Coming out of the busy holiday season, salons hold their breath through the first two months of the New Year as business traditionally wanes. If 2011 is any indication of where 2012 is going, business owners and individual stylists would be advised to get a little creative to keep clients from skipping services or stretching them out too far.
Looking for a few ideas? Try one of these solutions from the somewhat obvious to the downright creative:
Saving Grace
If your client needs to watch spending and you sense they are or are going to be cutting back in services, offer some solutions to help meet their needs. Give advice on color services that require less upkeep – Solid color to simply cover grey or highlights that are subtle and placed with less obvious regrowth. Offer suggestions of very versatile cuts and take even more time than usual to show clients how to recreate the looks at home including building root lift and body to help hide regrowth for a while. Definitely offer suggestions for products and tools needed to create these looks but be more sensitive to their situation, perhaps investigating what they already have and working your styling tips around that.
Offering a Leg-up
For those long-time clients that are out of work, return some of the loyalty by offering a clean up cut, root retouch or courtesy styling (maybe even a few free samples) for their next big interview. If you are concerned that it will cut into your already busy schedule, stay after, come in early or book them on a slower day. A truly loyal client will be very grateful for the gesture, and the act will help bolster their self-confidence when they need it most. Look at it as a small investment, mostly of your time, with a good chance of a healthy return.
Reaching Outward
There’s nothing wrong with asking your existing clients for referrals, and then rewarding them for coming through. It’s nothing new, but it can be a very effective tool if you and your staff simply take the time to ask.
The key to making it work is to have a program in place that makes referring easy. Consider having inexpensive but well designed post cards made outlining the program. On the card, leave room for the client to write in their name and also be very clear which stylist is being referred. Hand the card out to select clients and ask for their help by referring their friends, family and coworkers. For every referral that books for the first time, the referring client should get a reward, like a discount on their next service. Remember that the follow through is essential!
Putting Your Best Skills to Work
Other ideas to fill in a slight schedule include offering discounts on services for your slower days or running specials that work to your skill set. If you make most of your income with color, consider running a special that includes a free haircut with any paid color service for new clients. If cutting is your mainstay, offer a free conditioning treatment with any paid haircut. And if you crank at updos but have few bookings for them, get creative: Partner with other specializing stylists and offer discounts on two or more friends that book at the same time. Leave your business cards or specialized post cards with a local bridal shop, network with wedding sites and or wedding photographers.
Another idea is to figure who the cheerleaders are a your local high school and offer one of them a free up-style for the next school dance for first distributing post cards, business cards or coupons for your services to their friends and cheer squad. You get to show off your skills on a popular cheerleader, which may bring in more work for the next event and or you might get some new clients before then from the handouts.
Eventful Options
Increasing foot traffic into your salon affords more opportunity for new clients, so offering a special event may increase your odds. A few ideas include cocktail parties, wine and cheese events (where you maybe offer free conditioning treatments and blow outs), salon grand re-openings, charity events like a cut-a-thon or even a gallery opening. There are many local artists that would love the chance to showcase their work on your salon walls and can even help fill an event with their friends and family.
Group Discounts
Consider giving discounts for private parties: office “pretty” parties, “girls night in” events, pre-event glam ups, mother and daughter pampering, superstar straightening stints, braid-y bunches (kind of obvious), blowout 101 classes, etc. Get the idea?…the list really is endless but the key is to get creative with it!
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