A couple years ago we shared some of our top tips on how to beat the quite time in the salon, and it was so well received we thought we’d give the post a revamp and share our advice because we know how disheartening it can be! Firstly if you’re phone has been ringing a little less, don’t panic! It’s not unusual at this time of year to have a quiet period, clients often decide to spread their usual appointment gaps to not only save some pennies but also so their Christmas appointment will fall in the perfect festive sync!
We know how stressful the feeling of blank columns and a silent phone can be, however at Omni (ever the optimist’s) we know there are ways to make the most of those tumbleweed moments.
Have an Autumn Spruce Up
Your Salon is the face of your business, it’s the first thing clients will see when they arrive and it can be the difference between why they choose to come to you instead of your competitor down the road.
This being said, it’s super important to make sure your salon is looking tip top at all times! Use your quiet time to give the salon a deep clean…Get in all of those nooks and crannies that may have been skipped during the Summer madness. Clean all those skirting boards, behind the radiators, give your tanning room a much needed wipe down, polish the mirrors…you get the idea!
Why not even have a move around – never been convinced about the position of that display stand? This is your chance to move it and freshen things up, even add a lick of paint where necessary.
Plan your Christmas Offers
Make the most of this quiet time to really plan some amazing Christmas offers! Do some research on what has and hasn’t worked in previous years and also look at the current beauty trends. At Omni we love a Christmas countdown and have in previous years very successfully promoted a beauty advent calendar with a new great offer every day, for one day only. This creates a real festive buzz and also having an offer deadline is proven to be the most successful. Once you have all your offers in place, you’ll have the benefit of time to carefully plan how you are going to market them, get some leaflets printed and really get the word out there.
Make the most of this quiet time to really plan some amazing Christmas offers! Do some research on what has and hasn’t worked in previous years and also look at the current beauty trends. At Omni we love a Christmas countdown and have in previous years very successfully promoted a beauty advent calendar with a new great offer every day, for one day only. This creates a real festive buzz and also having an offer deadline is proven to be the most successful. Once you have all your offers in place, you’ll have the benefit of time to carefully plan how you are going to market them, get some leaflets printed and really get the word out there.
Create a show stopping window display
It’s no secret that Autumn has to be one of the most beautiful times of the year. SO many gorgeous colours creates the perfect canvas for an eye-catching window display. A great window has the obvious benefit of enticing people to come in but also gets you practice for that all important festive Christmas window!!
It’s no secret that Autumn has to be one of the most beautiful times of the year. SO many gorgeous colours creates the perfect canvas for an eye-catching window display. A great window has the obvious benefit of enticing people to come in but also gets you practice for that all important festive Christmas window!!
If you need some autumnal window inspiration this is Omni The Salons take on autumn from last year, both ourselves and our clients loved it!
Jump on the Black Friday bandwagon
Thanksgiving remains an American holiday, but in recent years they have shared the post thanksgiving ‘Black Friday’ sales with the rest of the world and seemingly, it’s getting bigger and bigger every year! This is an amazing opportunity to run some sales and promotions and get some more clients through the door. Many people now wait for this huge sale to do most of their Christmas shopping, so if you have some products gathering dust on your shelves, why not create a promotion around these… Heads up, this year Black Friday falls on Friday 23rd of November, you can thank us later!
Clean up your database
We spend a fortune on fancy salon databases that do everything under the sun (except making the tea!!) why not use them to their full potential.
Use the report features to determine who hasn’t visited the salon recently and who has fallen out of their usual treatment routine. Look at the treatments that these clients have previously enjoyed and offer incentives and promotions on these to get them back in. You can also use the data to recommend something new to your regular clients that compliment their existing treatments. Make sure you are always considering the new GDPR data regulations when using client mailing lists, always make sure you have had their permission!
Research
It’s easy to get carried away in the daily grind and often we can become stagnant if not on top of our ever evolving industry. Spend time to research what’s going on, what’s new and what your competitors offering.
* Key points to research *
What’s new in the industry?
What’s new in the industry?
Latest Beauty trends
Research your competition and what they are offering
Research your competition and what they are offering
What will set you apart from your competition?
When is the next trade show?
When is the next trade show?
Development
Still wishing your French manicure smile lines were neater? Want to learn about the latest facial cleanser in your skincare range? Is there a treatment you’ve wanted to introduce for an age but never had the time?
T H I S I S Y O U R C H A N C E
Spend some time with your team to troubleshoot any skills in need of practice, attend further training in the latest ‘must have’ beauty trends or attend business building workshops and seminars.
Social Media
Use the power of social media to your advantage. Run incentives on your pages to promote your treatments and share anything new to the salon.
Be sure to document your autumn spruce up with pictures as people love to see change, if they see it on Facebook they’ll want to check it out in person!
If a client is leaving with a lovely fresh manicure, make sure you take a photo to show off your skills!
We hope this has given you a bounce in your step and given you a much needed boost and ideas to beat the lull!
Now go and grab your mop and bucket and sweep that tumbleweed away!
Omni x