I need some advice and encouragement...

[Oxfordtrading]

Hi,
I have a hairdressing salon in a popular cafe district but don't benefit hugely from the walk by trade however still pay very high rent. Recently it increases

[Lucki]

Hi Oxfordtrading,

Welcome aboard!

You mention that you're in a busy cafe district but haven't mentioned anything about what you do to attract the potential customers?

Do you have any special promotions advertised on your window to encourage clients to walk in? What are the demographics of your area, is it city people, elderly, mums etc. Different advertising strategies would be needed to accomodate each group.

Perhaps organise flyers with a promotion and hand them out at lunch time, also to near by offices, schools etc. You could have a lunch time special? Hand out flyers to friends to circulate. Salons I find is one of those businesses that do well by word of mouth.

A friend of mine has a salon and she picks out a local business of the week and sends I think $20 and $30 vouchers to the company. The $30 voucher is to the Manager (for their time and effort to distribute the vouchers) and the $20 vouchers go to staff. It's worked a treat for her. Once they're in you obviously give them another sweetner to come in next time. They generally become regular clients by the third visit.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

[Mark Prosser]

Originally Posted by Lucki

Hi Oxfordtrading,

Welcome aboard!

You mention that you're in a busy cafe district but haven't mentioned anything about what you do to attract the potential customers?

Do you have any special promotions advertised on your window to encourage clients to walk in? What are the demographics of your area, is it city people, elderly, mums etc. Different advertising strategies would be needed to accomodate each group.

Perhaps organise flyers with a promotion and hand them out at lunch time, also to near by offices, schools etc. You could have a lunch time special? Hand out flyers to friends to circulate. Salons I find is one of those businesses that do well by word of mouth.

A friend of mine has a salon and she picks out a local business of the week and sends I think $20 and $30 vouchers to the company. The $30 voucher is to the Manager (for their time and effort to distribute the vouchers) and the $20 vouchers go to staff. It's worked a treat for her. Once they're in you obviously give them another sweetner to come in next time. They generally become regular clients by the third visit.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

I agree, you should even send vouchers to the Cafe Owners/Staff - a customer is bound to ask someone working there where they get their hair done...

[BrightSpark]

Also I would look at a cafe that is close to you and come to an arrangement where by you get them to provide the coffee, tea or whatever to your customers while they are getting their hair done and you offer them something in return. This could be a monthly do over, a business card draw prize, or the like. Try to achieve a win - win for both businesses.

[sugarbeeflowers]

My friend used to run a massage salon in a area like your own, and what she did was she asked the cafes if she could leave her business card, and handed out brochures at quiet times (she asked the store managers first, ofcause).
What the other people have said is absolutely great ideas too.
Good luck!

[CashflowAddiction.com]

I pay 15k/month where I am and it sux but I do have walk by traffic and have to make the most of it.

Hand out flyers in the front of the store offering a discount and the coffee..
What makes you special? can you put that as a benefit in a single line?
I have a friend who uses something like "if we don't turn up on time, the plumbing is free". Can you guarantee your work? Tell people!
Have you been there for a long time? use it? new management? use that too.
"Pampering your hair for x years".
Read http://cashflowaddiction.com/how-muc...ustomers-cost/ .
Once you get a coffee deal sorted, find the local clothing stores and work out a deal and pay them what it costs you for a customer for everyone who brings your coupon/flyer back.

Just make sure the other businesses you deal with have the same attention to the customer and quality of work that you have... The customers experience with the other shops will be reflected on you and vise versa.

Cheers,
Ross.

[OnlineVA]

Some great advice here!

[Chrissie]

Another thing that I can suggest, although it depends on how you're set up as to whether you can do this;

At one of my local hair salons, the one my partner and I now use, they have a sign on their counter that says "no appointment needed". The first time I went in there, my hair was quite long, it was a boiling hot day and I was thoroughly sick of having my hair stuck all over my neck (gross, I know).

I went into this place, was told they could do my hair in about 20 minutes - I drove home, dropped off my groceries and came back in about 15 minutes and I was in.

More importantly, the haircut I got was great, I absolutely loved it, and so I am definitely going back there next time I need it done.

This technique is really good for getting walk-by trade, however you need to make sure you can actually serve people without appointments - at this hairdresser they have many stations and a lot of people working, so they can get you in even on a busy day within half an hour.

The best thing you can do for future business is just be really, really good - if I hadn't found this one near me, I'd still be making the half hour drive to my previous hairdresser, because I know they're good, reasonably priced, and I like them.