8 Ways to Build Positive Word of Mouth for Your Salon

Word-of-Mouth marketing is the most difficult to measure, but it's also the most cost effective because it costs you nothing.

Your customers are the best vehicle for positive word-of-mouth marketing, but how can you get them to talk about you?

Here are 8 ways you can help build positive word of mouth for your salon.

1. Set the Atmosphere
   Use soft, fresh sheets; play relaxing music; and keep service areas organised and sanitised. Clients love familiar environments and will refer everyone they know because they’ll know you’ll take care of their referrals as you do them.
   

2. Be Professional
   Make eye contact, greet clients by name, offer a genuine compliment, dress to impress and practice good hygiene. These small details show your clients you care about them.
   

3. Read Your Clients
   Engage clients in polite conversation and ask about them—but don’t dig too personally. Conversations should be uplifting and never geared toward gossip or your clients will lose trust in you. Nix chatting if it seems like they want to relax or sleep. The more you do for them, the more they’ll refer you to others.
   

4. Consult Positively
   When consulting with clients on lash or brow styles, never tell them they’re wrong, even if you disagree. Instead, let them know what your education and experience has taught you regarding what will complement their features.
   

5. Be an Open Book (With Your Services)
   Walk clients through the service, answer any questions they have and never talk down to them. Remember, some clients may be nervous or tense if this is their first time receiving the service.
   

6. Respect the Clock
   Your clients’ time is precious, and disrespecting it can net negative word of mouth. Don’t be tardy, go overtime, or call or text clients off-hours.
   

7. Create a Referral System
   Reward your clients for spreading the word with a referral system that garners them perks at your shop. Think: point systems toward discounted services or retail. The ‘If you scratch my back, then I’ll scratch yours’ mentality is always healthy in the artist/client relationship.
   

8. Send Them Home With a Smile
   Never rush clients and always allow them to examine your work post- service. When your clients leave feeling confident and happy, they’ll keep coming back—and they’ll bring their friends.

Make Education your Top Priority this Year

There are New Year’s resolutions, and New Year’s resolutions. Coming into a new year can make you think about all the things you wanted to do in your salon and for your business, but inevitably can not always all get done before December comes around. To ensure that you do not break on your resolutions this year before the end of January, you need to push your career to new heights and discover once hidden prospects that will induce change in your frame of mind; education.

Education in 2018 is much more than writing notes on a page that you’ll forget to look at again or a demonstrated technique. It surrounds the determination, skill and personal motivation to further your business and professional development. Education now offers the freedom in the ever-changing world of the beauty industry to go with what you have felt and analysed to be the right move for your business, from experts and therapists alike.

As your clients are becoming more self-aware and knowledgeable about current trends in the industry, salon owners need to be 3 steps ahead at all times, ready to offer their clients exactly what they are looking for in the new world of beauty, skincare and wellness.

Reading up on blogs, articles, podcasts and following those in the know of the latest marketing, beauty and salon techniques to help your business grow is step one to achieving greater levels of knowledge in 2018. Your instant access to digital publications, apps and the realm of YouTube has seen a worldwide boom in opportunities for career growth and education.

Education does not stop at improving upon your skillset however. When in the beauty business, your job entails marketing, sales, profitability, systems, people, and most importantly, your mindset to make the entire machine work to please and retain your clients. You can become an entirely different, more aware and better-informed beautician through simple to complex education classes and webinars, and is a goal worth striving for in 2017.

Professional Beauty Solutions offers salons, clinics and spas the opportunity to take part in dozens of education, training and growth sessions throughout the year. Our 2018 goal is to provide more business and profit building tools than ever before. Through regular webinars, intimate training sessions with expert trainers, and our monthly MOAP Monday Facebook Live education events, 2018 is the year to make education your top priority.

MOAP MONDAY RECAP 2017

If there is one thing that is just as important as having hard work and passion in your role as a beauty therapist, it is constantly educating yourself and your team on the how the industry is changing and evolving!

We have had a HUGE year bringing all our salon partners 8 FREE educational MOAP Monday Live sessions via Facebook, with huge success. We were also lucky enough to have special guests Vanessa McDonald (Salon Marketing Coach) and Daynah Hamilton (Studio Matrix) share their wealth of knowledge across salon marketing, and social media and give our salon partners the tips and tricks they need to help them become more profitable in the beauty industry.

View Part 1 & 2 of Matt Williams and Vanessa McDonald's live episode discussing how to retail your Christmas packs this season:

Watch Matt Williams and Daynah Hamilton discuss the important apps, tools and tricks needed to nail your salon's social media:

Missed an episode or want to re-watch again? Visit our Profit Advantage Facebook Page.

Reducing Salon No Shows and Last Minute Cancellations

No-shows and late clients are an inescapable fact of life in the salon. The good news is that you are not alone. It happens to the best of the best, and it’s a problem that every salon occasionally has to deal with. Thankfully, there are ways to help eliminate (or drastically reduce) the number of no-shows you have:

1. Set up the Groundwork
   It’s always best to think proactively and stop a problem before it starts. To do that, you should have a clear policy in place for handling problem clients before you need to use it. Make sure your policy is posted on your web page, Facebook page, and online bookings page and that your clients have read and understand it. Then, stick to it! It may be difficult to turn away a client who shows up late, but if you don’t enforce your policy it becomes meaningless. If you say on your website that you’ll refuse service to anyone who is more than 15 minutes late, then do it. Typically, you only have to enforce the policy once for the client to realise you mean business and start showing up on time.
   

2. Send a Reminder
   Once you have your policies in place, the next step to preventing no-shows is to have an appointment confirmation procedure worked out. There are 3 main ways to remind your clients: Appointment cards, Text messages, Phone calls.
   Text reminders are so common these days that they are expected good business practice and customer care. Salon software suppliers offer this facility as standard. It’s easy to set up and can save you a fortune on last minute cancellations and no shows. If clients don’t confirm their automated reminder, actually picking up the phone to give them a quick call can be key – particularly for those clients who have been unreliable in the past. You can also take this opportunity to upsell other treatments or products to them while you have them on the phone.
   

3. Offer a Discount for Pre-Paid Services
   You’ll be surprised how much better your client’s memory is once they’ve already paid for their service – offer them an incentive to do so in the form of a discount or special if they pay beforehand. As a bonus, you’ll find your clients are far more open to splurge on other services or retail products if they’ve put the bulk of the payment behind them by the time they’ve walked through the salon door.
   

4. What to do When Clients Fail to Show Up
   If despite all of your efforts to confirm the appointment, a client still doesn’t show up, it’s important to contact them. This accomplishes a few things: first, you can make sure they’re all right and show them that you care for their well-being. Clients are less likely to no-show in the future if they feel they have a relationship with their service provider. Secondly, it can help diffuse any embarrassment they might feel if they simply forgot their appointment, especially when you tell them “I’m just happy you’re OK.” Then, after you’ve reassured them, you have an opportunity to reschedule the appointment and not miss out on the potential for future revenue. However, if you don’t make that call, chances are you’ll lose the client forever.
   

5. Know Your Rules
   You have to have a standard set of rules that you can’t break for any one client. If your policy is to charge no-shows, add the fee onto another bill or simply reschedule, consistency is key. You’ll lose credibility if you do something for one client, and something else for another.
   Remember that whatever policies and procedures you ultimately put in place, the best way to prevent no-shows and late arrivals is through outstanding customer service and quality. If you are known for the amazing work you do and the way you respect both your time, you’ll build a clientele that is loyal and respectful.

7 Things to Look For in a Tanning Brand

Does one tan stand out above the rest? In Australia, spray tans are a sure thing, just like summer barbeques and day trips to the beach. But, with so many spray-tanning brands on the market, it can be difficult to narrow down which one to choose that you love. When your clients have a big event on the horizon, you don’t want to put your (and their) trust in the wrong tan!

Wouldn’t it be great to find your ultimate go-to brand that ticks all the boxes and achieves a flawless tan every time? Here are seven things to consider when looking for a tanning brand:

1. Does it contain natural DHA?
   The chemical DHA is used in tanning products to achieve a realistic bronze without the sun. But there are different types on the market, meaning your tan can differ depending on what you use. Inhaling DHA over time is not idyllic, so look for a brand using organic DHA as a safe option. Sunescape only uses natural DHA for our professional and retail formulas, providing a healthy tan for your client, and a safe environment for your salon.
   

2. Is the scent enticing or pushing people away?
   Is it possible to get the faux glow without the classic strong smell? Many tans can smell pretty overpowering. Not a great experience for you or your client! One of the key features with Sunescape is its signature lush coconut vanilla scent, developed to conjure thoughts of the perfect tropical escape.
   

3. Does it offer a complimentary range of products?
   Clients often book in for a spray tan for a special occasion or event, but what about the times in between appointments? Offering a take-home retail range allows your clients to keep that glow 24/7, and keep coming back for more. Sunescape’s range extends beyond professional tanning solutions to include Self-Tan Mousse, plus prep, prime and maintain products which include Exfoliating Body Polish, Hydrating Body Butter, Gradual Tan Extender and a wash off range.
   

4. What is in the formula and what if left out?
   The ingredients that many use to get that gorgeous glow are not always good for the skin. Ultra-dark formulas look good, but can also wreak havoc on the skin, causing it to dry out quicker. Some tanning ingredients used in Australia are even banned overseas! Sunescape is known for its attention to skincare, the rich, ultra-hydrating formula that focuses on nourishing ingredients like coconut oil and vitamin E and leaves out ingredients that are less than desirable, drying and flaky.
   

5. Is it cruelty-free and does it have vegan ingredients?
   Cruelty free, vegan and natural products are a growing trend in the industry. A brand that avoids chemical nasties and uses vegan ingredients to nourish the skin is ideal. Not to mention one that is certified cruelty-free, as well as being free of parabens alcohol and petrochemicals.
   

6. What’s the rate of tan development?
   It’s often difficult to judge the results of a tan, so look for a brand with a two-hour rapid tan that continues to develop over the next eight hours. Sunescape’s spray tan formula gives you a guide bronze. That way, you can get a sense of the final outcome, and your client can rinse off while still allowing the tan to develop.
   

7. Does it fade naturally?
   One of the biggest woes about faux tans is accelerated, uneven fading! All regular tanners dread the snakeskin look, and hate it even more when it happens a few days in. If a tan fades naturally, your client will get more bang for their buck, and loyalty to your salon. Steer clear of solutions that streak, saving hours of concern over unreliable spray tans from drying formulas.

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Sunescape Tan is formulated to give you a natural looking and feeling tan. They provide salons and consumers with a safe, ultra-moisturising bronzed glow; one that smells amazing, fades evenly, and is long-lasting. Their products are focussed on treating the skin with care, containing added vitamins, antioxidants and oils to nourish skin, as well as hydrating ingredients to leave skin smooth. The proprietary formula is certified approved natural DHA, not tested on animals, and free from alcohol, parabens and petrochemicals.

Get that tropical bronzed glow with Sunescape!

To enquire about becoming a Sunescape salon or for more information, call 1800 625 387  or visit www.sunescape.com.au. 

Promote Black Friday + Cyber Monday in your Salon

Black Friday (24th Nov) and Cyber Monday (27th Nov) are two of the BIGGEST shopping days of the year with 137 million shopping over the weekend in 2016, and an estimated $682 billion to be spent this year in the USA alone. If you are currently thinking “Woah that’s amazing!”, it’s time for you to enter the fold and craft unique promotions to get your clients coming into salon to try services or new products.

Promoting Black Friday is a great salon marketing tool when used properly. This shopping day can boost a potential quiet month in salon – in the lead up to Christmas, November can be slower – as well as encouraging clients to spend more money in order to get a good deal.

Here are some quick promotion ideas to market your salon in the Black Friday craze:

1. Market Season-based Services.
   Brand your services uniquely themed to the season with modifying your classic treatment names to spring up holiday feelings. Why not surprise your loyal clients with a surprise complimentary holiday service? It is not only a great way to say thank you, but also draws attention to your creativity and brings to the forefront of their mind their need to rebook before the Christmas period.
   

2. Gift Cards!
   This idea can be hugely successful at this time of the year, and it’s fantastic to promote on Black Friday with 63% of Black Friday purchases being gifts for others. It is effective to offer your client a gift card and something in return, such as ‘purchase a $100 gift card for a friend, and receive your own $25 gift card free’. This is something special that they know is a rare promotion, and will feel rewarded by you. And when they return, they are likely to use this card on a special treatment to pamper themselves, which means a happy client and more business for you.
   

3. Run Black Friday discounts on social media and on your website.
   Stress your time-limited sale or exciting promotions on social media to encourage people to pop in. It is even great to invest in some Facebook advertising to reach a greater audience and boost your organic posts. But remember, advertising any sale or discount in advance works much better than posting on the day.
   

4. Shift older salon stock.
   A quick dash around your salon will yield a surprising haul of forgotten items. Turn these items into hot sellers with a great, compelling price and beautiful packaging! Even bundle a few items together in an organza bag and create your own beauty, skin or tanning kit that’s appealing to the eye to move through your stock. Clients will suddenly feel they are getting value. It’s the one weekend when discounts are expected and work well, remember to price each item individually and show the discount to boost your cash flow.
   

5. Run a Black Friday competition.
   A great way to get engagement to your salon’s pages is by running a competition on your Facebook leading up to Black Friday, or over the weekend, with a prize is a service that must be taken up in January or February, when you will be much quieter.

Only just realised that Black Friday is only a few days away? Research shows that the best way to promote your discounts, services or gift cards in salon is through e-newsletters or text. These are effective, inexpensive ways to reach your whole salon database to shout about your last-minute beauty bargains and treats.