Every business needs a constant flow of new clients if they are going to survive let alone grow. The average hair & beauty business loses between 10-25% of its clients each year. If you want to grow your hair or beauty business profitably then you need to targetthe right clients for your business.
With so much competition out there, it’s tough to make your mark as a hair salon. Even if you have a incredibly talented team, you need to develop strategies to get your name out there. Your objective is to fill up your chairs with bookings. Unfortunately, most hair colleges don’t teach marketing.
You have a team of great hair stylists and deserve hundreds of clients – but how do you get the word out there and get more clients to fill up your chairs? These marketing tips will help you to increase your salon’s awareness and book more appointments with new clients.
Brand Yourself
In order to get more clients, you have to separate yourself from your competitors. The hair & beauty industry employs around 250,000 people. Which means you need to brand yourself and figure out what makes you special and what separates you from all the other salons. Your brand should be included in everything you do. Whether that’s marketing, your logo, your business cards and even how your team dress and act. Branding helps build trust and will ensure people remember you when it’s time to book their next service.
Be Easy to Find & Contact
If you don’t have a website or social media, you are missing out on the large sum of people who search for local salons. Make sure your website is easy to use, mobile friendly and has a direct way for users to book appointments or contact you. Feature your best work on your website with professional photography. If you don’t want the expense of a website, a Locate Your Look membership provides everything a website does.
Give Each Client a Personal Experience
A huge part of building your client base is giving your current clients a sense of loyalty and making sure they will stick with you no matter what. A great way to do that is to give every client a personal experience. Send handwritten thank you cards, personalised emails and appointment reminder calls. While it may seem time-consuming, it makes your clients feel like they are appreciated and valued at your salon..
Build Positive Reviews
Reviews can make or break your salon. A positive review can make people feel confident when trying out your salon. A negative review can result in someone choosing another salon over yours. Getting more positive reviews requires two things: providing exceptional experiences and simply asking for feedback. Locate Your Look offers this service and you can share across social media. As long as you are invested in giving your clients a great experience, you should expect positive reviews – but be open to feedback and change.
List Your Business in Online Directories
Another way people find salons and local services is through local online directories. Find the best online directories for your area and ask to have your salon added to the list. Online business directory listings can work wonders for your small business, they can take the form of a website. They will keep your business visible to potential new customers at all times.
Use Cross Promotion to Get More Clients
Network and find resources who are willing to work with you to help each other out. Try contacting businesses that don’t compete but who are complimentary to see if they’re interested. One way to do that is to sponsor a local fashion show. Offer to do the hair for free as long as you’re mentioned as the stylist who did the work. That way, it’s a win-win situation.
Contact the local nail salon and work together to come up with a marketing campaign to help one another. It could be as simple as recommending one another on each other’s websites. You can also just hand out each other’s business cards. The more people you have who are willing to help promote you, the easier it will be to get more clients.
Social Media
Social Media is a great way to showcase the skills and build awareness for your salon. Make sure your content is interesting and represents your salon in the best way. Add hashtags to each post to reach more people who are interested in hair or beauty. Another way to reach more relevant people on social media is with paid advertising. Boosted Facebook posts allow you to reach a very specific audience with appealing content for a small fee.
Referral Program
Your current clients are your best advertisers. If they are happy with your service, they will share their experience with friends and family if asked. Start a referral program and offer a free product or a free or discounted service after each referred client books an appointment with you. Not only are you increasing your client list, but you are building loyalty with your current clients.
Offer a Promotion
When the holidays come around, offer a promotion directly related to the holiday. Offer a Christmas special that gives people a free blow dry and hair styling with any purchase of a cut and full colour. Sell hair styling products and offer a two-for-one deal. Don’t be afraid to get creative. It doesn’t have to be a big promotion, just remember that people like getting something for free. It’s a great way to get more clients.
Get the Right Help
Being part of a company that offers the right help and support will make things run a lot smoother. Locate Your Look was created by expert hair stylist and previous salon owner Kerrie Humphrys. She knows what it takes to build your brand and business within the industry. LYL members lets people know you are an expert and they are in safe hands. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there as an expert, being featured as an expert is an easy way to get more clients.
Don’t wait, join us today.
