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7 best Leap Year marketing ideas for salons

What salon marketing opportunity takes place in a few weeks’ time, last happened in 2020, and won’t occur again until 2028?

Okay, it’s a bit obvious. Leap Year 29th February.

The 29th falls on a Thursday this year, so it’s a cracking excuse to drive some extra business.

Leap at this bonus salon marketing opportunity

It’s an extra trading day. So you’ve nothing to lose. Except extra profit.

Start after Valentine’s across all your marketing channels, especially social media. It’s a fun day so perfect for your salon social with leaping images of frogs, kangaroos, rabbits and people, plus some playful ‘leaping’ puns.

And remember to also push it out on your e-newsletter, promote it in-salon and pop it on your salon website.

Here are my top 7 easy-to-action ideas to promote your beauty or hair business on the 29th February:

 

#1. 29% promotions for February 29

The fact 29 is an unusual percentage figure for an offer helps make this stand out from the local crowd.

3 ideas for salon promotions here:

1. Offer 29% off selected services/treatments on the 29th. I’m not a big fan of discounts as you know, but it’s a one-off and makes for an eye-catching, fun social offer.

2. Add 29% extra for free. So you could add 13 extra minutes to a 45 minute massage.

In both cases, be selective – don’t discount your most popular treatments or team members. The idea is to make extra profit. Not give it away.

3. Have a ‘buy-one-get-one for 29p’ offer. It’s a fun Leap Year spin on a standard BOGOF offer.

 

#2. Leap onto your salon social media

This is a brilliant one for your salon social and gets your community engaged and chatting.

Ask:

‘How are you spending your extra day?’

Create a hashtag for it, and carry it across your other marketing channels for some fun. You could offer a prize for the best answer.

 

#3. Once every four years

If you don’t fancy the 29% promotions, play on the Leap Year theme with a ‘buy 3 get the 4th free’ promotion. Perfect for a course of beauty treatments. Or retail products for that matter.

 

#4. Salon Gift card offer for Leap Day

A twist on the 29% discount offer. For the 29 February only buy a gift card and enjoy 29% extra for free.

Use FOMO as clients don’t like to miss out, so gift cards must be purchased on Leap Day itself, and you may want to restrict their use to the quieter days of the week (or maybe not, depending on how quiet your salon is at the moment).

Want to sell loads more hair and beauty gift cards? I show you how here.

 

#5. Leap Year event

Throw a Leap Year salon event.

If you’re time-pressed keep it as low key with fizz and nibbles and run a raffle or lucky dip. Demonstrations, freebie mini-treatments and complimentary consultations are nice add-ons if you can make the time and space.

 

#6. Birthday fun on February 29

The odds of being born on February 29th are 1 in 1,461, which makes Leap Day babies a bit of a rarity with only about 5 million in the whole world.

Use your salon software to check now for client birthdays on the 29th. Invite them in for a complimentary birthday treat. On the day, take some photos and ask them for a quote, and then post on your salon website and social channels.

 

#7. Leap at a partnership

Team up with a couple of local businesses who target a similar audience to your beauty or hair business, but who are not in competition with you, for some Leap Day fun and marketing. It’s a super easy way to find new hair and beauty clients.

Offer a discount or value added offer if their clients book at your salon on Leap Day and vice versa. Or run a contest on social with a combined juicy prize from both businesses.

Looking to attract new clients to your salon or clinic? This blog looks at my top ways to find new business fast.

 

Leap ahead

As Leap Year isn’t an annual event it tends to get overlooked by many spas and salons. So this year leap ahead (that’s my last pun I promise…) of the local competition, have some fun on the 29th February and get your till ringing for an extra day of trading.

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