Your business is going to change as the pandemic continues – there’s no avoiding it. But according to Deb Hunt, the owner of Salon Spa Business Solutions, your business doesn’t need to enter crisis mode because of fewer clients. As part of our Burning Questions series, Hunt guides readers through this shifting salon landscape and new customer needs.
SALON TODAY: We have fewer clients now. How do we get them back or make more money to replace that loss?
Hunt: Having fewer clients can be reflective of a few things:
People aren’t feeling quite comfortable enough to come in because they are worried that it’s safe. I’ve witnessed that the salons who post current picture with clients and team members in mask are really getting a lot more phone calls. Clients see that you are taking this seriously. I’ve had three or four of my salon clients who are actually growing with new customers than they have had in the last seven months.
Teams may need to change their focus. You may not want your team to be focused on seeing as many people as possible right now, but rather focus on delivering the best customer service with each guest. Many stylists are seeing fewer clients but making the same amount or more, because they are going above and beyond for each client.
You need to be top of mind with your clients. Most of my salon and spa clients were posting on social media every day through the pandemic to keep their customers updated and giving them tips and tricks on how to deal with their pandemic hair. That has really paid off for them. Make sure that you talk to your clients through social media, and that you aren’t simply posting stock pictures. Take a picture of a happy client or that client with their service provider that shows the outside world what’s happening in your salon. Make sure you are posting two to three times per day and know your hashtags. Tagging locally is a key to growing your business.
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