So, you’ve found the perfect location for your salon suite and have set it up to perfection—now it’s time to get down to business and start finding new clients while continuing to foster the relationships with the ones you already have — especially now that you have your own shiny new space! While this is undoubtedly an exciting time in your career, we’re sharing some top salon owner tips to help you grow the beauty business of your dreams with success. Finding your ideal client involves understanding your salon's unique strengths, identifying your target audience, and effectively communicating your offerings to attract those clients. Here’s how to grow your business so you can ensure that you’re always having clients filing into your salon suite!
Connect With Your Community
Remember, you're not just a beauty professional; you're a part of a community. The best way to find your ideal clients is to get out there and connect with your community! This sense of belonging and support can be invaluable in growing your business.
• Connect with local community groups.
• Hand out flyers or coupons for your service at local events.
• Set up a booth at a community festival or farmer’s market.
• Donate a gift certificate to a silent auction or gift basket if the opportunity presents itself.
• Partner with other like-minded businesses within your fellow Salon Lofts community.
• Volunteer
Get to Know the Clientele in your Salon Loft Neighborhood
Whether you’re wondering how to build a clientele as a hairstylist, colorist, barber, masseuse, esthetician, or a tattoo artist, you will still follow the same steps to identify your ideal client and grow your business.
To help you identify your target market, grasp the demographics near your salon suite. Location, house price, and age can help you understand your potential clientele better. For example, you’ll service young working professionals in a trendy urban area differently than middle-aged folks in a quaint, family-friendly town. There are several online databases where you can easily find the demographics of your community. While you may already have a steady client base, it never hurts to see if there are changes in your neighborhood that could open doors to new customers.
Look Into Your Local Competition
Researching local beauty professionals can provide valuable insights into finding the ideal salon client in several ways:
Identifying Target Market Gaps: By studying your competitors, you can identify gaps or underserved segments in the market. For example, if other salons primarily cater to a certain demographic (let’s say, older adults) or offer specific services (such as hair coloring but not specialized treatments), you can tailor your services to attract clients looking for something different!
Understanding Client Preferences: Analyzing competitors can help you know what services, pricing structures, and customer experiences are popular among clients in your area. This insight allows you to adjust your offerings better to meet the preferences and expectations of your target clientele.
Differentiation: Understanding your competitors enables you to differentiate your salon suite from others in the area. You can highlight unique features, specialized services, or a distinct brand identity that appeals to a specific clientele who may not be fully satisfied with existing options.
Take Advantage of Salon Lofts Marketing Training
To help you grow your business, we offer several ongoing individual or group training sessions to help you achieve your goals, including marketing. We’ll help you decide on a few marketing ideas you are comfortable with to help you create an in-depth plan you can implement immediately, empowering you to grow your business ASAP. It’s marketing made easy!
Embrace the Power of Social Media
Social media is the number one marketing tool for salon suite business growth. It changes everything about the client experience, from how they discover you to how they interact with you. Our research has found that 83% of Instagrammers say they discover new services on Instagram! Facebook and Instagram are your tools for building your brand, getting discovered by new clients, and letting them know what you offer. When crafting copy for your social media and marketing materials, thinking about how you’d converse with your client will help you write persuasive yet genuine copy. You also want to make sure you’re staying true to your brand.
Periodically Send Out an Email Survey
Once you start gaining a clientele, periodically send out a short and sweet email survey asking for input about your services, salon environment, how they found you, and anything else to help you target their needs. Client feedback is invaluable in improving your services and growing your business.It shows that you value their opinions and are committed to providing the best possible experience. Plus, it can help you identify areas for improvement or new services your clients might be interested in.
Encourage Referrals
Referrals are more than just new clients; they're a testament to your excellent service. They bring in clients who already have confidence in your abilities because their friend, family member, neighbor, or colleague sang your praises. One of the easiest ways to encourage referrals is by partnering with other Salon Lofts pros to help cross-promote your services! For example, if you’re an esthetician, buddy up with a stylist who can give you a complimentary or discounted blow-dry style after a facial treatment – and vice versa. This is one of the major advantages of being a part of the Salon Lofts team!
Additional tips:
• Establish a client referral program that truly incentivizes your clients. What would motivate them most? A discounted service? A complimentary addition like a deep conditioning treatment? Free product? Or, perhaps it’s a combination of incentives that rotate regularly.
• Once the program is in motion, spread the word through word of mouth, social media, and advertising within your salon.
• Keep your referrals and partners organized by leveraging technology. Consider investing in software with a rewards program inclusion.
• Don’t forget to encourage satisfied clients to write online reviews to help spread the word and serve as virtual testimonials.
Need more assistance? Lean on us! The best part about joining Salon Lofts is that we provide you with a full support team to help you grow your business. You can look forward to ongoing training by seasoned business and social media coaches who can help you determine the best strategies to retain and find new clients. We give you all the tools you need, including an easy-to-manage online booking system, personal web page, client management suite, and marketing tools. You’ve already got the talent, so don’t be afraid to use us as your backup!
