Dane Frost of the EOHCB gives valuable advice to salons on making the most of the festive season, while ensuring the smooth running of the salon.
KEEP CALM & JINGLE ON
The festive season is upon us and the EOHCB would like to share a few guidelines for consideration with its members and the industry on how to optimize the festive season to benefit not only the business and its employees’ but also your clients.
The festive season is busy for everyone and with tight schedules and emotions running high, the best way to optimize and control, is to plan ahead. Prepare your employees for the festive season by communicating with your team about who is working what days and at what times? Who gets what day(s) off? Setup rosters and alternate employees to accommodate the needs of the business and the employees. A fun interactive way to do this is whilst you decorate the establishment in preparation of the festive season. Keep your clientele in mind when planning your festive décor. What sort of things would make them feel most comfortable and welcome? Remember to establish and display your festive operating hours and communicate them to your clients in advance. The festive season means more of everything! Be prepared and stock up on products and make sure you have enough staff on hand. If needed, appoint seasonal employees on fixed term contracts to assist during the busy season.
By now, you would have attended some training throughout the year to improve on your skills and knowledge to obtain that competitive advantage. It is time for overdrive! Your clients need to look and feel good and your opportunities are endless. Apply your skills, knowledge and creativity because the festive season is the season for diversity and change!
It is important that you start promoting your festive specials early November and to do so until the end of January. It is advised that you collaborate with centre management, product houses and local businesses around you to promote your establishment and the services and products you will be offering during the festive season. A busy establishment can miss sales because so many clients wait until the last minute to get themselves looking and feeling good. Contact your clients and encourage them to pre-book their appointment(s) for the festive season and share with them your festive specials via a curtesy call, SMS, WhatsApp, Website and email or on your social media pages etc. Those who are pre- booked send them reminders of their booking(s) and the specials on offer.
It’s a time for gifting! Invest in gift cards, which clients can purchase for their loved ones. If they love your gift (skills, knowledge and creativity) and how you invest in their best interest, they will share your gift with those who they care about. Offering your clients the opportunity to purchase gift cards eases the stress of festive shopping. An alternative to gift cards would be to partner with your suppliers and invest in promoting gift packs containing home care products for the services rendered at the establishment. Many clients not only invest in their own appearance and well-being but also in those of family, friends and colleagues.
Engage your clients and potential new ones through social media. What is the first thing we do when planning a vacation or whilst on leave? It may be at home or at a holiday destination? We search what to do or what is happening! Make sure your clients know what they should be doing and what is happening at your establishment. Make sure the content that you share is festive, enticing and clear. It is also an opportunity to promote complimentary or discounts on services and products. Client love freebies and/or discounts and you can link this to reviews and marketing content on your social media pages. If a client provides a positive review on your social media page and takes a selfie and tags the salon before leaving, he/she can be entitled to a complimentary or discounted service or product on their next visit as an example. By doing this the family, friends and colleagues of your clients are being exposed to your establishment, skills, knowledge and creativity and that will spark their need to call on you to attend to their needs to look and feel good!
Express your gratitude to your loyal, regular clients through a small gesture. Thank them for their continuous support throughout the year. An example of a gratitude gift would be a small thank you and best holiday wishes card supported by a small treat whilst enjoying their cup of coffee or tea in the establishment. Showing them how grateful you are to have their business may encourage them to recommend your services to their families, friend and colleagues or even a stranger standing/sitting behind them, who is admiring your skills, knowledge and creativity. Make sure your clients have a few of your business cards at their disposal.
Be positive, confident and consistent in your approach and you shall enjoy the benefits of optimizing the festive season. Be bold and authentic and remain focused on the needs of your clients. You have an obligation to meet or exceed their needs, to look and feel good!
Wishing you a prosperous festive season!
The EOHCB For more information on the EOHCB please contact us on: Contact: 012 807 1628 Email: info@eohcb.com Website: www.eohcb.co.za Facebook: EOHCB National Instagram: eohcbsa Twitter: @eohcbsa
