1. Networking and Connecting to gain the Leading Edge.

Getting out and making a name for yourself is important. It’s not enough to place a sign out front and run an advertisement in the paper and wait for the phone to ring. You are more likely to get business from people who have made contact with you or know you. Participate in your community and join groups where you can network with people in your suburb or town, you’ll be able to make connections, get the word out about your salon and spa and bring in some new clients. Get out, meet people and increase your business visibility.

2. Stealth Marketing

Use Viral Marketing to build your brand awareness and enhance your marketing efforts. By using pre-existing social networks like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter you can get the word out and create buzz for your salon and spa. Stealth marketing can encompass social networks, text messages, blogs and blog posting all with the purpose of gaining visibility and increasing your marketing objectives.

3. Email Marketing

As a day Spa, Beauty or Hair Salon owner your client list is a precious asset. Consider the lifetime value of a client. How much does each of your clients spend on average per month, per year and over a lifetime? It costs anywhere from 5 to 8 times more to gain a new client as opposed to retaining your clients. Therefore, you need to place a strong emphasis on keeping existing clients. Keeping in touch with your clients to stay top of mind is important to gain repeat business. Email Marketing is a highly effective way to build and maintain relationships.

4. Praise from Happy clients

The marketing giants use celebrity endorsements (testimonials) to expose their products and give their products credibility and appeal. You too can get testimonials from your happy clients. Identify people who can influence your target market and get them to endorse your treatments and techniques. Get key leaders within your community to try your products and treatments for free and get their feedback in writing. Get their permission to use their feedback, comments and photos in your promotional material.Endorsements can come from friends, the most powerful endorsement is when friends and clients recommend your product or service to another friend. This is powerful word of mouth advertising and more believable than any other form of endorsement.

5. The Power of Free!

We all like getting a little bonus, a gift, a little something extra. Your clients do, too. The acronym “GWP” stands for “Gift with Purchase”. As the name suggests, a GWP is an item that is given to your client when she spends above a specified amount on beauty treatments, hairdressing or skin care products. The Gift with purchase (free item) could be anything from cosmetics, skin care products, hair care products, salon voucher, product samples, etc. Free offers for example Buy 10, Get One free, Buy a Facial and Pedicure and Get a Free Manicure adds transactional value and enhances allure. Free introductory offers entice clients to trial a product.  Free offers help with the buying decision and increase sales. 

6. Referral Programs

Getting clients through referrals is one of the best ways to build your business. Have a referral incentive program in place to encourage clients to refer business to you. Having a specific referral program gets people thinking about who they can refer to you. A referral program encourages word of mouth advertising. Make it a habit to ask your clients for referrals. Tell them you would really appreciate it if they could recommend you to anyone who would be interested in a cut/colour/any service you provide.” And of course tell them about your referral incentive program – let them know what’s in for them. 

7. Effective Words that Sell

Copywritingis the use of words to promote your salon and spa. You know the saying, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it. You can tell clients we cut hair, do facial and waxing. Or you can start defining your product or service in a whole new light. Literally turn the spot light on what you say.

Before: We sell xyz products

After: The Best Clinically Proven Anti-ageing Formulation for Fine Lines and Wrinkles.

Before: We do Facials

After: Our Facials will Rejuvenate your Skin, Leaving it Looking Radiantly Healthy and Feeling Absolutely Fabulous.

Every word in every single message, advert and presentation forms a perception, either good or bad. Choose your words wisely. Too many salon and spa owners study what the competition is doing and do and say the same. Make you words count, make them unique, succinct, persuasive, enticing, juicy and delicious.

8. A Niche Strategy to Focus your Marketing efforts

Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Focus on your specific niche. Know what makes you different from your competitors. Analyse your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses. Offer more value by differentiating your specific treatments and results. One of the biggest niche strategy advantages is the ability to quickly become a dominant player your specific area of expertise. There are salons that cater specifically for rejuvenation, slimming, tanning, hair design, waxing and massage. Niche marketing can be a focused strategy at a niche group such as pregnant women, teenagers, couples, men. A massage and relaxation niche may encompass Yoga, Shiatsu, Meditation and an array of Massage techniques such as deep tissue, Swedish, aromatherapy and Thai massage. Spas are increasingly offering unique services and products to differentiate themselves from the usual facials and body treatments. A new spa niche may be carved out with Asian healing practices and rituals.

9. Win them over and Build relationships

Treat each client like they are special. Listen sincerely to their concerns. Communicate with your clients, what are their interests, likes, dislikes. Educate your clients on the many benefits of your service and products. Have promotional tools such as educational Pamphlet/Flyer/Email/Booklet/Blog/eBook which includes interesting and useful information. Make sure your clients are pampered, comfortable and give them your full attention. Recognise that you serve clients, that client relationship is part of your job. Be helpful, friendly and courteous at all times.

10. Bold & Beautiful Business.

Who gets the attention? Attractive men and women, the loud mouth and the exceptional offer. Start attracting attention to your salon and spa. Have attractive staff with flawless skin, well groomed with full make-up. You think I’m joking, but its fact that good looking people attract more business. And as a salon and spa, you are in the health and beauty business, so your people need to look the part. Would you go to an overweight personal fitness trainer, or would you want the lean muscular trainer? Who gets the attention? The budget salon with posters on the wall or the salon with a gorgeous reception, water feature, glossy magazines, top notch furnishing and finishes. We know that packaging is everything; clients pay big money for professional skin care because the marketing messages tell us its special and the packaging supports the message. Is your salon and spa supporting your marketing message? Attractive people, places and objects are attractive because they literally attract attention and interest. Is your salon and spa attractive and attracting attention? Attractive refers to everything: your marketing messages, the way you answer the phone, answer questions, the way you present yourself, your advertising. It all needs to be bold, beautiful, attractive, and appealing to draw people in.