Thursday, 22 March 2012
Newly established? 5 marketing ideas to get your salon known
Any entrepreneur will tell you "starting your business is the most exciting part", followed immediately by..."and it's the hardest part too"!
No matter how long you've been working in this industry, setting up a business is never easy. You first have to deal with the legal requirements, then choose where you want to establish yourself with a limited budget, pay a three-month advance, move all the equipment you need there, and bring that paper you forgot to Companies House while you work from 9am to 6pm (yes there is always a paper missing).
And guess what, that's not the hardest part!
Once that open sign goes up, what do you have to do? Well, if you are really lucky or already a celebrity in your field, sit back and let the magic happen. People will come to your salon themselves and you won't even need to advertise yourself. Even better than that people will advertise for you because of your fantastic rep! Pleasant idea isn't it?
But here is the hard hitting truth. How many therapists or hairdressers have such a high reputation that they can completely rely on it to attract new customers? Few, very few.
To make your brand new salon known, you will have to go through some marketing. But it's not always easy to decide what is the best way to promote your business and yourself.
I recently interviewed Claire Louise who owns Seen On Screen, a beauty salon in Manchester city centre. Claire established her salon a month ago and is working hard on promoting it since then. I've compiled in this article the top 5 ideas she's currently using and has accepted to share to help you make a name for your salon.
1. Share your location
The first thing I noticed when I met with Claire was the building in which the salon is located. Seen on Screen is on the first floor of Tatiana Hair Extensions, one of the two salons owned by famous Tatiana Karelina. Both salons work in the same industry but provide different services and that's exactly the reason why it works so well. To access Claire's salon you have to go through Tatiana's one, customers therefore discover this salon whereas they weren't even looking for it. For her part, Claire told me that some of Tatiana's clients friends sometimes come up to see her and get a manicure or pedicure while they are waiting. In this way, both salons win.
2. Use flyers for local promotion
"It's a very old marketing trick but it's quite cheap and works!" says Claire. If Internet is the best tool you can use to interact with people who live miles away, flyers are definitely the most appropriate to make you known locally. Make them fun, using attractive colour and few text, and slip them in your neighbours mailboxes. As you're located very close, they will less hesitate to pay you a visit.
3. Offer discounts
Here is the answer to "What should I promote on my flyers?".
It's also an old technique but money key and we all want to try something new if the price is attractive. No matter if it's a new mascara, haircut or beauty treatment! If you offer your first new customers discounts on your flagship treatments they are indeed more likely to give it a go and then recommend you to their friends.
4. United we stand, divided we fall
It's a fact, local businesses support each other mutually if they are not directly competing. It is then very important to get to know your neighbours and get on with them well because if one of their customers is looking for a service they are not offering, they can recommend you. And that's exactly what Claire did. She went to all the businesses in her area (hair salons, restaurants, bars...) without distinction and offered to recommend them if they recommend her. Easy to do and very effective.
5. Organise a launch party
It sounds obvious but if you want people to come to your salon, invite them! Many salons don't do it and they loose a big opportunity to extend their network. Like Claire, do it about two months after your first opening and create a list of guests composed of customers and partners. Depending on the type of launch party you want to organise it can be quite expensive but it's a unique occasion to welcome them in a friendly environment and promote your salon at same time.
If you want to share some marketing tricks you use to promote your salon then send an email to flora.adam@salonhero.co.uk asking for an interview...or just leave a comment :)
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