Evaluate Previous Years
Some of you may have salon software and therefore can run reports and charts for analysis at the click of a button, others of you may still be using paper KPI trackers and reports. Whichever it is, January is a good time to observe the reports, to see what worked well, and what maybe didn’t. You can then use this data to forward plan and identify any key areas that may need work or any sections of the salon where improvements are no longer necessary.
Run Over Pricing
During your analysis of previous years, you need to ensure that you are evaluating your prices and also comparing those to that of competitors. Also, make sure that your prices reflect your services. For example, there may be certain technicians that have worked in the salon for some time and your loyal clients don’t mind paying that little bit more for their treatments. Having said that, you don’t want to offer your services at too low prices either, as the last thing you want is clients believing that your work isn't up to par and also you don't want to be labelled as a cheap-salon service. However you also have to make sure that you aren't charging so much that clients find your services too un-affordable that they go elsewhere for their repeat treatments.
Marketing & Offers
January is always a great time to market and offer discount, as every company is renowned for doing this early on in the New Year, especially as everyone is a bit strapped for cash. On the days that you’re quiet, for example a Monday/Tuesday, offer discounts on a few selected treatments, as by doing this it will make the offer seem a little more exclusive as a pose to discounting your entire treatment list. In terms of marketing and promotions, run monthly email and SMS campaigns, for example a good idea would be to start a monthly newsletter promoting new services, information on new staff members and any special offers. Another fab idea for some extra salon promotion would be to partner with local photographers or universities who may need hair stylists for their shoots. If you're currently training new technicians, you could advertise for 'styling models' then collaborate with the local photographers & students, as you then should receive a copy of the artwork for free which you can use for salon display!
Salon Aesthetics
Clients who are impressed with the experience that they receive when visiting your salon are more likely to return and also spread the word to friends. As we have said before, the experience starts when a client walks through the salon door. Your salon décor, layout and level of cleanliness is therefore really important. If all of this is up to scratch, it instantly impresses a client and should encourage them to recommend your salon. Your digital aesthetics is also something to think about. How is your salon website and social media accounts looking? Use January to give these a little re-vamp...post client photos online, select the best photos of your salon technicians' work and share these on your social network accounts. You could even create landing pages for each of your technicians' on the website, so when clients are booking online they can see an example of certain technicians' work. This being especially beneficial if it is a first-time client, as reviews and testimonials are key in terms of winning that client over and getting that sale.
Improve Business Presence
Create a blog and let your staff members share their beauty stories with clients. A great way to improve SEO (search engine optimisation) for your website and also beneficial in terms of offering advice to clients. Reviews are another great technique, as again you can hashtag the brands of the latest products, contributing again to the SEO for your site and also, the sales of your retail products. Something else to think about, how many places is your salon listed on the web? Ensure that your salon is listed on all the top local business directories to make sure that you have as much publicity as possible. If online isn't for you just yet, produce and hand out some business cards. You can get bulk cards printed for quite a small cost at places such as Vista Print, and this is a simple and effective way to gain added exposure for your business. Hand them out at reception after treatments so that clients can pass them to friends. You can also ask local businesses if they wouldn't mind displaying one in their shop window, as you might just gain a little extra local business by doing this.
Complimentary Promotions
Mini promotions on your website, Facebook page and other social media accounts are great in terms of networking and word-of-mouth promotion for the salon. These don't have to be anything too costly either. You could just have a competition running throughout January where for each person that enters, there will be a daily winner that is entitled to a free £5.00 voucher of a 25% off coupon for their next treatment. Followers who subscribe to your feeds can stay informed of any businesses competitions and will be more likely to book an appointment with you. Complimentary gifts are also a great way to win clients over in terms of their loyalty towards you, as little extras after appointments are the things that make your salon stand out from the crowds. These could literally be something as simple as a free product sample or sweets in reception. A little gesture goes a long way.
January Return Vouchers
Introduce vouchers that can only be used from 1st to 31st January 2016. These are a good way to promote a 'bounce-back' in custom and improve the footfall in the salon during quieter periods. Start handing them out now throughout the busy Christmas season and promote them on your social media pages to ensure that your salon starts off the New Year with a bang.
We hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas and that some of our ideas will come in useful for a great start to the New Year!
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