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There And Back Again: How To Keep Clients Coming Back

Customers—especially the new ones, who’ve only just begun to visit your salon—don’t come with a mind to keep coming back. They’re coming to test the waters, and will probably check out other establishments before deciding on which salon to become loyal to. And while it’s always a titillating thought to embark on new creative marketing strategies to goad in new customers, salon owners often miss out on one matter of much importance: old customers—the ones who’ve been to your establishment once or twice, or numerous times already.

These are the real sharks, the valuable loyals whom many dismiss and overlook in search of newer sheep to shear.

How Often Do Customers Go to a Salon?

As of a 2016 report, there was a sharp rise in the number of people employed by beauty establishments: going from 707,998 to 712,561 within a year—which means that between the years 2015 and 2016, some 4563 people were hired by beauty establishments all over the country. In the same year, a report showed that the cosmetic industry on the global scale had grown by 4% as of 2015.

Such a large number of people employed in the industry indicates that this is a field that grows exponentially and in order to keep growing it must witness a high number of customers. Now while most people think that it’s only women who spend money on salons and beauty establishments, this isn’t exactly true. Because men on average go to a salon every 8 weeks while women visit their hairdressers every 95 days.

How Salon Owners Keep Businesses Running

Salon owners easily overlook the fact that it’s the recurring customers who are mostly responsible for the revenue that they generate. Here are some eye openers for the average salon owner who might be deluded into thinking that it’s the newer customers who matter more:

– They Pay the Lion’s Share

In his book titled “Making Rain: The Secrets of Building Lifelong Client Loyalty” Andrew Sobel notes that recurring customers are responsible for 80% of the total income earned, and that a 25% increase in profits can be witness just by increasing recurring customers by 5%.

– They’ll Try Everything

A repeat customer is likelier to buy newer products or try out newer services that you’re offering. The reason behind this is simple: they have tried and tested you already, they know how consistent you are with your work and they trust you to deliver.

– They’ll Get You New Customers

They spread the word: if it’s new clients you’re looking for, you don’t even need to spend much energy and effort on working out grand strategies to rope them in. By focusing on older clients you can ensure a sizeable number of newer clients because customers who are acquainted with your services will very likely promote your establishment. Word of mouth is a valuable channel of publicity and simply by being more consistent in your work and providing better services to repeat clients you can rope in more customers.

– They’ll Help You Make Important Decisions

By observing (or simply asking) a recurring client which service they’re more likely to go for, you can know which of your services is popular with your clients and which service is not going to work. This way you can tailor your services to better cater to your customers.

Why It Is Necessary to Keep Customers Loyal

We’ve established that there is no dearth of hair salons or beauty establishments in the country, but what remains to be seen is how to stay ahead of all your competitors: because with this number of people employed in the industry the masses obviously have way too many options to pick from.

Multiple options means that your establishment is at risk of losing clients and customers to other establishments—that is, if you’re not savvy enough. Ensure that your customers won’t run off to a different hairdresser and you’ve certified your win.

And here’s how to do just that.

1. Give Them Discounts.

And not just any discounts—but personalized discounts. Make note of the important days in your clients’ lives (such as their birthdays and anniversaries) and offer them a personalized discount for that particular day. This way, they’ll feel valued and inclined to return to your establishment again. Send them a text or a reminder through their email a few weeks ahead of the event and they’re sure to turn up!

2. Give Them a Sneak Peak

To your customers, allow the privilege of having to look around your establishment. Show them a BTS video through your social media or share pictures with them. The more inviting your establishment is, the more your chances of roping in customers and to have them coming back.

3. Cash in Your Free Hours

If you find some of your hours free in which your employees could be doing potential work (as in there are no bookings beforehand), then cash them in. Send some of your repeat clients (or relatively newer clients) texts offering them a sizzling discount for such and such hour given they’re available.

4. Congratulatory Discounts

Of course these are a lot of discounts but you should be careful not to dis-count discounts because they surely bring in a good chunk of prospective employees. Even people who don’t feel like going to a salon will feel like going in, given they’re offered a discount.

In case there’s been a special event in their lives lately—such as an engagement or graduation—offer them a discount on their next visit. Again, the idea is to make them feel special.

5. Always Keep Your Clients Up to Date

If you have new services lined up or if you plant to follow up with a particular trend, let your clients know beforehand about it, via newsletters or social media posts. And never balk on them once you have sent out messages because that is sure to leave a bad impression!

6. Do a Making-Of Video

Get a video made or a blog written that describes and tells the story of the making of your salon, letting your customers know the history and hard work put into it. If you or your employees went to a school for training, be sure to include that.

More importantly, show the clients that they’ve made an impact on your life by putting the growth phase on display. They’ll feel personally connected and responsible for the salon and will be enticed to keep coming back.

7. Listen to Them

If one or two of your customers have been heard—either by you or your customers—talking about wanting to change how they look, then it’s a good opportunity for you to send them an email or a text detailing about a new look that you’re offering in your services, and they just might follow up.

8. Have an Alternative to Online Booking in Place

For many people, getting their hair cut or their arms waxed is a decision that is usually taken when outside or when on the go. It’s a matter of finding time to do things. Most people won’t have access to online booking when out and so it rests on your shoulders to make your website compatible on a smartphone or to set up another alternative to booking. Make sure that the process is easy and quick.

9. Personalize Your Messages and Emails

It’s these little things that make your client feel special and valued. The mere taking of a client’s name on an email can do wonders, but there’s more: you can be a little more informal with them (ditch the boring clichéd emails to the boring clichéd establishments), and talk about your plans for them.

10. Have a Mega Discount Week

Every once in a while, make a habit of throwing a grand discount week in which you will offer some of your services on a discounted rate. Not only will this ensure that you’ll get a lot of customers but will also ensure that your visibility is maintained. It’s a great avenue for publicity.

11. Send Your Clients a Report Card

Share with your customers the best hairstyles that you did (by putting them in a newsletter or an email), and keep them updated on all the new styles that you are planning on trying.

12. Make the Waiters Feel Good Too!

Most people who go to salons do so by tagging along with a person who usually has no business there. Make these client companions feel special too (offer them gift cards and such) so that your clients will know that you value their time and the time of the people who tag along with them. This will, again, ensure that they keep coming back.

Hungry for More?

Clients are your lifeline: had they not been coming to your establishment and getting your services, your salon wouldn’t be running. But running a salon is so much more than having a few customers keep coming and opting for your services—that will get you your target income for every month, sure, but it will do you no favors in the increased revenue department.

If your goal is to increase your income then you’ll need to have a long list of ready clients and you’ll have to keep them coming back. The tricks of the trade include you employing clever marketing ideas and workable solutions to keep them wanting to visit your salon, many of which have been discussed in this blog.

You can find more ideas on our blog and more solutions in our e-book. Salon Income Booster has numerous ideas to run off your heads, so be sure to benefit from as many of them as you can.