At Salon Punk we’ve been testing what works, what does not work and everything in between for your salon, here’s what we discovered:
1. Discounting – a blunt tool of salon promotions
More than any other times brands are vowing to refocus on value and service as opposed to promotions (including salon promotions), after the increasing shops like yours, were forced to reconsider their marketing tactics.
From the household brands such as Asos, Debenhams, M&S, and Unilever had to overhaul promotions strategy as discounting cuts the margins, and the problem of discounting is not exclusive to the high street brands, a problem exists, we see discounting destroying salon businesses just like yours. The reason is quite simple, if you are continuously discounting your service, you are essentially training your clients to only visit your salon when the next discount is on. Such tactics remove client loyalty, and your clients start to associate your salon with being cheap rather than quality. Overall a very blunt tool of marketing. If your clients are visiting your salon too far and in between take a look at your marketing tactics.
2. Time with online media to surpass TV this year, what does it mean for your salon?
We love TV advertising but let’s face it how many times has your salon appeared on Channel4? Never mind, although TV and the radio remains one of the most effective ways to put your service in front of the thousands, time spent with online media, that is online ads through Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc, is predicted to overtake TV, 38% and 37% respectively, the rest split between radio and print.
Source: MarketingWeek
3. Direct mail as a salon promotion still helps to shout loud in the digital era
Officially, Direct mail is experiencing something of a renaissance, and we agree. One of the first tactics we run through our Extreme Mentor salons is direct mail campaign. No online ads, no website, no social media – yet, we get salons packed through little flyers fast and when I say fast I mean in days not weeks. We’ve long been an advocate for licking stamps and pushing through flyers everywhere. Here is an article for you to read everything you need to know why direct mail will pack your salon fast.
4. The case for email marketing in salons
Apparently, according to the official stats, emails are being “reborn” and we are not surprised, in fact, if you have client emails and never email, you are leaving a lot of salon cash on the table. But you should not just jump and start sending random emails. Here are quick tips on successful email marketing.
>> Plan a proper email campaign. Emails should never be random, they need to be part of your overall strategy, helping you achieve your overall salon goals. Plan it, work it, run it, test it.
>> Make it personal and speak your clients language, most clients don’t know what Balayage is… but everyone will understand if you say “you know the hair colour that looks kind of fady…”, you’ll get clients attention instantly.
>> Test it, test it, test it
You won’t know how well emails are working until you test it. What exactly do you need to test? Email headlines, one headline may not even get your emails opened, while the other headline may blow your phone off the hook.
>> Test your offer
>> Test the time of the day and the week to send out the email. Your clients may have time to read before they have their first cup of coffee, or during lunch-time, you’ll know when you test it.
5. Brexit – Have we all forgotten about this?
Should you be nervous about Brexit? After all, in or our everyone needs a haircut right?
Obviously yes, but Brexit creates uncertainty, uncertainty means clients thinking twice
before spending money, that includes your salon and how many Olaplex add-ons they want to put on their head.
So, here’s our suggestions, scroll back up and re-read the marketing tactics to rev up your income generating gears and walk your way through the Brexit uncertainties with a hair full of different colours!
Have a great week
