7 Marketing activities every salon must do.

How strong is your marketing game?

FOMO is real.

The fear of missing out is real in today's time.

And especially for a business - salon business.

The fear of customers not noticing us, not talking about us, not coming back to us. This is a complete nightmare for salon owners.

To get this checked, it is essential that, as a salon owner, you up your marketing tactics. We mean everything when we say marketing, including promotional activities, advertisements, sales, campaigns, etc.

A marketing plan & team is important as it helps build your salon. The brand name creates awareness, gets in customers, helps generate revenue, and gives a competitive advantage.

It ranges from free activities like word of mouth to paid services like building a website.

Therefore, continue reading to get deep into plans & ideas about salon marketing.

And if you are a salon owner, this checklist will help you build a great marketing plan for your salon.

Do you have a website?

About 70% of people research & hunt online before actually visiting the place, So make sure when people search for a salon, you are present there. This means you need to own a website. A website gives access to your salon & its vibes without the customer being there. Therefore, it can make or break someone's decision to visit your salon. Make sure they have a smooth experience online.

HOW?

Hire a team who will build & maintain your website. The website is crucial as it holds all details of your salon. You can put up your contact details, timings, & address. The services, the rates, the specialties, offers, etc. The list goes on. It's your website & you are free to play around with it. You can also write blogs & posts to entertain & educate your visitor, showcase your work, and talk about your team. All this gives out more information about the salon & makes you transparent, which increases the trust value of the customers.

Are you active on social media?

In today's time, who is not using social media? Not only does it help keep you in your customer's mind, but it also builds your brand's recall value. The likes, shares, and comments will help you actively engage with your audience. It's also a great platform to run your promotional activities & advertisements. It will help you put up your work to so many people. There is no way any salon owner can afford to miss out on this. There is just no end or limit to ways you can use it.

HOW?

Have your Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest account. Regularly upload posts, stories, and polls to be seen. Show people the real, fantastic work that you do. The salon's ambiance, the stylists, hairdressers, the product you sell, what makes your salon, etc. Engage with your audience by asking & interacting with them. You can not just showcase your work but also show testimonials of your happy client too.

Do people know you in your neighborhood?

Salon & beauty services are those people prefer to visit in their locality or nearby. Therefore, as a salon owner, you should ensure that your brand is seen & talked about by people surrounding your salon. (At least in the radius of 4km approx.) Make your presence & existence felt.

HOW?

The best that works is the presence of your salon. Which means your salon board, the outside of it. Your salon area should be well visible so that people know there is a salon there. The appearance matters a lot as it will get people talking & get them to visit you. Work on your name sign, boards, the pavement, the entrance door, etc. Another obvious great work is word of mouth by people living nearby too.

Are your customers reviewing you online?

Managing your reviews, as already discussed, is quite critical to bringing in customers or otherwise. People read reviews. Having reviews show that people care about your salon & are willing to take out time to give a shout-out for your service. Remember, this engagement with your brand can be both positive & negative. Make sure you respond to both.

HOW?

For the negative ones, make sure to get into the details, apologize & do what you can to make it right or avoid repeating. For the good ones, be thankful; it helps you understand your strengths & highlights them to the people out there. Be quick, modest & friendly for both.

Do you incentivize your loyal customers?

Who doesn't love the rewards that come with loyalty? Loyal customers are supposed to be delighted. As a salon owner, you can come up with programs. This brings repetitive customers (loyalty programs) and encourages them to spread positive words about your salon & service & bring their friends along (like referrals). Also, it may get them to write positive reviews on online portals like Google, share your posts on social media, etc. The rewards for your salon are many here.

HOW?

Run programs like referrals, loyalty programs, the redemption of points for service, and 11th service free on the compilation of 10 services. The list is endless. You can play around as per your salon needs.

Are you in touch with your customers?

Everyone likes to be remembered, not only at times of business or work but without a specific plan or agenda too (here, think sales). So make sure you connect with your customers regularly. Not just when you want business from them but genuinely to know if they are okay.

HOW?

A few ways you can stay in touch with your customer is by sending them birthday wishes and wishing them on festivals & special occasions. Also, just random messages or emails on fashion tips & tricks work too.

Are people talking about you?

Do you know people trust & believe recommendations & suggestions that come from someone they know. This makes word of mouth the most important, free, direct & reliable way of advertisement.

HOW?

Firstly, only your work will speak for you. So make sure you are the best at it. Secondly, maintaining a good customer relationship. When you score an A + in both these departments, your customers will be happy to revisit you and speak well about your salon. They will positively talk about your work to their friends, relatives, and co-workers. And imagine they visit you & they, in turn, spread positive word of mouth in their circle again. That's the power of word of mouth, and you definitely don't want to miss out on this.

Now, it's time to up your salon advertisement plan.

Start by asking yourself this simple question. Are you on top of your ad game?

I get it; you are not a ninja to be present everywhere. And being active can be overwhelming too. Therefore, for salon owners to start, the best bet would be to test the waters. That means trying out different marketing platforms & options, starting one by one. You don't need to be everywhere right in the beginning. One can start with 1 - 3 activities, juggle amongst them, see what aligns with your goal, and modify as you move ahead as per the results & situation.

Remember, there are a lot of factors that depend on finding your perfect mix. Your salon needs, size, budget, team, resources, expertise, goal, etc.

It's just like finding the right hair color for your hair. Keep playing with the tones. The slightest tone change can make a big difference.

You won't get it sorted in one go. But that's the beauty. It will take time but will grow & so will your salon business.

But remember, CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY.