Wishing you’d fired up your Christmas salon marketing earlier?
But somehow ‘L.I.F.E’ got in the way.
Don’t worry.
There’s still time to get ahead of the game. And your local competitors.
Your Christmas salon marketing goals:
Most hair and beauty businesses are booked solid in December so filling empty columns is not your focus. Instead, your marketing goals for the month include:
- Increasing your December retail sales
- Rewarding loyal clients and boosting retention
- Increasing the average spend per visit this month
- Booking clients in for the quiet new year months
- Raising your salon or clinic brand profile locally
In this blog post I’m sharing my ideas on making the most of an unsung Christmas marketing hero…
Your salon, clinic or spa.
Yes that’s right. Your premises. Don’t just stop at popping up a festive tree. There is so much more marketing you can do when your clients are visiting your salon.
#1. Festive Salon Selfies
This works a treat and I use it all the time with my salon clients.
Simply hang an empty picture frame on the wall. Add some Christmas spirit with traditional holly, ribbons and baubles, or if your salon has a contemporary feel, echo this styling in the decorations.
Now invite clients to pose and preen in front of it.
The result: umpteen eye-catching mini-advertisements splashed all over social for free. A festive fun #SalonSelfie is much more likely to get posted on social media and so spread your marketing message.
#2. Quick yet effective Christmas advertising
Two easy in-salon marketing ideas you’ll love:
- Advertise your salon Christmas promotions and festive opening hours on your voicemail from now onwards. It’s free marketing.
- Replace the standard print-out on your till receipts with your festive specials, offers and opening hours. Most salon software packages do this – just call their helpdesk.
#3. Christmas marketing cheer
Your salon will be packed in December so make sure all these clients are encouraged to post online reviews.
Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to attract new clients and these glowing online reviews will help reduce salon downtime come January. Reviews will also build your business brand locally.
Get strut cards printed showcasing your best reviews and include a Call to Action (CTA) for clients to post their own reviews. Scatter liberally around your spa or salon.
#4. Seasonal salon muse
Remember one of your December marketing goals is to skyrocket your retail sales and boost profits. This won’t happen unless you take positive action.
Your clients are hungry for original gift ideas and festive inspiration at this time of year.
People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want.
– Seth Godin
Tempt them into buying by transforming your salon into a glitzy Christmas promotion for your services and retail.
Create striking merchandising displays in-salon to showcase your:
- new, quirky or fresh retail product ideas
- appealing treatment packages they can gift for the new year
- tempting gift cards to spoil someone special
Change them as often as you can and don’t forget to price all the items clearly.
Carry on marketing: post attention-grabbing photos of your retail displays on your social media, your salon website and use them in your email marketing.
#5. ‘Tis the season to be selling
1. Tempt last-minute spending
Pinch a marketing tip from the supermarkets. Place a basket of inexpensive stocking fillers on your reception desk to tempt last-minute purchases. Drop a heavy hint with a clear label: ‘ideal stocking-fillers’.
2. Promote holiday offers
Highlight hair and beauty specials, retail offers and new year re-booking incentives with show-cards on your reception desk.
Or buy some seasonal themed picture frames to match your decorations and salon brand and pop promotional seasonal graphics into them.
3. Festive FOMO
Create a sense of urgency with countdowns to the last shopping day or show you’re running low on popular items. ‘Only 3 left!’
#6. ‘Tis the season for salon sparkle
1. Your salon interior:
Decide on this year’s festive theme. And quiz your design agency or printer on ideas to make your decorations more appealing and visual.
Hanging graphics, posters and banner stands can all be highly personalised (use your own #hashtags on in-salon graphics to reflect your social marketing messages).
Don’t just stick to manufacturers’ display materials – I know it can sometimes seem the easiest route. Instead, add bespoke marketing materials and push your hair and beauty brand.
2. Your salon exterior:
The streets outside your salon will be heaving come December. Act now to get your business noticed and encourage passers-by to pop in hunting for hair and beauty gifts, and last-minute stocking fillers.
Transforming your shop windows into an eye-catching Christmas advertisement takes planning. If you’ve a prominent frontage onto a main shopping street then why not splash out on a professional window-dresser?
Remember your windows are free, highly visible advertising. Just think how much a billboard in central town would cost you at this time of year.
- Consider lighting your salon windows longer at night, especially if you’re on a busy street with plenty of late-night footfall.
- Advertise seasonal hair and beauty specials and hours in your windows and on your A-board.
- Decorate the exterior to get noticed. Add Christmas trees in pots, lights, or a huge over-the-top wreath.
#7. Advertising this Christmas for free
Look for opportunities to advertise your seasonal offers – both retail and services – throughout your salon or clinic:
- Invest in frames and display boards for your reception, beauty treatment rooms, hair styling stations, nail bars and washrooms.
- If you have digital signage/screens in your salon use these to promote re-booking offers for new year and holiday specials.
#8. Ho-ho-ho-lidays!
Partnering with other local businesses is an effective and easy-on-the-pocket way to market your salon business. If you get your skates on it’s still not too late to decide to throw a seasonal client event with a local partner or two.
Always try to link up with businesses which target a similar audience to your salon or spa. I look at how to partner successfully in this blog post.
#9. Season’s Greetings
Christmas is also an opportunity to thank your loyal clients, reward them and get them booked in for January/February.
I like rewarding loyal clients with a salon Gift Card. Did you know over 60% of gift card holders spend more than the total value of the original gift card?
‘Thank You Gift Cards’ work when you give them to loyal salon clients because you’re giving them a reason to come back in the quiet January weeks.
Now is the time to be filling those January gaps in columns. You’ll find my business ideas for the new year here to start implementing in November.
Two things to remember:
- Think carefully about the terms & conditions so you don’t get caught out.
- Always hand the Gift Card to them explaining it’s a thank you. That way, you can suggest they re-book there and then to take advantage of their Gift Card.
#10. We’ve got Christmas wrapped up
I bought a birthday card for a friend last week and while in the shop noticed a book I knew she’d love.
When I went to pay, the assistant asked if I’d like the book gift wrapped. There was no sign advertising this service in store and I’d shopped there many times without being offered gift wrapping.
The book was an inexpensive impulse buy and I was due to see my friend later that day. I left that shop clutching my beautifully wrapped, beribboned package, a truly delighted client.
Why am I telling you this? Because it’s:
- an opportunity to create a lasting impression in the minds of your clients
- it’s likely to boost your retail sales
- you’ll turn a happy client into a ‘wowed’ one.
Do promote your service (unlike the shop I was in) and offer a couple of packaging options. Not everyone wants pretty and shiny packaging, so add an eco-friendly option too.
#11. Your Christmas salon playlist
Spend some time on your Christmas playlist. Is the right fit for your target audience or have your team chosen a mixed bag of their personal favourites?
I remember hearing the same Christmas oldie six times over while getting my colour done. Boring!
#12. Christmas spirit
Christmas is all about giving.
Team up with your hair and beauty suppliers and local businesses and host a raffle for your favourite charity.
Promote in salon. And don’t forget to promote it online, in your e-news and on social too.
#13. Salon Gift cards make the ideal Christmas present
Why do so many salons undervalue Gift Cards? They are a brilliant marketing tool for hair and beauty businesses.
Gift Cards are too big a topic to cover in this article; if you are looking for some ideas to make your gift vouchers fly off the shelf read my blog post here and get selling.
#14. Get the party started
Ring the changes with your Christmas drinks menu. Don’t just serve the old standbys of mulled wine or festive fizz, try some celebratory fun cocktails.
You’ll find Jamie Oliver’s Christmas cocktails here if you’re after some seasonal inspiration… Christmas Negroni, Winter Sidecar or Little Tickle anyone?
#15. A festive twist
Serving Christmas cupcakes, festive chocolates or mini mince pies throughout December?
Go on an urban foraging trip to discover some easy, yet different, alternatives to those boring pre-packed biscuits so many salons seem to dish up with their coffee.
Opening on Sundays during the run-up to Christmas?
Think about creating a more leisurely atmosphere – pandemic restrictions permitting. Change the music tempo, the drinks menu and perhaps offer light brunch for a chilled lazy-bones Sunday morning.