Market Your Brand

Looking for new marketing ideas in your salon? John Stefanick, production manager for the Noëlle Spa for Beauty and Wellness in Stamford, Connecticut, is a whiz at creating reward programs that not only reel in new target groups of guests—they tie them closely to the Noëlle brand.

Program: Get ID’d

Target audience: Any middle school or high school student in the Fairfield County area with a valid school ID.

Goal: Develop a pool of potential models for the salon’s frequent fashion shows, photo shoots and for use in cut and color classes. In addition, develop young clientele that can grow with new talent.

How it works: Stefanick invites the teen-aged children of Noëlle guests to apply for the program, as well as hosts membership drives—complete with iPod giveaways—at teen clubs and football games. When a student enrolls in the program, she receives 10 percent off salon and spa services, a personal GET ID’d card, a T-shirt with the first GET ID’d service and invitations to special teen-inspired events. Members receive a quarterly newsletter that extends three months worth of special promotions. Stefanick also works with a local theater who provides him with a number of movie tickets for teen-focused flicks in exchange for promoting the movie in the newsletter. Stefanick. When a student graduates from high school, they are no longer a member, but they do receive a congratulatory card from the spa.

Results: Noelle currently has more than 200 active GET ID’d members.

Program: R&R (Refer & Receive)

Target audience: the friends, family members and colleagues of current clientele

Goal: Develop a population of new clients for the salon and spa.

How it works: When an existing client comes in for a salon or spa service, their service provider can give them a referral card with the provider’s name, a recommended service, and the client’s name. When the client is complimented on her hair or talks about her spa service to a friend, she can pass the card along—the card offers the recipient a 10 percent discount on the designated service. When the card is used, the referring client is mailed a coupon for $50 that may be used toward future retail purchases. Service providers can control how many cards they distribute, so they can control the growth of the books. The salon takes the hit on the retail products, the service provider absorbs the 10 percent given to the new client.

Result: The program was implemented in November 2006 and since xxxx cards have come back, referring new clients to services throughout the salon and spa.