There’s no doubt that lockdown has caused problems many businesses around the UK, not least in the beauty salon sector where close contact is such a vital factor. Even when we do get back to opening again, it is not necessarily going to be business as usual for many.
So how do you open effectively, keep business coming in and still stay on the right side of the regulations?
- Keep Your Loyal Customers on Board
Most beauty salons have regular customers and, while these may have lost touch during the lockdown, it’s important to keep them on board. You can do this in a variety of ways, particularly using social media and email marketing. Offering discounts and incentives can make sure these customers continue to connect and don’t forget about you, returning once your doors open again.
- Demonstrate that Your Salon is Safe
One of the big concerns all customers across all sectors have is how safe it is to engage with a business.
As a beauty salon, you need to demonstrate visible signs that you are doing everything you can to make your property secure. That includes wearing masks, sanitizing effectively and maintaining social distance. The key, however, is how you communicate this to your customers.
- Use Social Media
For most beauty salons, social media such as Facebook and Instagram are indispensable. It’s usually the place where local customers find out about your business and then stay in touch with it.
Ensure that you are posting regularly, demonstrating how you are setting up to reopen and what types of services you are going to be offering.
- Introduce a Referral Scheme
While existing customers may be easier to retain for your beauty salon, you want to be able to attract new ones. Creating a referral scheme where loyal customers can access deals and savings if they recommend someone to book an appointment is one way to potentially increase footfall.
- Try Video Consultations
We’ve all become used to bringing more technology into our lives to help cope with Covid. One way to add value to your salon business is to employ video consultations. Some people may not be confident of visiting you in person but will be happy to talk to you on live video for some expert advice.
You can do this as individuals or hold group consultations during the day to help promote your business. If you have a new product or service, let your customers see it before they book an appointment.
- Take into Account Your Covid Costs
There’s no doubt either that introducing more safety measures and reducing the number of people who can book appointments at any one time is going to affect your bottom line. Unfortunately, you need to find a way of adding this cost to your services so that you cover your basic operational expenses.
For most businesses, returning to normal is still some way off and probably won’t be achieved until a vaccine is readily available across the UK.
Until then, it’s all about making the most of the tools at your disposal and turning over as best you can. It’s critical to sit back and look at what you can do to improve engagement and what services you offer are likely to be profitable and achievable during the current crisis.
For more help on marketing for your hair of beauty salon please contact Haylee Benton.