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SEARCHWe all love summer weather and its wealth of outdoor activities, but enjoying all that fun in the sun can keep clients out of the salon. Here are a few ideas for boosting business during the summer slump.
We all love summer weather and its wealth of outdoor activities, but enjoying all that fun in the sun can keep clients out of the salon. Here are a few ideas for boosting business during the summer slump.
DENISE AND JOHN PHILIPP
TRU BEAUTY CONCEPTS
We plan our educational calendar very carefully and from March until the beginning of June, we offer classes on seasonally- focused services that our salon clients can use that help boost business during summer months. Think of the services that clients are going to want for these months of travel when they are going to the beach.
Some of the summer-focused classes that we hold in our HOPE for Beauty Education Center include certification in keratin services to help combat humid-weather frizziness. Insalon smoothing services always include a line of at-home maintenance products that will boost summer retail sales.
During this period we also focus on blonding classes with lots of foiling and baliage techniques so salons can be prepared to have an arsenal of summer color services to offer.
For the first time we also offered Brazilian waxing education with live models. The classes sold out immediately and salons were ready to promote these services for the swimsuit season.
As distributors, we believe that the best strategy for addressing sluggish months in the salon is to prepare ahead of time by offering education on the services that will help salons get through those seasons and take them into the next.
JASON HALL
CO-OWNER RED 7 SALON, CHICAGO
This year marks our salon’s 10th anniversary so we have a few promotions in place to thank our clients and also increase traffic through the summer slow down.
We offer several client raf‑fles, which are fun, add value to the client and boost business at Red 7. Every client who purchases three retail items is entered into a raf‑fle. The winner gets whatever service they were receiving that day free for one year. It guarantees the client will be back, probably for additional services and more retail purchases, as well. We have found this is not a costly program when considering the added retail and repeat service business it brings in.
Another raffle we offer, which is great for slow seasons, is our pre-booking raffle. Clients who pre-book their next two appointments are entered into a drawing to win dinner for two at one of the great restaurants in our neighborhood or a free iPod. The future bookings help ll our book during slow times and get the client into the habit of pre-booking his or her services.
MICHAEL KUNZ
REGIONAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR ALL-NUTRIENT
Summer is the best time to introduce new products and services to create interest among clients who are taking vacations, changing schedules and may be extending their appointments, especially color services. Introducing something new gives clients an extra reason to come into the salon.
In summer months, we suggest that our salons promote our All Nutrient Keratint Clear Glaze that seals in color and strengthens hair bers. We recommend that salons throw an evening party, complete with styling lessons, and invite their VIPs (topspending clients) in for refreshments, styling lessons and a free service introducing this new conditioning and color enhancing treatment. Give the service a fun name and after the VIPs try it, hold other events or day-long promotions for all clients. Once clients are introduced to a service, they are much more likely to book it in the salon. Look at the slow season as an opportunity to spend more time educating clients and talking up fall seasonal trends to get them back on track.
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