How to Get Clients Back into the Salon?

With 2020 out of the way, you might be beginning to wonder how to get clients back into the salon. Whether you’ve been dealing with COVID-19 restrictions or undergoing a renovation, the temporary closure will undoubtedly affect your business.

So, how do you attract clients to your salon when you’ve been closed?

What do you do when your business is experiencing a slow period?

To keep clients coming back, salon owners need to make sure their salon stays top of mind. Even the most loyal client can stray when a local business launches with a huge discount code.

Fortunately there are several techniques businesses can implement to attract new clients and retain the existing ones.

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1. Why Do Salons Lose Their Clients?
2. Understand Your Client
3. Deliver Outstanding Customer Experience
4. Stay in Touch
5. Invest Into Your Online Presence
6. Incentivise Lapsed Clients
7. Loyalty Program
8. Promotions
9. Reopening Event
10. Conclusion

Why do Salons Lose Their Clients?

Clients can stop visiting your salon for a variety of reasons. It is clear that client retention strategies is the key to a booming business. Whether you’ve had to temporarily close your salon, or you're simply experiencing a slow period, it’s important you treat your existing client well. You also need to know how to get new clients in a salon.

Existing clients might forget about you if they don’t hear from you when your salon doors are closed. And the beauty industry is pretty congested.

A successful salon owner will stay up-to-date with local businesses, introduce an online marketing strategy and continually offer unique salon service ideas.

If a new local business makes a splash with a launch party and a large discount, even the most loyal clients could be tempted away. And remember, you’re only ever as good as your employees. If your most popular hairstylist suddenly leaves your business, you could see your clients leave with them.

To attract new clients into your salon and remind your usual salon clientele that you still exist, you need to nurture relationships with the engaging online conversation.

Understand Your Client

If you’re running a salon, it’s essential you continue to learn about your clients and their habits. Smart software that offers intelligent reports like Zolmi will help you analyze and stay on top of salon clients data.

This information will help you get to know what people are spending their money on — and you can then build your salon experience around that. From reviews to purchase patterns, with smart software, you can learn why someone has stopped making appointments.

Armed with this knowledge, you can target your marketing and figure out ways to get guests to book back in.

Deliver Outstanding Customer Experience

To entice a new business and retain your existing guests, it’s important you offer good service at every touchpoint. An easy-to-use website and a slick online booking system will help you get the types of clients in a salon that you want.

The smaller the steps someone has to take to book an appointment, the more likely they are to do it. If they like to receive a hair cut from a certain stylist, make sure it’s as easy as possible for them to book in with them.

Once they’re in your building, you want employees to behave impeccably. Teach them how to talk to clients in the salon if they’re inexperienced. To encourage more first time clients through your doors, teach your staff how to greet a client in a salon. A warm, friendly smile and quick access to treatment will boost the reputation of a new salon or a recently reopened one.

If salon clients receive bad service, they’ll tell their friends and your brand could quickly suffer.

Stay in Touch

Using a software system that organizes your clients into a contact list is a great idea. You’ll be able to stay in touch and top of mind with ease.

Whether you’re running multiple nail salons or a single hair salon, sending out a regular salon newsletter will increase brand recognition. If you’ve had to close your business unexpectedly, send out a ‘we fixed it’ newsletter to let everyone know you’re back in business.

One of the best business ideas is to always respond to feedback when you’re given it — even if it’s negative. Respond efficiently to complaints or questions and offer a gift card as a goodwill gesture if someone is very unhappy.

Invest into Your Online Presence

Getting salon clients excited about your services takes a strong online presence.

Of course, it matters what your clients think when they’re in your salon, but you also need to head out of competition with a slick website and a consistent social media presence. Your website doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to work beautifully.

If you’re thinking, I want more people to Google my business, a frequently updated online presence is essential. Before, during, and after a salon closure, keep your clients up-to-date with news of when you’ll reopen. You can do this via a blog post. You can then share that blog on your Facebook and Instagram pages.

But it’s not all about Instagram and Facebook.

Nail techs and hairstylists constantly create aesthetically pleasing work. To entice people back to your business, you could start a tutorial YouTube account. This is a great way of getting a new client or two interested in your work and your salon.

Incentivise Lapsed Clients

To steer people away from your local competition, you could incentivise them back with a discount code or a special offer.

Lapsed clients will soon come back if they feel they’re getting a good deal. Make it easy for them to book in with the technician they love and make them feel special with a personal touch. You could also send them gift cards on their birthday.

Getting new visitors through your doors doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple thing like a discount code with their name on it could go a long way.

Loyalty Program

Guests who book into your salon regularly are like gold dust. They need to be looked after and treated with care. Offering them an impressive type of incentive will keep them interested in what you have to offer. You can do this with a simple loyalty card.

Publicize this kind of loyalty program on your Facebook and Instagram to spread the word. It’s also a great way to get more people booked in if you’re suffering from a lull.

Promotions

Running a promotion on specific treatments is a good way to increase your footfall.

You could offer friends and family discount. Or maybe you could give clients a reduced price if they’re new to you. Keep an eye on the calendar and capitalize on Valentine’s Day, Easter, and other special occasions.

It’s also a good idea to arrange a package discount when someone books in for more than one treatment.

Promotions will always catch the eye. Try not to run them too often though — it could cheapen your brand and turn potential clients off.

Reopening Event

After a long period of closure, it’s important you get the word out that you’ve reopened. Publicize a reopening event on your social channels, send out an email, and even post leaflets if you can.

A reopening event will give your salon-fresh appeal, and if you handle it the right, you’ll entice a fresh set of clients into your store.

Conclusion

Getting clients back into your salon can be tricky. Thankfully it’s not impossible.

With a thoughtful marketing plan, interesting offers, and salon software that easily collates contact details, you’ll soon be back up and running.

And remember, you don’t need to offer huge discounts as an incentive. A small but thoughtful strategy will work just as well.

Plan a digital facelift, implement efficiency and keep the conversation going online with your regular visitors.

And if you love these ideas or have some other ideas that you've used in the past to promote your salon business, why not share them with the BZolmi community in the comment section below. We would also be delighted to answer your questions, as well.

Citations

Clued In: How to Keep Customers Coming Back Again and Again
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=nGgFosXctiMC&oi=fnd&pg=PT26&dq

Branding Your Business: Promoting your business, attracting customers and standing out in the market place
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dELcTB4VxRsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq

The influence of clients on valuations: the clients' perspective
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/1463578051058