“Go touch grass.”
“You need to get out more.”
Sound familiar? If you’ve heard people saying these things, you’re not alone. People are sick and tired of being all dressed up with no place to go. It’s a commonly-discussed issue: the loneliness epidemic is wreaking havoc on our collective psyche.
It’s true that people aren’t just craving companionship. They’re craving the ability to say they’re going to events and networking with likeminded people. In the past, events were used to boost visibility and visits to venues like bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.
Events are a growing phenomenon in business in salons, medspas, and standard spas.
As a nightlife aficionado, there are a few things that I know well. One is music. Another is event production. And yet one more is knowing how much effort it takes to look good before a show. It’s a lot of work—and that means I’m a devout fan of salons.
Needless to say, I was surprised when I found flyers for events being held at a salon near me last year. The event was a simple one: drinks, smooth jazz, and specials on Botox. And yet, it heralded a new era of event-throwing that would soon become the norm in my part of New Jersey.
Salons are realizing that events are a fast track to build community.
Salon events are a fairly simple thing to see: they involve light entertainment, small bites, and specials that are normally far more expensive than they are at the event. Guests reserve a spot, go to the event, network with others who love self-care as much as they do, and buy services.
It works because people love the idea of mingling with others at a party. Business owners get to network with other business owners when they throw those parties, too. For example, the party near me had a Botox specialist and wine distributor visit a regular nail/waxing salon.
The Botox was offered at a discount. The wine distributor was able to sell bottles. The nail salon, which hosted the event, was able to get new diehard fans who quickly signed up for more events later on. And yes—the event was a smash hit.
If you want to throw an event, here’s how to do it…
Event throwing doesn’t have to be a big production like a typical club night out. In order to get a salon event started, you just need some (or all) of the following things:
- Music. You can play “iPod DJ” with a Spotify playlist if you want to, but I prefer live music. (Then again, I’m a DJ so I may be biased here.)
- Snacks. Usually, fruit plates and fruity seltzer tend to work best. Fried food and salons don’t mix for a variety of reasons, so keep it light.
- Special Discounts. Now is the time to tout special discounts that don’t normally happen. For example, a good way to get people interested in your services is to offer a “buy one, get one free” for a guest and their friend. Or, offer a deep discount on a favorite service during event hours.
- Special Services. For example, if you do tanning and wellness services, now would be the perfect time to trot out free tanning lotions or a brand new water massage bed.
- Promotion. Send out a mailer to current patrons or locals in your area. Or, alert them via text or a sign. You need to tell them it’s happening before it happens.
Remember: every event is its own microcosm.Every pool of clients will also change from place to place. It can take multiple attempts before you can get an event that works with your client base.
Once you find that “secret sauce” for your salon, keep it going! Make it a regular monthly occurrence. You never know who will become a long-term client after participating in one of your event nights. That’s the magic of a great event.
