Just starting a salon business is not enough to succeed.
To attract clients and gain a competitive advantage, you need to plan your business growth strategically.
In this article, we cover six proven tactics you should implement to grow your salon business.
1. Highlight your Skills
One of the most effective ways to stand out in the competitive market is to emphasize your skills and knowledge. Position yourself as an industry leader to attract new customers and retain existing ones.
For example, you can record and publish YouTube tutorials. Keep them high-quality, engaging, and helpful. That is also a great way to monetize your knowledge.
Blogging is also a great way to boost industry authority. Start writing industry-specific articles to engage your customers. For example, those could be tutorials with embedded videos, how-to guides, lists, or articles explaining the hottest industry trends.
Finally, educate other hairdressers. You can either create your academy or partner with an educational organization. Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, you can also consider publishing an online course, which is an opportunity to attract wider audiences.
2. Build a Website and Optimize It for Local Searches
Your clients use their mobile devices to find salon businesses near them, read user reviews, and schedule appointments.
That is why you need to work on your online presence.
For starters, create a website. If you have little or no technical experience, consider hiring a web developer to help you.
Second, hire SEO specialists to help you optimize your website for local searches. If you cannot afford to hire a digital marketing agency, seek freelance SEO professionals.
Third, claim your Google My Business account and link it with your website. Your GMB account includes your phone number, address, name, and location, helping you boost foot traffic. If a user wants to find a hair stylist London, Google will display local searches first.
3. Grow Presence on Social Networks
Most of your customers use social networks. For you, they are a unique opportunity to build relationships with your target audience.
Facebook is the largest social network. It is perfect for building an online community. Use it to share valuable tips, tutorials, and content with your followers. Use social monitoring tools to track your brand mentions and provide faster feedback.
Instagram is a highly visual social platform. Use it to share before and after photos of your customers. You can also boost customer excitement by providing exclusive behind-the-scenes photos and videos.
4. Start Attracting New Customers
For your business to grow, it needs to attract new clients. According to statistics, hairstylists usually have 6- 20 clients per day.
Now, you can attract new clients in multiple ways.
As mentioned above, be available on social networks and share top-quality content to grab customers’ attention.
Use your website, email, and social channels to promote discounts, giveaways, and special offers.
Partnering with a beauty influencer to promote your salon business is a great option to build trust with your potential customers. Studies say that 49% of customers depend on influencer recommendations.
To convert customers faster, add a scheduling system to your website.
5. Encourage Existing Clientele to Visit You Again
Attracting new clients is vital to business growth. However, retaining existing clientele should be your priority. According to research, 20% of your customers produce 80% of your profits.
Now, there are many ways to retain clientele:
- Rebook clients for the next visit. Recommend clients with busy schedules to set up their next appointment in advance.
- Send email newsletters. Email marketing is a great way to build and nourish relationships with clients. Send them relevant information and updates.
- Create loyalty programs for your repeat clients.
- Invest in omnichannel marketing. Communicate with clients via SMS, email, push notifications, and phone calls to boost brand memorability.
6. Sell More Products/Services Per Visit
In the retail world, we often hear about the term “upselling.” This tactic applies to salon businesses, as well. The goal is to persuade a client to purchase additional products or services from you.
For example, you can recommend add-on services. If a client wants a haircut, why not recommend them a deep care treatment?
You can also sell products that align with your salon business’s services. For example, if you are a nail artist, you could sell nail art and design tools.
Ready to Grow Your Salon Business?
Growing a salon business can be a challenge. However, it is possible when planned strategically.
Sure, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy to apply. It all depends on your specific needs and requirements.
Start by defining your business values and identifying your target customers.
Focus on delivering seamless user experiences both online and offline. Only then will you attract new audiences and retain your current clientele.
I hope these tips will help!