Boost Sales by playing the right Music at your Salon

What do you do at your salon or spa to motivate clients to spend more? You are probably running the occasional marketing campaign of discounts and seasonal incentives to encourage customer to spend just a little extra, but what about music? Do you play any at your salon? And if so, what is your favourite to play? Are you more of a classical person or do you simply prefer the radio? You’re probably asking yourself: ‘why all these questions about music? What difference does it make what I play at the salon?’ Well, let me tell you, according to business and consumer studies, the choice of music you play at your business does have an impact on your clients buying behaviour.

Music creates an atmosphere as much as your salon interior does. Studies suggest that music can influence your mood both ways, resulting in influencing your spending behaviour. Many supermarkets and retailers are using this strategy. Therefore, this can be applied to any business that welcomes customers, such as salons and spas, with the intention to boost their revenue. And yes, your music choices (playing no music is a choice as well) can influence your client’s mood in a positive or negative way. While some stores play or don't play music without a second thought, the significant effects of music have been identified in dozens of academic studies, according to Business Insider.
You might want to consider what image you want to create when clients come in for their appointments. Determine what shop you run will be crucial to this. Think about what type of customers visit your salon and adapt your music choices to them. If your business attracts a more elderly community they might not appreciate you blasting Bieber through the radio. Therefore, your salon brand should be considered when choosing the right music. For example ‘Classical music makes people think of a shop as more expensive, and this isn’t right in all contexts,’ especially if you have a lot of students as clients.

If your Salon or Spa brand is the image of a relaxing oasis then you might be more comfortable playing comforting or classical music. If you want to create an atmosphere that suits more a trendy beauty hotspot in town, then more upbeat and contemporary pieces might be in order. You can also spice up the selection from time to time with special playlists suiting a specific time of the year. In December, for example you play Christmas songs, in the summer you play positive, uplifting tunes. Especially with Christmas approaching fast, many business owners create special holiday playlists that are designed to get the customer into the right mood; meaning the feel encouraged to think about additional presents they could purchase from the beauty salon or spa. Many providers such as Spotify, Google Play Music offer subscriptions, where you can create your own playlist or use the ones that others created. Don’t forget, you might need a licence for some of them to play in your business. ‘There is an art to optimizing the background music for the sort of shopping experience that you want to create and there is no one size that fits it all.’ (Soundjack)

Here are some tips to consider when choosing music for your salon:


Tempo & Style is everything
If you choose slow or upbeat music, make sure it suits your salon style. Research has shown that slow music makes people slow down as well, but they also buy more. Customers feel more relaxed and might not feel the urge to rush out of the salon after all. A relaxing environment could have the effect of customers browsing longer and therefore buying more.


Make your Reception Area look & sound welcoming
This not only applies to your décor and tidiness of your front of house. I mean fresh flowers and a neat looking interior will definitely reflect positively on your business, however make sure your music matches that image as well. When customers have to wait for their appointment, they are happier when they hear music they like, which makes the wait time appear shorter.


Work on Client Retention with the right music
Happy customers are more likely to rebook appointments straight away. Playing the right music is part of that. If a customer feels comfortable and relaxed it’s more likely they will form a positive image of your salon in their head. These are often the clients you will see again.


One key to remember is that every salon is different. Playing music at your salon or spa will help customers to establish what kind of brand you want to be. It creates a very specific atmosphere. From slow to fast, from classical to contemporary, every salon style is different. Overall, it has been proven that music influences our mood and therefore our buying habits. So don’t underestimate music as a potential sales tool, because its surprising effects on spending habits is not something you want to miss. Anything that will boost sales is great marketing for your salon and good for overall revenue.

Want to find out more about Salon Tracker and how we can help with your Marketing needs? Send us an email to info@salontracker.co.uk or simply call us on +44 (0) 113 350 8230. We would love to discuss your ideas with you.


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