7 Secrets To Recession Proofing Your Salon Or Spa - Part 5
Your salon or spa clients spend much more money on your type of products and services and related products and services than you ‘extract' from them. Way more...And, their capacity to buy 'stuff' is much, much, much higher than you think.
Depending on whose marketing research you read, it costs up to 20 times more to get a new client than it does to get repeat business from an existing client. So where should you be focusing? Pretty obvious right? On existing clients.
Yet, 95% of salon/spa owners insist on focusing on looking for new clients rather than nurturing and maximising the ones they have. They scramble around throwing money in all directions hoping to get new clients into their business. Not realising spending a fraction of that money on their existing clients could generate huge returns.
Some salon businesses don't even know who their clients are (and if that's you, fix it!!!)
A few months back my mother had a problem with her boiler not working. In traditional ‘good son' fashion I offered to help her get it fixed (and not get ripped off).
So, I grabbed the Yellow Pages, flicked through to the boiler repair section and had a look at the ads.
First of all, it was nigh on impossible to make a choice between them as they all looked pretty much the same.
How the heck was I supposed to make a choice (important - is your marketing the same as everyone else's)? In fact I couldn't so I sort of just waived my finger around and plumped for one that ‘the force' attracted me too.
Picked up the phone, dialled the number.
"Yep" came the response.
"Hi, I need someone to look at my boiler." I replied.
"Can't do it today mate." Was the reply.
"Ok, thanks, bye." Was my response.
Flippin' useless. It's great he's too busy but I doubt he will be for too long...
Waived my finger around the page again - picked another company, dialled the number.
"XZY Heating" came the response.
"Hi, I need someone to look at my boiler." I replied.
"Ok, sure we can help. The first appointment we have is Friday."
"I was looking for something sooner." I responded.
"Sorry, that's the quickest we can get to you."
"Ok, not to worry, thanks anyway." I responded.
Second attempt down the drain. This was getting painful, blood pressure was rising. Anyway, on the third attempt I got a polite lady and indeed someone to come see me that day.
They arrived on time and fixed the boiler. Great!
Now, when we were in my Mother's cellar with the boiler and the technician had a torch (because there aren't any lights in there); on the side of the boiler I spotted a sticker from the person who had fixed it last time.
Aha, I thought that's who it was. They did a great job too, and at a good price.
But they made a 'school boy' error.
Had they simply kept in contact with me at regular intervals using something as simple as a monthly 2 page newsletter I would have called them in a shot and they would have got the work.
Even better, had they put me on a monthly continuity plan where I pay a little a month for peace of mind that if things went wrong they'd fix them I'd be happy and they'd have a stable, reliable cash-flow boost that could sail them through even the deepest recession...
Building and maintaining relationships is fundamental to prospering in un-prosperous times. Whenever your clients think of what you offer you need to be at the top of their consciousness.
To make that happen you need to be more than just another provider of what you do. You need to build a strong and continuing personality bond with your clients.
Think of it like when you visit the hairdressers.
When they're in the salon it's easy. You talk about yourself, your family, hobbies and ask them questions about the same.
BUT, as soon as you leave, that relationship, that bond starts to fade...
And, if another salon ‘pops' up with something that grabs your attention (or indeed another business eager to get a slice of their disposable income) then you'll be off to them in a second and the hair salon will be scrabbling for a new client.
However, if the salon had built a strong personality bond with you built through continuous, repetitive contact even when you are not in there - then chances of you switching salon and being ‘unfaithful' are slim.
So how do you create an ‘unshakeable' personality bond
with your customers and clients?
Sending a monthly salon newsletter continues to be the best way to establish this bond for my clients and members. How many businesses like yours in your area contact their clients with a monthly newsletter containing stories about them, their lives, interesting news, gossip and offers? I suspect that may be none...
For close to £10 a year per client in printing and postage costs, you can generate hundreds, if not thousands of pounds in repeat business. You can switch from struggling and willing to accept any client at any price to having only the best, highest paying, and most loyal clients.
And writing then sending a monthly salon newsletter is neither difficult nor particularly time consuming.
Start providing one now!
Dedicated to your success,
Henry Baker.
Copyright Magnetic Salons Ltd 2009
Depending on whose marketing research you read, it costs up to 20 times more to get a new client than it does to get repeat business from an existing client. So where should you be focusing? Pretty obvious right? On existing clients.
Yet, 95% of salon/spa owners insist on focusing on looking for new clients rather than nurturing and maximising the ones they have. They scramble around throwing money in all directions hoping to get new clients into their business. Not realising spending a fraction of that money on their existing clients could generate huge returns.
Some salon businesses don't even know who their clients are (and if that's you, fix it!!!)
A few months back my mother had a problem with her boiler not working. In traditional ‘good son' fashion I offered to help her get it fixed (and not get ripped off).
So, I grabbed the Yellow Pages, flicked through to the boiler repair section and had a look at the ads.
First of all, it was nigh on impossible to make a choice between them as they all looked pretty much the same.
- Name and logo at the top of the ad.
- List of services
- Some industry seals of approval.
- Telephone number.
How the heck was I supposed to make a choice (important - is your marketing the same as everyone else's)? In fact I couldn't so I sort of just waived my finger around and plumped for one that ‘the force' attracted me too.
Picked up the phone, dialled the number.
"Yep" came the response.
"Hi, I need someone to look at my boiler." I replied.
"Can't do it today mate." Was the reply.
"Ok, thanks, bye." Was my response.
Flippin' useless. It's great he's too busy but I doubt he will be for too long...
Waived my finger around the page again - picked another company, dialled the number.
"XZY Heating" came the response.
"Hi, I need someone to look at my boiler." I replied.
"Ok, sure we can help. The first appointment we have is Friday."
"I was looking for something sooner." I responded.
"Sorry, that's the quickest we can get to you."
"Ok, not to worry, thanks anyway." I responded.
Second attempt down the drain. This was getting painful, blood pressure was rising. Anyway, on the third attempt I got a polite lady and indeed someone to come see me that day.
They arrived on time and fixed the boiler. Great!
Now, when we were in my Mother's cellar with the boiler and the technician had a torch (because there aren't any lights in there); on the side of the boiler I spotted a sticker from the person who had fixed it last time.
Aha, I thought that's who it was. They did a great job too, and at a good price.
But they made a 'school boy' error.
Had they simply kept in contact with me at regular intervals using something as simple as a monthly 2 page newsletter I would have called them in a shot and they would have got the work.
Even better, had they put me on a monthly continuity plan where I pay a little a month for peace of mind that if things went wrong they'd fix them I'd be happy and they'd have a stable, reliable cash-flow boost that could sail them through even the deepest recession...
Building and maintaining relationships is fundamental to prospering in un-prosperous times. Whenever your clients think of what you offer you need to be at the top of their consciousness.
To make that happen you need to be more than just another provider of what you do. You need to build a strong and continuing personality bond with your clients.
Think of it like when you visit the hairdressers.
When they're in the salon it's easy. You talk about yourself, your family, hobbies and ask them questions about the same.
BUT, as soon as you leave, that relationship, that bond starts to fade...
And, if another salon ‘pops' up with something that grabs your attention (or indeed another business eager to get a slice of their disposable income) then you'll be off to them in a second and the hair salon will be scrabbling for a new client.
However, if the salon had built a strong personality bond with you built through continuous, repetitive contact even when you are not in there - then chances of you switching salon and being ‘unfaithful' are slim.
So how do you create an ‘unshakeable' personality bond
with your customers and clients?
Sending a monthly salon newsletter continues to be the best way to establish this bond for my clients and members. How many businesses like yours in your area contact their clients with a monthly newsletter containing stories about them, their lives, interesting news, gossip and offers? I suspect that may be none...
For close to £10 a year per client in printing and postage costs, you can generate hundreds, if not thousands of pounds in repeat business. You can switch from struggling and willing to accept any client at any price to having only the best, highest paying, and most loyal clients.
And writing then sending a monthly salon newsletter is neither difficult nor particularly time consuming.
Start providing one now!
Dedicated to your success,
Henry Baker.
Copyright Magnetic Salons Ltd 2009
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