How to deliver value and affordability to your customers in tough economic times without cheapening your brand
As most of you will know, we find ourselves in a challenging economy at the moment and a very value driven market, with many people having to cut back on luxury items and nice to haves as they prioritise school fees, day to day living and all the core necessities. In the salon and spa industry, we are finding that many people are now seeing their hairdresser every 9 weeks instead of 5 or 6 and so many are seeking out the next deal for their nails, waxing or blow drys rather than staying loyal to any one business.
Understanding what your customers and potential customers want is crucial for any businesses successful marketing activity and this is never truer than in the case of the value driven consumer that we’re seeing a prevalence of right now. Ultimately, you don’t need to Groupon yourself (there is a time and a place for that too!) or cheapen your brand to offer value and incentives, you just need to do it in the right way.
So, what offers or incentives can you run that customers really want and that will result in bookings and driving enquiries and new clients into your spa or salon? Here’s our top 5 suggestions based on our experience working with many salons and spas in the region.
- Think value and not just discounting
Discounting and ultimately lowering prices rarely does anything to create long-term business as the hard core value hunters will just be moving on to wherever has the next “great deal”. The important thing that applies to all really in our view and experience is to create the perception of value as opposed to just discounts.
Small extras are usually seen as a luxury. How many of us have a deep conditioning hair treatment when we get our hair coloured, enjoy a hand mask with our manicure or have a 15 minute massage with our pedicure – very few! If you add in a value add service that they may not typically pay for, it is always appreciated and chances are they’ll enjoy it and maybe add it on in the future too. I know, I’m now a sucker for the 15 minute mud mask treatment at my hairdresser! Adding value to your client’s treatment is a great ideas as more often than not they’ll start paying for it time and time again.
- 3 for 2
If you look at the tactics that many of the large retailers do, the 3 for 2 offer remains one of the most popular and for good reason as it works! I mean, who can resist buying when we feel we are getting one free.
If you think about the salon visiting habits of most women, the majority will still come to a salon for their basic essentials – a mani, pedi, waxing and brow tidy, so if they think they’re getting one free of something they’d be spending anyway, how can they resist? Just ensure your offer is clear that it’s the cheapest of the 3 services that is free and you should still make a profit, while your client feels they have been treated. This offer can be pushed for a limited period of even on one day of the week – 3 for 2 Tuesdays for example.
- Hello Special day!
Talking of day specific offers, we all have a quiet day, so find the one day of the week that attracts less business and why not make a day of it and create some buzz and excitement across your marketing channels to make it busier. #HappyTuesday #SundaySavers #MondayManicures (free mani with every other service bought). This way, you’re limiting it to one day only, it’s a time you would have only had limited sales on anyway and it’s a good talking point for your marketing channels too. Examples that we’ve seen work well include 30-50% off a specific treatment on a certain day, the first 5 to book on a certain day get a free blow dry with another service or free brow shape and tint for one day a week only - most end up getting a mani or a pedi while they were there!
- Bring a friend
Let’s face it, pamper time is always better with a friend! There’s lots of ways you can use the “bring a friend” of “refer a friend” mechanism to good effect including bring a friend and she receives the same treatments as you free of charge (which of course you split and you both win!), refer a friend and get 20% off your bill. Ultimately, you get someone new in your door to experience your salon, you expand your customer database and hopefully the friend will love the experience and come back.
- Free is not always bad!
I know if I start saying offer something for free you’ll probably all shudder! There is a time when free can work, you just need to make sure it’s done in the right way and on the right treatment. Of course this will never work on a treatment that involves a lot of high cost product (facials, hair colouring etc), but if you have staff sitting there on certain days doing very little, it’s best to keep them busy and get people through the doors and talking about your salon.
We did this for one client and offered a day of free eye brow shapes and tints. Our day was fully booked with 30 ladies in 24 hours of announcing. Of these 90% showed up on the day 30% subsequently returned as paying customers and 50% bought an additional service on the day, so they made money.
Free can get people in the door and they think favourably of you as you gave them something free and you’re definitely on their consideration list for the future.
At the end of the day they’ll always be the bargain chasers who show little to no loyalty and will always have their eye out on the next great deal, but they can usefully fill gaps in quieter times to bring in much needed revenue and even if 20% come back as return clients (which is typically what we find with our clients) then that’s not a bad rate of return.What offers and incentives did you try before for your business? Do drop a line and tell us as we’d love to share them with our community too.
Written by, Natasha Hatherall-Shawe
Founder and CEO of TishTash Marketing and Public Relations@TishTashTalks
Tash has over 20 years experience working in marketing and communications across the globe for lifestyle and beauty brands. Her agency TishTash specializes in marketing and PR for beauty, health and wellness brands and they represent over 60 beauty brands in the region and many spas and salons.
