It’s an odd time of the year for attracting clients, autumn. The flurry of activity at the beginning of the summer, holiday tan top ups and pre-trip beauty appointments have all been shelved while clients save pennies up for Christmas or worry about getting the kids back to school. Many beauty salons have reported September and October as being slow times of the year…and the big question seems to be – just HOW do you get the customers flocking through the doors when you’re quiet?
Seasonal offers and treatments for attracting clients
There aren’t many obvious occasions for salons and spas to latch onto at this time of the year. Spring is perfect for makeovers and the possibilities for summer holidays and Christmas parties are obvious, but unless you want to start offering Halloween makeovers, what can you do that links in to late autumn and early winter?
OK, this is where you need to think a bit sideways. You didn’t think I was going to say ‘outside the box’ did you? No? Good.
Have you thought about offering limited edition mini-treatments? Think up an offer that’s super-affordable, and economical for you at the same time, and market the hell out of it. Once you’ve got the clients through the doors you can offer them extras, add-ons and products, but getting them through the door might take a little teaser offer. Play with the mini treatments and package them together as ‘experiences’. Convince your customers that they are getting something a little bit exclusive by offering it just for the month of October. Quickly design yourself a graphic in software like Canva, and get that offer out all over your social media.
The one you see above has taken me ten minutes and cost me $1. You can use a Canva image all over your social media and blog, you can even use a high quality version on flyers and posters. Its. So. Easy.
It’s up to you how much you charge for your deals and how long they run for, but the general advice is DON’T discount just to get people in, as that just gets the one-off trade. Offering extra value or something a bit different/special is a much better option, and offering three mini treatments sounds like a bargain but a treat at the same time.
The sweet smell of autumn
Another idea is to really get into what autumn means to people. What scents and smells evoke autumn for you? Spices, warming cocoa, blackberries, plums, leaves and bonfires?
Nobody wants to come out of a salon smelling like a bonfire, but tap into that autumnal feel. Look at your product ranges and see what you can package up into an autumn treatment. The awesome Cognito hand made bath and body range is ideal for this, with aromatic products that smell deliciously of warming cocoa and cupcakes baking, could you get any more seasonal? Tempt clients in with the promise of a soothing massage or facial with products that remind them of the smell of their mum’s kitchen in winter. They will be queuing up for a session once they’ve picked up that aroma.
Longer term client catches
If you want to work on attracting clients in who will see their beauty treatments as a non-negotiable necessity, and keep coming back for more, you might have to be a bit crafty. Think of the timing in advance, knowing when you tend to slow down. If you normally notice a slowdown in September through to November, August is the time to get marketing your early bird offers for packages that promise fabulous results … over six sessions. Think about it; if your salon is busy in August, that’s when you’ll get the attention of people who’ve popped in for a tan or beach body treatment, isn’t it?
Offer them something for autumn that they can’t resist. Try a ‘book now and get a maintenance facial free’ or ‘book six weight loss treatments by 15th September and get a pedicure/hand massage with each’…add value, don’t automatically discount. Get the slow periods booked up in advance with clever enticements to book early and you won’t have to panic about empty appointment books.