This is an update of my column that appeared in the November 2012 issue of IST Magazine. Salon operators still ask me about these easy and clever ideas that can spice up your holiday season sales.
Got a dry-erase board and a Facebook page? That’s all you need to offer “25 Days of Savings.” Every day leading up to Christmas, write a different special offer on your dry-erase board and post it on your Facebook page. Keep all the upcoming specials a secret, so customers have to come into your salon or check Facebook to see what each day’s offer is. This is a great way to have fun and keep your salon guests focused on tanning during the distracting holiday season!
Try offering discounted spray-tans, free disposable eyewear with any package purchase, teeth-whitening specials, free lotion packettes with every upgrade session or “Buy 5 Tans/Get 1 Free.” Don’t have 25 days left until Christmas? Offer “12 Days of Savings” instead. And read on for other ways to entice your salon guests.
Stimulate holiday lotion sales with a “Red Tag Lotion Special.” On each lotion bottle is a sticker that offers discounted tanning sessions, free goggles, sunless sessions, moisturizers and the like – NOT a discount on the bottle of lotion! Customers then want to buy the lotion to get the great deal; perhaps they will give someone the “special” item as a holiday gift. When the lotion is sold out, the Red Tag sale is over. This creates an immediate need for your salon guests to buy and allows them to enjoy some savings!
Also, don’t miss taking advantage of offering special deals during the after-Christmas rush. Offer a “New Year’s Eve Cocktail” during the week AFTER Christmas. When the 25 Days of Savings have ended, switch into this promotional plan that gets tanners bronzed and ready for their strapless party dresses. The NYE Cocktail consists of a couple of high-pressure UV sessions combined with high-end lotions for tanners who didn’t keep up their color over the holidays, but want to look great when they dress up for parties. Also offer a couple of spray-tan sessions with sunless body polish and moisturizing products as another way to get their skin ready for classy New Year’s Eve events. Your tanners will just love these promos!
How can you dream up your own fun specials? Get your team together and ask them to think about what holiday deals they would want to be offered if they walked into a salon to buy a tanning package. You want all your special promos to be truly unique, valuable and brighten your guests’ holidays. These are not your “blow out discontinued items” sales. They are created to give your salon guests a gift as they are giving their friends and family gifts, as well as capture those holiday dollars they would end up spending elsewhere.
Happy Holidays from Team Eye Pro!
