This will work for all salon services and even if you have an online store selling nails, hair extensions, or false eyelashes. Learn more about an example of how to sell eyelashes here. Learn more

The only right type of marketing strategy is those that bring in the clients. When spending your time and money on marketing that doesn’t work, it burns you out, turns you off to marketing in all, and sometimes feeling stupid for trying. On the other hand, it gives you a specific high when marketing works because it’s a taste of being successful. People want your services and providing them. 

What type of marketing strategies work for salons depends on how you set up the foundation of your business. What I mean by the foundation is what type of offer (service) do you have? For example, do you have 40 + offers for everyone in the area, or are you offering specialty services and being known for those single services for your ideal clients?

Helpful Links

E-commerce Marketing 101 
Email Marketing
How copywriting can help your business

The Base Of Your Salon Marketing Strategy 

Everything starts with the base. If the bottom of your marketing plan isn’t sturdy, it will fall over. The core of your strategy includes your offer and the people you want to give the offer too. One thing to remember is the offer isn’t for everyone! I mean it, when you try to give everyone the same offer people tend to say this isn’t for me. When not getting clients, it’s easy to say I should offer more service to attract more paying customers. More often than not it will hurt your business more than it helps, as you start to get away from your core services you are no longer known for a specialty. I’m not saying that you can’t offer other services. What I am saying is that you need to be known for a service before branching off into another area.

Building your salon’s offer. 

The most significant offer that everyone jumps straight to is giving a discount. Discounts are good for a spike in sales, and that is all. This has been adopted as the world’s primary way to get cusAlthough, giving. Giving discounts can be useful, there is a reason why everyone starts to give away products and services. I bring this up because it isn’t necessary to give a discount for your marketing strategy, especially in the salon and beauty industry. I’ll tell you why too.

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The national average for a new customer to return to a salon after just one visit is 30%. Only 68% of customers will continue coming back according to Behind The Chair. Out of 10 customers, you will just end up with 2 that continue to be repeat customers.  

If you are having a hard time retaining customers, you should read this article on how to retain your clients in a salon. 

Why give someone who is most likely not to show back up a discount? It doesn’t make sense to me. You do not need to provide a discount if you have an offer for the customers you want. What you need to do is make sure your message is the same across all areas. Your offer needs to be compelling and tailored to your ideal client.

Finding Where Your Target Market Hangs Out

Where do your ideal customers go? Remember you don’t want to help everyone your offer is only for a few types of people. This can range from activities to shopping habits. Where are they getting their makeup, clothing, and skin products from? Find where they are and get ready to deliver your offer. 

(Quick Note)

Don’t let income decide who your customers are. There are wealthy and lower-income people alike that enjoy taking care of their hair. The ones who don’t want to spend the money will do it themselves. People will pay for what interests them regardless.  

Delivering The Plan & Your Offer

Now that you have your offer ready and you know where your target market ( customers) hang out, you are ready for presenting. Most people talk about showing the offer as just the strategy. Here are a few ways you can deliver your message. 

1. Facebook (free) 
2. Facebook ads
3. Instagram ( free and paid) 
4. Email marketing
5. Direct mail marketing
6. Search engine optimization 
7. Google Paid Ads
8. Coupons
9. Website ads
10. Radio Ads
11. Banners
12. Flyers 

The list goes on and on. These are the tools you use, not the strategy themselves. You’ll use the tools that your clients are most likely to use, as well. Everyone uses some type of social media and goes to a search engine to look for what they need, so those are good places to start, but they should not be the only places. People get bombarded with so many ads these days that it would be a good idea to be more personal with your delivery.

Now The Customer Wants What You Have

The customer is interested in your beauty salon, and chances are they went to your website to book an appointment. Don’t let an old confusing website deter the customer. Make sure your website portrays the offer you want to give. Slow speeds will lose clients booking on their cell phones, so make sure your site loads quickly. 

Next is the booking process. You want this as streamlined as possible. One big confusion customers tend to get is, they don’t know who to choose for their hair needs. Don’t let the customer choose who styles their hair. Make that choice from them. 

Treat the customer well once they show up. The receptionist should portray the salon in the highest fashion. Don’t let them be on their cell phones. You are in the service industry, after all. 

Customer Checking Out

This is just as important as the client walking through the door. This is the best place to rebook an appointment. Don’t offer any products to new customers. Make sure you get their information. 

 Name
Address
Email
Phone number
Birthday 

 If you can’t get it all, get the address. Send your valued clients a thank you card. They will be so happy that they mean more to your business than just some dollars, and this is where you would offer a coupon by direct mail if they come back or not. After receiving the card, they are more likely to show it to their friends and family. One thank you card is 10 times cheaper than trying to get a new customer through the door. 

Invite them to bring a friend and offer a coupon for them and one other person while bringing the coupon in to redeem it. Get creative and try different options out at this point. After they become repeat customers or clientele, then you can start to offer products to them. Remember, the retail sale is a by-product of your beauty salon and services come first.

Re-target Customers 

The fun doesn’t stop once they leave your salon. The process will get more comfortable when your customers have already used your services. You want to send follow up emails or a booking service that will remind customers its been a while since looking fresh. It is important to remember that people get annoyed when they often get emails telling them to come to visit. You can counter this by providing an information email. Information emails can be the latest fads, what hairstyles to wear with certain types of clothing. Whatever you do, provide insightful information to your customers. Then send new specials and products your clients would love to have. There is more about this in how to retain clients in a salon.

When To Recommend Products

Finding the right time to recommend products is critical, not too soon and not too late. The best time to recommend products is when the clients are return customers. Once your hairstylist understands their client’s hair, needs, and has dug into what type of hair product would benefit them the most is when you should offer a product. The customer will be more responsive and trust you as you are serving them and not selling. Send email reminders and even have them take a product recommendation tool that will help answer some of those questions for you.

Salon Marketing Strategies 

Salon marketing strategies can scale to all or just some. The point of the plan is to put your services first and sell products later. Build your reputation, specialize in a style or services, once you’ve got the client, do not lose them. Make sure you treat your customers like the valuable customers they are and not just dollar signs.  

Blanc Ideas specializes in helping salons grow to new heights. We have a team that strictly focuses on the salon industry, so we can provide the best outcome possible. If you need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments, phone call, or email.

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Caleb Grant