Marketing ideas to get clients

[Tony Pfitzner]

SB Marketing Guru is on the money - if a little self-promoting.

It is very cost effective to have a basic website and a locally focussed search engine marketing campaign. It is cost effective because you only have to compete with beauty salons in your area.

The flyers and other more complex promotions are great ideas, and could give you a good launch, but a website and SEM will keep the sales leads trickling in day after day.

When you are looking at the costs of advertising you also should factor in the lifetime value of the customer. It may seem expensive to pay say $20-30 for your first appointment with a customer, but after that there are no more costs.

Also, if you are not a great Facebook user, you may have a local friend who is an 'influencer' with lots of Facebook connections and could help spread the word.

Regards

Tony
_______________
www.youronlinebusiness.com.au

[Accounts Studio]

Hi
I can tell you what works for me in terms of booking in for beauty treatments. I am on the email list for a couple - once a month they send me emails with specials that are on - Sometimes these prompt me to book and other times I might forward them on to friends. Either way - it definately works although I might only book after every 4th or 5th email. Another method which a salon used to use around here which I thought worked really well was that they direct debited around $25 a week from my account and I was entitled to x amount of treatments a month - it was a great way of paying for them without it being a big hit to my bank account each treatment. Maybe look at trying to tie in a marketing offer around that sort of system.
Good luck!

[Johnson]

Originally Posted by m2nb

hey everyone,

Ive just set a grand opening date for my small beauty salon.. I am now trying to think of ways i could get clients.. im planning on doing letter box drops and possibly some ads in the paper.. i have a facebook page but at the moment only have about 40 members and they aren't all from around the area. I also have some local businesses who have offered to have my flyers etc in their shop..

what other things could i do? Any ideas on some deals i could offer to get clients through the door.. I have a loyalty card system that i am going to try. I also had ideas of giving away free vouchers for a lower end treatment but giving it to existing clients to give to a friend so that im expanding my client base.. any ideas at this point would be a great help

Thanx =)

Hi m2nb,

OK, let's cut to the chase here.

The first thing that goes through my mind when I read your post is:

"Why should I go to your beauty salon? What can your beauty salon offer me that I can't get anywhere else?"

This might sound a little bit direct, but it's a conversation that all consumers have with themselves, usually without them even knowing it.

The answers to the above questions form what is known as your Unique Selling Proposition, or your USP. Without a USP, your business lacks focus.

If you simply have pamphlets that talk about a new beauty salon in the area, people will most likely glaze over it before disposing of it.

Something has to catch their eye on the pamphlet, something you can promise or you can guarantee.

Everyone always raves about Domino's USP:

"You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less -- or it's free."

Assuming you like eating pizza, imagine if your saw that USP on a pamphlet as you were waiting to pay for something at a counter.

Wouldn't that just catch your eye immediately? Would you call it compelling?

See how it's an implied promise as well by saying "or it's free"?

Now to model it to your beauty salon business, you've obviously got to chop and change it a little bit.

I know nothing of your business and little of your industry, but here's a potential USP you could flesh out (if you like it):

"We'll treat you to a make-over that makes you look twice as beautiful as when you came in -- or it's free"

Haha, it sounds a little bit corny I know but do you sort of get where I'm going with this? If you'd like one-on-one help, don't hesitate to PM me. :-)

Cheers,

-Johnson Kee.

[Bridal Discount Book Aust]

I haven't read all the responses above so I apologise if I repeat any. Seeing as you are a physical place with an address wanting to get bums in chairs so to speak, I personally would print flyers offering new clients a Grand Opening Special offer of some sort.

Whether it be Free blowdry with every restyle cut.
5 free foils with every semi colour (brings repeat business for customers wanting to try foils for the first time )

And letterbox drop your immediate area because these are people that are going to want to come to you! Pop them in any nearby supermarkets or shop counters, bulletin boards

Give yourself a friendly catch phrase

We're NEW , we're LOCAL & we'd LOVE to meet you so have a haircut on us!
You get the idea

Obviously it's important to put your address, open hours etc on the flyers - goes without saying but you'd be suprised how many I see that don't!

A loyalty system is great eg every 10th haircut or Blowdry free - all helps to get those that come through the door to stay.

You don't only want to get new clients but you want to keep the ones you've got! Make sure you REBOOK clients for their next haircut - You & they know they'll need another one in 4 to 6 weeks so ensure they'll be coming back to you

I know it sounds weird I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't done it myself (I'm a qualified hairdresser of 26 years) Get some nice coffee cups & plates, a coffee machine and some top quality biscuits, offer EVERY client a Tea or coffee and pop a nice cookie on a plate - They will literally eat it up and because they feel extra special will give them yet another reason to come back

Let me know if there's amything else I can help you with??

All the best with your grand opening!