Is foot traffic down in your salon? Are you ready for busy season to just get here already? If so, that’s totally normal for this time of year!
Rather than view this “slow time” as a negative, I recommend using it to your advantage and planning for the upcoming winter months. With the holidays upon us, it’s the perfect time to set your salon up for success. This is the time of year when your guests will be choosing holiday gifts for friends and loved ones, so why not offer extras in your salon? In my travels across the nation, I’ve seen many different specials, promotions, gift ideas and product offers boost salon sales for this “pre-season season.” Set yourself apart from the competition and get in the holiday spirit!
For most people, this is an especially busy time of year. Make your guests’ holiday shopping easier by offering gift sets for purchase. I’ve seen many salons bring in products they usually do not shelf and bundle them in an eye-catching gift set with added value. One example I’ve found very popular is to combine a popular tanning lotion, a tan extender, eyewear and facial product. When they purchase the gift set, they also get a free month of tanning in base level beds. This package is great to complement gift card purchases, because it gives the recipient a complete tanning package that meets all of their needs. The selling point for your guests would be: “This package will allow your special someone to start off tanning in a successful way, with products that promote a beautiful tan and protect their skin.” You may also consider bringing in gift sets for those who don’t tan at all – what I’ve seen work is to market these sets as “stocking stuffers.” You can offer things such as lip balm, body butters, salt scrubs and moisturizers – all of these are perfect for anyone, especially in these upcoming cold winter months.
Guests love to save money when they can! Many salons will offer incentives to buy this time of year. Some examples I have seen work are: Buy a tanning lotion and get a tan extender for $5, all EFT members get upgraded to the next level for free with a lotion purchase, and zero enrollment fee for the month of December. Another fun idea to draw new business into the salon is “Bring a Friend on Sundays” – on each Sunday in the month, an EFT member may bring the same friend to tan in your base beds for free. Not only does this reward your existing members, but it allows the new guest to try your beds and hopefully inspire them to also sign up for an EFT. Gift cards are a huge hit this time of year, as well. Many salons offer a free $10 gift card when purchasing a $75 gift card for a friend. You know what they say, “You’ve gotta give a little to get a little!”
If you’re really in the holiday spirit, charitable donations can be hugely successful. My personal favorite charity is Toys for Tots. Your staff can give a raffle ticket to every guest who donates a toy and then at the end of the month, the raffle winner gets a customized gift basket full of tanning goodies such as tanning lotion, tan extenders, teeth-whitener, eye protection and lip balm. This is a great way to get your salon and your guests involved in the community, and many times, local radio stations will advertise your kind deeds on their morning shows, earning you a free marketing opportunity for your business.
Statistics show that the average American spends $811 dollars on holiday shopping and 87% of shoppers will not “bite” unless there is incentive to buy. The bottom line is that people are spending money in the coming weeks anyway, so why not draw some of that revenue into your store? I highly recommend taking some time right now to focus on promotions that will dramatically boost your sales for these next few months. Salon guests are always looking for something new and exciting, therefore, now is the time to really “Wow” them with your unique ideas!
I wish you all a successful and prosperous season. Happy Holidays!
