What sets one salon apart from another is more than just the quality of their stylists and services. It is how well they connect with their customers.

Sadly, many hairdressers and salon owners take their customers for granted and do not develop strong personal relationships with them. That kind of attitude can be devastating to a business. Consumers know there are plenty of other salon sand price ranges to choose from in their community . If they don’t feel a sense of loyalty for their patronage , there will be nothing to stop them from taking their business elsewhere.

A strong client retention program
is essential to your bottom line

Your salon works hard to attract new customers. But it’s even harder to turn those new customers into a solid and dependable customer base with a constant flow of referrals. When you learn to connect with your clients in personal and meaningful ways, you will cultivate the kind of customers who will remain loyal to your salon, not just to a particular hairdresser. A loyal client who refers friends, relatives, and business associates is pure business gold. Positive word-of-mouth advertising generated by a satisfied customer will always be your cheapest and most effective form of advertising.

Connecting with your customers
is as simple as sending out a quarterly or monthly newsletter

You need to stay in touch with your valued customers periodically, and make it a top priority. Think of it this way: the more you keep your salon’s name in front of clients, the more they will know about you. In the corporate world it is called branding. The more they know about you, the more they will see you as a business that cares about them. And the more they see you as a salon that cares about them, the more loyal they will be.

One of the most effective and inexpensive methods of reaching out to your current and future customers can be accomplished by writing an informative email newsletter. Writing a monthly or quarterly newsletter can be used to:

  • make special announcements,
  • introduce new staff members,
  • send personal messages of thanks to your customers,
  • keep in touch on a personal level with current customers,
  • offer salon incentives or coupons,
  • broadcast press releases,
  • publicize early bird specials,
  • lure back lost customers,
  • provide fashion and design tips,
  • sell retail products,
  • measure customer retention,
  • ask for customer feedback, and build name recognition, and
  • improve your market position in the community.

An email newsletter will also help you
break away from your competition

Regular, ongoing communication and bonding with your customers is a powerful marketing strategy little known and rarely used by your competitors, and one that will help your salon stand out in the crowd. For example, let’s say you lose one of your hairdressers to a competing salon. Your email newsletter would allow you to keep in touch with any of your clients who follow their stylist to the new salon,  it allows you stay in touch with  incentives to return to your salon, and show them that you value their friendship and patronage. I urge you to visit www.constant contact for excellent tutorials on email marketing guidelines.  This is the kind of personal connection your clients will appreciate, and it will differentiate you from the other salons that may not communicate with their clients at all.

Build the reputation of your salon, not the reputation of your hairdresser. In the business world it’s called branding your salon’s image.

Most likely, you’ll find that the majority of your clients have email accounts, make sure when a new customer fills out an information card, make sure they enter their email address. But for those who don’t, simply send them excerpts of your newsletters via direct mail postcards, or offer a printed version in your salon salon newsletter. or just a letter saying we miss you. A personal phone call from you the owner will also be helpful. And if you need help writing articles or designing your newsletter, there are many cost-effective resources available that will help you in this area. In fact, try your local college. They probably will be able to recommend a student who is proficient in this area and willing to help for little or no cost. Fiverr.com is also an excellent resource to find cost effective  ways to promote your business.

Please refer to my book, Growing Your Business, for other helpful and cost-effective ideas. Then I urge you to take the time to explore and develop an effective communication strategy of your own. The growth and  success of your salon is riding on it. Please visit my face book business fan page and weekly blog for informative information and business tips and tell your friends.