How to do Black Friday in the most Cost-Effective Way!

 

Black Friday is fast approaching so normally around this time of year we would be giving our best advice on how you could take full advantage of this event. However, we know that this year because of some external factors such as the cost-of-living crisis, some salons may be struggling to decide whether or not they can afford to do something this year. This is why we decided that in this weeks’ blog we are going to give you some ideas on how you can do Black Friday in the most cost-effective way.

 

Tombola

One thing that you could do in the salon is a tombola. You could charge whatever is reasonable for the prizes that you are giving out. You could include both retail products and either full services or discounted services as prizes. One great thing about doing something like this is that it gives you a way to get rid of some of the stock of the retail products that you have in your salon. By offering services or discounted prices on services, this also gives the customers who win them the opportunity to try new things that they may not have tried before. If they enjoy the service, they may then continue to get booked in for this service which would be beneficial for the salon in the future.

 

Refer a Friend

Another way you can continue to reward your customers is to offer a ‘refer a friend’ deal. This would benefit both you and your customers. It’s great for customers because by just bringing a friend in they could gain a reward such as a free small retail product, a free sunbed session or money off their booking. This would also be great for the salon as by your customers referring a friend, you’re in turn getting a new, hopefully loyal customer.

 

Utilise our Offer!

Running from the 8^th of November to the 8^th of December we have our very own black Friday offer on our software, hardware and SMS packages.

If you’re currently thinking about making the move over to a software management system from a paper based one or are thinking about swapping providers, if you sign up with us before the 8^th of December, we are offering 50% off your first month’s payment on all of our feature packages.

We are also offering up to 15% off all of our hardware. Whether this be because you’re wanting to start fresh with all new hardware, including PC’s, POS hardware, fingerprint readers and signature pads or if you’re just wanting to upgrade some of the equipment you already have, drop us an email detailing what you require, and we can send you over a personal quote.

Finally, the last offer we have on for new and existing customers alike is 15% off all SMS text bundles. These SMS credits can be used for a number of things including: Booking reminders, marketing texts, online booking PIN reset texts and finally our newest feature, payment texts. This means that if a customer is getting booked in in the salon or over the phone and a deposit is required, you can send them an SMS text with Stripe payment link for them to pay their deposit.

If you would like to take advantage of any of these deals or would like any more advice on what you could offer in your salon call us on 0113 350 8230 or email us on info@salontracker.co.uk

 

Salon Tracker x

Last Minute Halloween Lookbook!

 

Halloween is nearing, have you got your costume ready? You don’t? No need to stress, we have it covered.

I think we can all agree that 2022 has been a hectic year, but we are here to make your Halloween as relaxing and stress free as possible. We have some easy Halloween looks for you that take minutes to pull together but look like they took all year to plan.

Looking for a stress-free Halloween outfit? Just grab a red top or blazer with some red horns and you'll have the perfect Devil costume. You can even add some red eye shadow and lipstick, or a splash of fake blood to really pull the outfit together. Who says Halloween can't be scary yet stylish!

If you want a costume for you and your furry friend, we have a great idea. Just grab a couple of old bed sheets, cut a whole for your eyes and nose and become a scary ghoul.

Makeup is everything this Halloween and it can really pull a costume together, so why not make it the main part. Some red and black eye makeup is all you need to create this flawless vampire look. 

                                          

Not wanting to go solo this Halloween? Here is a costume idea for you and all of your friends. Who says Halloween has to be so scary, just pop on a cowgirl hat and YEEHA!

Back to basics! Why not stick to the classics with this simple witch outfit. All you'll need is that black dress and a witch hat hidden at the back of your closet. 

Have you got nowhere to wear that black-tie suit that you bought years ago? Here's an idea, grab some black and white face paint and be a creepy skeleton this Halloween. This is a perfect costume for everyone, it never gets old!

These 6 simple and easy to do looks will transform your Halloween from tiresome to terrifying. We hope that these costumes have given you some great ideas for your spooky season. We would love to see the costumes that you guys have put together, be sure to DM us your Halloween pictures on Instagram @salontrackersoftware. 

Salon Tracker X

 

Loyalty with Salon Tracker!

 

When it comes to running a successful salon business, customer loyalty and retention is one of the most important factors. The salon market in 2022 is one of the most condensed with a lot of different businesses offering the same services. In this blog we are going to talk about the features that are already implemented in Salon Tracker which can help you encourage your existing customers to keep coming back to your salon rather than opting to have the same services at one of your competitor salons.

Pack Quantities

One feature that is already within Salon Tracker is pack quantities. This feature allows you to sell your services in packs and take payments upfront. This means that customers can buy a bundle of services, often for a reduced price, upfront. By offering this customers can purchase multiple services upfront for cheaper and it will therefore encourage them to stay loyal to your salon. By doing it this way you are also able to take payment upfront meaning there’s no chance of your salon losing out if these customers decide, for whatever reason, to not come back.

 

Marketing

Another way you could encourage your existing customers to stay loyal to your salon is to market to them via text and email. Salon Trackers intelligent marketing suite, which is available on our professional and enterprise packages, can help you do this in the easiest way possible. In our marketing suite you can filter out your customers depending on who you want to send a message to. For example, if you are wanting to thank your most loyal customers from the past three months, you can go to the marketing suite and then select your filter for the ’10 Best Spending Customers in the past three months’. Once you have this list of customers you could send them a message as follows:

‘Congrats, you are one of our top customers this season! As a thank you show this message next time you’re in for £5 off your next booking’

This gives you the opportunity to keep in contact with your customers, encourage them to keep visiting and also reward these loyal customers.

 

Customer Groups

Another way you can use Salon Tracker to reward your loyal customers is to set up customer discount groups. You can set up as many different customer groups as you would like with different discounts on retail products and booking services. One way you can do this is to have different customer groups for silver, gold and platinum customers. You could offer different discounts in each group with the idea that customers can work their way up these groups to get the best discount by being loyal to your salon.

If you would like any more information on any of these things or would like to get booked in for a free demonstration and two-week trial, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us on 0113 350 8230 or email info@salontracker.co.uk

Salon Tracker x

Our New Support System

We want to make getting help from us as easy as possible, which is why we have introduced a new help section on our website for you and your staff (Help - Salon Tracker). Here you will find plenty of help videos and guides on loads of different sections of the software. Perfect for staff training or if you ever get stuck and just need a quick guide on what to do.

Help Videos (Support Videos - Salon Tracker)

Our help videos have been stored within in the software for quite a while now, so we thought it would be helpful to have these accessible at any time, even when you’re not actually in the salon. The help videos follow the menu within Salon Tracker to make them as easy to follow as possible, starting with bookings all the way through to help. On our help home page there is also a search feature that brings up any videos or guides that match your search, so if you are unsure of which section the video will fall under you can use the search instead.

Each video is around 1-3 minutes and shows a walk-through of how to complete different tasks on the software. 

User Guides

Similar to the videos we also have lots of different help guides (Help Guides - Salon Tracker) to help with issues you may come across when using the system, for example how to reconnect your receipt printer. These can be downloaded to your phone and include simple steps in order to resolve any issues you may be having with the system.

Support Chat

We also now have our support chat live, here you can message a member of our team to ask any questions you may have and they will be able to point you in the right direction. You can also email yourself any chat transcript to refer back to for future help or we can email this direct to you!

 

With all the help guides now being accessible straight from your phones, it makes it 10x easier to get support and to train your staff. Of course, we will be on hand if you do need further assistance with the software, so don’t hesitate to call us on 0113 350 8230 or drop us an email to info@salontracker.co.uk and we will be happy to help!

 

Salon Tracker x

Frequently Asked Questions

At Salon Tracker, we get asked a lot of questions, some more frequently than others. Below are some of the most reoccurring questions we are asked:

Why should I choose Salon Tracker?

Salon Tracker is suitable for salons of all different sizes. Whether you are a single employee business, or a multi-site salon, we have different packages and features available that are tailored to suit your needs.

Which is your most popular package?

Our most popular package is our Enterprise package. This package contains both our in-salon features as well as our online features, such as online booking and siteview.

Can I use my own hardware?

Our hardware is entirely optional. If you already have your own hardware, we will always try to get this working for you, however there are some minimum recommendations that we recommend, as well as some brands which are not fully compatible.

Do you integrate with Tmax and Sigma?

Yes, we fully integrate with both Tmax and Sigma. Once your timer manager is connected up to the PC, you will be able to set off the sunbeds directly from Salon Tracker. You are able to set your own dress down and cooldown times which will then also send through to the beds.

Different staff members are able to do different treatments, can this be shown on the system?

We can help you setup groups so that each individual technician/beautician has their own set treatments and no other treatments will show up. This is so that when customers are booking online, they can’t book a treatment with a technician who can’t actually do it.

How does it work if I have multiple salons?

If you have multiple salons, you are able to decide if you want to share your customers and products across all sites or if you want to keep them completely separate. We offer the ability to view all your sites from home using a HQ, so you are able to check how each site is doing on a daily basis. We also offer discounts depending on how many sites you have with us.

What makes Salon Tracker unique?

At Salon Tracker, we are always striving to be the best, and in order to meet this, we are constantly updating our software and introducing new features to meet your needs. Our team are always on hand to help with any questions you and your salon may have.

I use another system, can I transfer my data over to Salon Tracker?

Yes you can! We can usually import customers, services (including existing minutes) and products. Give us a call on 0113 350 8230 and speak to a member of our team who will be able to advise you further on what can be brought across.

Why should I start using Salon Tracker over my trusted pen & paper?

Salon Tracker allows you to have everything in one place, increasing the salon’s efficiency. Track customers’ history and bookings electronically to ensure that you have the most accurate and secure calendar.

If you have any further questions at all, please feel free to e-mail us at info@salontracker.co.uk, check out our Chat system on our website or give us a call on 0113 350 8230.

Salon Tracker x

5 ways to increase your Salon Bookings this Autumn

With the busiest season of the year for Salon Owners coming to an end, you may be wondering what you can do to try and keep your calendar as full as possible... luckily we're here to help!

We've come up with 5 ideas that are bound to push your bookings this Autumn giving you a full calendar that you have worked so hard to achieve 

Hype yourself up

Believe it or not but you are your own biggest supporter and social media is exactly the place to show yourself off! You can use your Instagram as a portfolio to upload all your best work and your potential future customers can see just how good you are. A key tip is to tag the client you have done the treatment on so they can interact with the post and even better - comment on it telling you just how much they love it! 

I would also encourage your clients to write reviews on all your social media platforms to organically build your reputation and on Instagram make use of your highlights! Create a story with a 'questions' function on and ask for reviews on here. You can then repost every review you get and add it to your highlights so people browsing on your profile can easily access truthful reviews that people have given you and even more so will encourage them to book. Did you know that 94% of people say positive reviews make them more likely to use a business?

Another tip: Add your Salon Tracker booking link to your highlights too. You can call the highlight 'book now' then use the 'add link' function to put the link on. This can also be in your Instagram bio giving clients easy access to booking an appointment as a study found 90% of people prefer to book online rather than in person or on the phone.

Automatic follow ups

The most common mistake made in Salons is using follow-up texts incorrectly. Texting a client 2-3 days after their appointment has proven to be less successful than if you were to text your client 4-6 weeks after their appointment saying something along the lines of:

" Hi Client, it's been 6 weeks since your last hair cut, please use our online booking platform online.salontracker.co.uk/thesalon to book your next appointment! "

To make this even easier for you, Salon Tracker's effective marketing suite can do this all for you. If you create your own custom marketing campaign, you can use the filters to select 'appointment booked' and change the dates back to 6 weeks ago which will then filter out all the customers who had an appointment 6 weeks ago - convenient eh? This will then prompt the client to book an appointment again instead of remembering a few weeks after.

Use an effective referral scheme

If your clients love what you do, then why not encourage them to talk to their friends & family about your Salon and introduce a referral scheme? Lots of clients will be more encouraged to sing your praises if there is an incentive involved so why not try some of the following schemes:

- If your friend uses your Unique reference when booking their appointment both you and your friend will get 10% off your next appointment.

- Mate date! Bring your friend along for this treatment to get £5 off each.

- For every 5 friends you refer to our Salon you will get a 1 free appointment for any treatment up to £50.

Utilise google Ads

Google Ads are one of the hidden gems that aren't spoke about enough. If you utilise them properly, the function of google reviews plays an important part as well as as the functionality to book through a google ad. 

If someone is new to the area, and they google 'salons near me', it's important your Salon remains near the top as realistically, nobody is going to sit scrolling to find the Salon that is right for them. They're going to pick one from the top that has the best reviews and provides convenience such as an online booking functionality.

Salon Tracker is your Personal Assistant

Above all, Salon Tracker can act as your very own personal assistant and can do the majority of the work, without you even realising it. 

We provide free training and support to help you get the most out of the software as well as lots of help videos that are always accessible.

Our enterprise package is our most popular package and it costs just £90 per month which is less than one Full Head of Highlights per month! With this package you have Unlimited online bookings at no extra charge, the ability to take online deposits and payments with a small % fee plus much more.

If you'd like to trial our software for 2 weeks free, please leave your information by clicking this link and a member of our friendly sales team will be in touch!

Salon Tracker x

Trends 2022

It’s coming towards the end of summer so we decided this was the perfect time to do a quick roundup of some of our favorite hair and beauty trends from 2022 so far.

Clean Girl Aesthetic

One trend that has taken the internet by storm this year is the idea of a ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’.  The clean girl aesthetic can be described as being minimal. The foundations of this trend are: glowy makeup, a strong skincare routine and the idea of a capsule wardrobe.

One of our favourite products to help achieve this glowy makeup look is the very popular Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. This product is great to use as a base for your foundation or just on its own if you’re just wanting a light coverage. Here’s a link to where you can get yours: https://bit.ly/3AQrS2r . If this price tag is a little too expensive for you, we have found some dupes which work just as well, if not better! You can get the Collection Lasting Perfection Filter Finish from Boots for just £6.49 https://bit.ly/3QV0cPj or Elf’s Halo Glow Liquid Filter https://bit.ly/3PRWTqM .

 

When it comes to Skin Care, I decided to as a few members of the Salon Tracker Team their holy grail skincare product and this is what they said.

Leah- My number one skincare product that I use every day, twice a day is the Paula’s Choice BHA Exfoliant. I use this on a cotton pad every morning and night and this helps freshen the skin and unclog pores.

Naomi- The Liz Earl cleanser has been my number one for years now. I use this to wash my face every night. Its full of natural ingredients and leaves me feeling fresh.

Ellis- My top pick for skincare is the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion. This leaves me feeling moisturised for hours after I have applied it and leaves me glowy.

Christie- I love The Ordinary Niacinamide solution. I apply this every night before bed and this help balance any oils in my skin and helps prevent spots.

Having a capsule wardrobe is based on the premise of having a small wardrobe full of basics which you can mix and match into loads of different outfits. Some staples for this are: an oversized white shirt, neutral-coloured tops and bodysuits and then some wide leg jeans.

Hailey Bieber Nails

One big nail trend for summer 2020 is known as ‘Hailey Bieber Nails’. These nails use one goal of ‘Funny Bunny nail polish which is a sheer baby pink, followed by a shiny top coat and then rub some of the OPI Stay Shiny Top Coat.  This combination gives a natural look, with a bit of shimmer, perfect for summer and wedding/prom season.

Slick Back Styles

When it comes to hair styles, the stand out trend for 2022 has been slick back styles, whether that be buns, braids or ponytails. This trend is great, especially in the warmer weather as it keeps your hair off your neck and face whilst still looking stylish.  The ‘Got2B Glued’ hairspray and gel are great at slicking your hair back and keeping it there.

 

Salon Tracker x