Constructing And Keeping That Costly Clientele: Marketing Ideas For Salons September 3, 2018A solid client base is the backbone of any business—especially the new ones venturing into the field for the first time. Without a sufficiently large client base that is creating enough demand in the market for your services, the real question is: Why are you even in the business? Not only is it a challenge to construct a strong and dependable customer base at the start of the business but it takes every ounce of your energy to retain that strength in order to keep your business running. Word-of-mouth publicity is the easiest and a cost-free way to market your business, and who would do it better than those loyal customers for whom you are the go-to salon? Not only can these people give positive reviews about your salon on social media platforms and in community circles but also bring friends and family to your door. However, it is important to note that every person walking through your doors with the ability to pay for your services is not always the right catch for you. Fresh entrants often tend to market abundantly and paste flyers and posters in every nook and corner to attract all sorts of clients. This approach is not only exhausting for the business but also a waste of resources because an influx of random customers is not what you want. It takes considerable amount of experience and guidance from experts to decipher between clients that are just meant to be served and clients who deserve preferential treatment for the favor they are doing to your business. Not everyone has an eye for such detail to help you focus your target on attracting the ideal client. An ideal client differs from a regular one in a number of ways. Here are a few indicators: They are not only ready to pay. They are willing to pay! Will makes a world of difference in how loyal a client is going to be. They genuinely compliment your services and your style complements their needs. They spread good word about your salon without saying and often bring friends and family. They are rarely dissatisfied by your service. They pick you for all salon services they require and pay regular visits. On the contrary, there can be a range of different categories of customers who are the polar opposite of the ideal clients. For an expert business owner running a salon, the sight of them should immediately raise red flags in their mind. They usually don’t mean business, unless it is about lodging an endless list of complaints and badmouthing in public. Here are some ways to discern a fussy client from an ideal one. They will begin each session with a complaint. They will frown upon most practices carried out in your salon. They will black list more than a few workers at your salon. Despite their attitude, they will demand preferential treatment. They will argue over salon policies and express discontentment. They will make sure they are known as a high-end client. The best way to deal with such clients is to avoid opting for a terse tone while conversing and maintaining a composed, professional attitude. Above all, a good salon is known for its customer care which should be equal for all clients. There must be absolutely no discrimination made between clients and each one should be compensated in full, with the best service you have to offer, for the payment they make. However, in order to be safe and run your business smoothly, an entrepreneur must realize which clients are their assets and which are their liabilities. In order to accumulate assets and dispense liabilities, here are some marketing techniques to catch the best fish for the business. The 80-20 Ratio It is quite possible that a large chunk (considerably 80%) of the profits that your salon is making is coming from a narrow fraction: 20% of your client base. In essence, what a thriving business needs to grow is essentially the lining up of more of such 20% clients. But in order to do that, it is important to first identify the common thread that runs between all such clients. Therefore, inspection is necessary before selection. Evaluation of Customer Information If your salon has a mechanized system, that will make the job much easier. If not, your salon is probably still running on a small-scale which means there are not volumes of client data to sift from. First, identify clients who have availed one or a set of services recurrently over the months. Next, see if those clients have shown interest in some of the other services as well. If the response you get after evaluation is positive, voilà! You have identified your ideal clients. Make Reports On Commonalities Once you have your ideal clients listed down separately, it is time to analyze their information and see if you can identify any commonalities. Assess their information based on demographics, age, social background, career, preferred timings, preferred services, and location. For instance most regular clients might belong to the same geographical area. It is equally possible that most clients might belong to similar careers such as working women, business women, or professionals. The reason it is important to identify and classify such clients is so that a deeper evaluation of the kind of services they prefer, the timings most-suited for them, and days when they are most available can be noted down for the record. Target Marketing Once you have made a mental Venn diagram of your data, you need to start dispatching your troops to the required regions. If your most-valued 20% belong to the same region, you know where to do the bulk of your marketing in. If the most regular and loyal clients have matching careers or work schedules, reaching out to them would need customization based on time and days. Marketing should be tailored to times when they are expected to have ample amount of free time, such as weekends and public holidays. It should also include special services just for these clients at times when most competitors might not be operating, such as early Sunday mornings or late evenings when offices close. This would not only give you an unchallenged edge over other salons but also make you the most convenient choice for your ideal customers. Content Marketing The content of what goes on your social media posts, flyers, brochures and posters must also be tailored to your target market. It is after all your content that gives you ranking on search engines! If you are trying attract more clients who have professional career paths, catchphrases like “Keep your appearance at par with your performance!” or “Look your best when you close the deal and radiate the confidence you feel!” will do the deed best. On the contrary, if the select one-fifth of your client base is home-based and includes stay-at-home parents, services like relaxing massages, essential personal grooming like waxing, manicures and pedicures are what they will most likely be looking for. Phrase your deals and offers with a tinge of flavor localized to the ideal client so that they can proudly introduce you in their social circles, thus ensuring more clients lining up for your salon. Salon Income Booster is an online platform offering marketing ideas to help secure an ideal client base for budding hair salon businesses. We deal with providing marketing solutions to boost revenues, assist in resolving management challenges, and offer guidance for optimizing retail displays, merchandising, and sales. If you want to secure a client base you can depend on, be the one to call the shots wisely and success will come to you on a silver platter!