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The holidays are the most joyous time of the year for so many of us. After last year’s season that saw travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and isolation as a result of COVID-19, people are craving connection more than ever. And not only with their friends and family — but with businesses, too.
For salons, it's the perfect time to keep your brand top of mind and build long-lasting connections, while tapping into the wonder of the season. With the holidays fast approaching, an all-in-one salon management software could be the answer to a number of items on your wishlist! In the meantime, here’s a handy list of ways you can capture guest attention and increase bookings this Christmas.
1. Drive Traffic on Quieter Days
There’s always going to be slow times in your salon but as you’re leading up to the busy season, every appointment slot is precious! The key to increasing profits and productivity is diverting traffic from those busy days to your quieter times so that you can help as many guests as possible get their holiday glow and keep your appointment book full.
Incentivize guests with perks like discounted treatments, special offers, and complimentary consultations. For instance, you could run a “Monday Funday” promo where you give $10 off a haircut or give guests who come in during slow days a discount on their January appointment. This not only helps you now but also guarantees returning revenue in January. Implementing a salon booking software is also a great way to make every day a busy day without a huge investment of your time.
Tip: Team up with other local businesses on joint promotional offerings to help you reach more guests than ever this holiday season.
2. Get Social With Your Guests
It’s the season for giving, so why not spread some holiday cheer to guests by sharing expert tips and tricks? McKinsey’s 2021 holiday survey found that social media influences 58% of respondents’ buying decisions, with Facebook (67%), YouTube (57%) and Instagram (52%) among the most influential platforms — meaning it’s a great place to showcase your knowledge and position your brand as this season’s go-to.
To achieve this, consider using Instagram Live or Stories to share some holiday hair inspiration, the secrets to getting glowing skin for events, and ideas for festive looks that are perfect for this time of year. Or you may want to think about creating a series of “how-to” videos on YouTube that offer useful tips to help guests during this holiday season. And don’t forget to tease any holiday specials or product upsells on your webstore! You can find more tips on boosting your social media presence here.
3. Set Up a Social Station
Your team works tirelessly through the busy holiday season to help guests look and feel their best. So, give guests the chance to show off their luscious locks and radiant skin by setting up a social station, complete with an all-important ring light, in your salon. Add a Christmas tree and some festive decorations in the background for a final holiday touch.
Don’t forget to create and share a unique hashtag that they can use in their social posts to get the word out about your team’s top-notch skills. You could even tap into this audience base even more by creating your own holiday-themed Snapchat filter. For every filter used, their entire network will see your brand and want to make an appointment to join the festive fun.
4. Delight Guests With Great Promotions
The holidays are a wonderful time to thank your guests for their loyal support throughout the year — and one of the best ways to do that is with promotions that they won’t want to miss. For instance, you can get creative by putting together holiday gift bundles, BOGO offers on gift cards, planning a “12 days of deals” promo, or running a week-long giveaway with different prizes to be won each day. Another option is to turn guests into champions for your business with a referral marketing program, offering a holiday referral bonus rewards your referrers while also enticing new guests to visit. Small perks like these not only build excitement, but they also show guests that you recognize and appreciate their support.
Have you considered boosting your online sales by offering free shipping during the holidays? A recent study by NDP Group found that 47% of consumers say that free shipping would influence where they shop for holiday gifts.
5. Give Back to the Community
Spread holiday cheer to those in need while helping guests tick off their holiday to-do list by supporting a local charity. This could be through volunteering time, contributing food or toys, or even a percentage of your product sales. Use your inventory software to quickly identify slower-moving products and boost these sales by linking the products to your charitable giving. Some other examples include donating an amount of your gift card sales or product sales on a set day of the week (this could be another way to boost bookings on quiet days) or having a toy or food collection! You can spread the word on social media and encourage guests to bring donations with them to their appointment or book for the day they know you’ll be giving back.
Another option is to put aside a morning or a few hours for the team to volunteer at the local food bank or homeless shelter. This also provides a great team bonding experience and helps to strengthen connections while contributing to a great cause. Finally, don't forget to share your efforts on your social channels, your followers will love to see how you’re giving back to the community.
The Most Important Time of the Year
The holiday season presents the perfect opportunity to reach more guests, build lasting connections, and boost loyalty. The best part for salons is that there are so many fun ways to get creative in how you achieve that. With guests feeling more optimistic and increasingly likely to open their wallets this year, the businesses that do this well will no doubt receive the best gift of all.
Take a load off this holiday season with an all-in-one salon management software.
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