have entered the ‘Technical Takeover’ and are now in an era where it is almost an insult, to dismiss technology. 

So is technology really the key element to ensuring success in your salon? In a word, YES.

Salon owners are in an extremely competitive market. With more salons opening day by day in the hair, beauty and tanning industry, the ability to consistently stand out is proving difficult in a time where the requirement is absolutely imperative.

So how can you be the competitor to beat?

The answer is to ease the sale with online booking rather than waiting for it.

Take your website or Facebook for instance: Clients are there to get information: more specifically, prices and treatments. The formulated error by not using technology and advertising properly, is asking the client to reach out when they are ready. By providing the client with information but no enticement to act, there becomes a standstill on the booking process. This sales technique deprioritises their custom, potentially losing the sale mid flow.

Salon Tracker not only aims to increase the awareness of your salon through our advanced marketing suite but it then proceeds to follow the process through with the engaging online booking facility. Online booking is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With seamless Facebook and/ or website integration, we can help keep your business flowing to improve profit and increase revenue all day, every day!

Our online booking differs from the competition since the aim is to improve the performance of your business. The system will attract new clients and improve customer relations as it gives unrivalled access to your salon at your client’s convenience. Online booking can also fill quiet periods and reduce admin providing room for more customer engagement because all appointments and transactions are instantly updated in your software!

Salon Tracker offers a FREE demo and trial for every customer so contact now and try before you buy!

Rain? Snow? Warm up with these AMAZING 'Winter Warmer Treatments'...

It’s estimated up to 4x more expensive to attract new customers than to maintain existing ones so here’s some last minute marketing tips for you this 2014! We thought we would encourage and offer ideas to salons for their ‘winter warmer and rescue remedy treatments’ and ways of promoting them for this next month. Hopefully this will encourage customers flooding through the doors rather than rain!

•  Hands and nails are difficult to maintain in winter and so tend to be ignored in the process with a quick lick of paint covering the damage. However, we don’t notice the stress put on our hands and nails in the cold. A ‘healthy hands’ treatment integrating a hand massage with a deep moisturise and manicure is a great way to mend cracked and weak nails.

• Feet are another area to be neglected in winter months, they aren't seen as much since we tend to wear 8 pairs of socks and wellie boots to protect us from the puddles! Nevertheless, moisture is really important for the feet or they have a tendency to dry out. To prevent this, try offering a ‘tootsie treatment’ integrating hot stones into a foot massage to get the circulation running again. Fix them up with a nice little pedicure for added extras!

• Winter is a great time to convert clients from shaving to waxing as it is better for hair regrowth and also customer loyalty. It is an ongoing treatment which still remains popular throughout winter so try some new offers and promote them to all clients.

•  A deep facial cleanse will rid skin of dry impurities and bring out the brightness in your skin for that perfect winter radiance glow.

•  Hair tends to be scraped and further damaged in winter months too, so it is the perfect time to offer hair rescue remedies for locks that have been exposed and need some life back in to them. Maybe include some colouring offers in your salon too, winter is great for experimenting with darker colours so influence the daring side of your clients with a new do.

•  Tanning treatments are not just for summer, spray or bed remain popular through the winter because it allows clients to keep a form of glow through the winter months.

•  Finally, offer hot chocolate, marshmallows and whipped cream complimentary of your winter treatments so people feel that added comfort!

Salon Tracker’s advanced marketing features will allow you to not only categorise people who might be more susceptible to your treatments but will send them a reminder email or SMS to encourage footfall to the salon all under your dictation.

See the results before you buy! Get your FREE trial of SalonTracker today and receive 50 FREE SMS’s! Call 0113 350 8230 for more information!

Beautician? Hairdresser? Why you ARE the new CUPID!

From tanning and waxing to dyeing and crying, beauticians and hairdressers have seen it all! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the beauty industry are preparing for one of the biggest business booms of the year.

Whether you are female, male, single or taken; the 21^st century has made it okay to want to look good and of course, show off the results! Women are (obviously) obliged to partake in the odd pamper, but DailyMail (2012) studies suggest that men really are putting the man back into a MANicure with beauty salons in the UK ‘reporting a 66 per cent rise in the number of male clients’.

Those of you in and amongst the beauty industry are creating the aura for customers to feel beautiful with your treatments, whether that be a haircut, massage or a full body wax. A trip to the beauty, tanning or hair salon can sort you out and put you in good prep for any day let alone, Valentine’s Day!

That being said…here at Salon Tracker we’ve gathered the facts, scorned the heart break and unravelled the greatest gifts of 2014 for you to advertise in your salon,  treat your own beau or to just treat yourself!

Happy Valentine’s Day xxx

•  Offer ‘special’ promotions for the day. The majority of salon go-ers are women so it is important to highlight love packages that couples can enjoy together to ensure speciality is felt by both parties.

• Make your salon the ultimate love nest! Typically, Valentine’s Day is all about love, so for the sake of one week out of the year….roll out the red carpet, blow up the balloons, dazzle with glittery lights and douse with tasteful champagne and yummy chocolates to show when you do things you do them well. This will help sell the packages and create an aura of comfort and romance for both women and men (…we all know they secretly love gush too!!)

• Promote to the male audience via social activities. A lot of men will be actively searching for treatments around this time for their partner due to it being a typically pleasing gift. The problem is there are so many salons and therefore so many choices, so, where to choose? Promoting through gyms, local football clubs, restaurants are all great places to leave contact cards and offers as these are places men will feel at ease to call and book, they will wait for a reach out so make sure your salon is doing exactly that!

• Social Media is also a great way to not only promote offers but to market to those who might not have known about your salon. Competitions are a great example so why not think about conducting a competition on your Facebook or Twitter page on the condition that they have to like and share your page. Get clients to direct message you pictures and stories explaining why their significant other deserves a Valentine’s makeover. The stories can be funny, special or romantic but the best one wins and gets published on your site.

•  SMS marketing with Salon Tracker. If you aren’t already with us, why not? Salon Tracker has some brilliant features such as advanced marketing techniques with the ability to send texts or emails to those in between certain age groups or even highlighting your most loyal customers or likely to come in at a weekend or weekday, use it to your best ability and target those customers who you think might want lavishing this Valentine’s Day. This can be through different techniques and doesn’t have to just be promoting couples packages! Remember not to single (excuse the pun) people out.

• Join Forces with the local florist… because we all know women love flowers!

• Single and sexy! Of course Valentine’s Day is generally appealing to those with partners or dating, however, why not attempt to target the singles. Some people use Valentine’s as an excuse to go out and celebrate their singlehood or to try and meet a partner why not offer some daring and luscious makeovers or TLC at the salon. Design something for those who aren’t romantically involved. Maybe run a “Sexy and Single” or “Single and Fabulous” night, where the ladies can enjoy a pamper evening of facials, champagne, manicures etc. Emphasise the fun aspect of the day rather than the romantic side. Who says Valentine’s Day is for couples only?

• Competition time! With every customer in the door in the week running up to V-Day, it might be an idea to put them into a competition to win a meal courtesy of your salon or a treatment package tailored to their needs with added goodies or chocolates. This is also a great way to establish rapport with clients and ensure loyalty. If you run the competition on Social Media it might make people come in for a ‘convenient eyebrow wax’ or ‘touch up of the hair cut (from last week). After all, every customer is eligible.

Whatever you get up to, working or celebrating…remember all you need is L.O.V.E