By now, we should all be feeling that Busy Season rush – and man, does it feel good! The better weather, spring break and vacations right around the corner are cues for tanners to hit the salon for some spring color.
What are you doing to set your business apart from the competition and make it extraordinary?
Now that your customers are coming out of hibernation, let’s keep them coming back to your salon – not your competitor’s. Yes, you might have new equipment, different lotions or better pricing, but going the extra mile to ensure ultimate customer satisfaction will win their loyalty. Here are a few easy (and cheap!) ways to show your guests just how important and essential they are to your business.
Acknowledge Birthdays:
Make sure you have a birth date on file for each tanner in your database. It should be part of the morning routine for the staff opening the salon to call each member having a birthday, active or inactive, and invite them in for a free birthday tan. If they already have a membership, offer them a free upgrade. The fact that you went the extra time to call your customers will make them feel special – and who wouldn’t want to be tan for their birthday!
Candy:
We all love candy! I love it when I go into a salon and find that the staff has placed a piece of candy on each towel on every clean tanning bed. What better way to relax while you tan than to also have a little piece of candy? These simple, little things that show your guests that you care. It’s the same concept with nice restaurants; they always bring you a couple pieces of candy with the bill. Why not give your salon the same upgraded feel?
Beauty Bar:
Most upscale salons already have toiletry products readily available for their clientele. Turn your salon into a memorable, spa-like atmosphere with just a few items. Create a Beauty Bar! The best location is the hallway of the salon, that way it can be monitored and the items are less likely to end up in a guest’s handbag. A perfect Beauty Bar would have all the essentials your guests would need to leave your salon feeling fresh and fabulous. Most popular items include baby wipes, spray deodorant, body spritz, hand sanitizer, Q-Tips, cotton balls, and eye make-up remover. This is very easy to create: just place a mirror on an empty wall in your hallway, hang a shelf below it and bingo! You have a Beauty Bar! This adds a very high-end appeal when you give a salon tour and show a potential member the overall salon experience you offer.
The Buddy System:
We know referrals are key to the success of any business, as word of mouth is our best form of advertising. Make your referral program attractive enough that your current members want to participate. What I’ve seen to be very successful in EFT-based businesses is the “Buddy Pass” concept – members who have your highest-level EFT package can bring a friend with them anytime to tan at no charge. The catch: the friend only tans in base-level beds and can only come in with a member. I’ve seen this increase EFT retention; tanners don’t want to cancel their memberships, because they are now tanning with a friend or family member and you can usually can turn those “buddies” into EFT members. If not, you still can sell them eyewear, upgrades or lotion each time they visit. It’s a win-win.
Making small changes to your operation can have lasting effects on your guests! While you have them coming through your door during peak season, make sure to take advantage of every opportunity to keep them coming back. Every tanning facility in your town has tanning beds and lotions … what are you doing to set your business apart from the competition and make it extraordinary?
