So business is BOOMING in November and December and why wouldn’t it be? After all—everyone needs a fresh mani before holiday parties. Or maybe an updo for the company party, a facial for a holiday glow, or just a fresh set of highlights. The truth is—everyone wants to look good for family and friends during the holiday season and that equals big business for you!
But what about after the holiday rush? In January and February, how can you keep the client flow consistent or better yet even grow in size?? The answer is simple- it is all about RETENTION. Keep your clients coming back for more and give them incentives to come in after the holidays.
How do we increase retention? Simple. First we have to uncover “Why.” There are many factors as to why or why not a client stays in your salon. Some are more obvious than others.
The first and easiest way is to ask your customers. Find out what they like and don’t like and what would have them stay or not stay. Immediately we started asking our customers to fill out a survey. (Offer them complementary paraffin or conditioning treatment as a thank you for supporting you in the growth and development of your salon/spa.)
Within a week we had over 200 completed surveys. The resounding request was that they wanted to receive their services on nights and weekends. In taking a look at the salon schedule, they were only open two evenings and closed by 3p.m. on Saturdays. You guessed it; we are shifting the salon hours and offering incentives to the employees to work additional evenings. This simple shift could mean thousands of dollars to this particular business. How much could it mean for yours?
Our job is not complete. It may take several months of researching every avenue for growth. The following are 10 STEPS to ensuring client retention. For a customer survey, go to the management tools library on www.yourbeautynetwork.com. You’ll find not only surveys but you’ll have access to hundreds of systems, worksheets, scripts, etc. Everything you need to grow your business in one location.
Steps for ensuring your Retention:
1) Customer Survey (Ask your customers what they want!)
2) Exceed Customer Service (Customer service begins when you exceed your customer’s expectations. What are you doing or saying to exceed expectation?)
3) Retail = Retention (Studies show that if a customer purchases one retail item there is a 30% chance that they will be back in your business. If they purchase two, there is a 60% chance and if they purchase three products there is a 90% chance that they will be back in your business. Retail has nothing to do with selling and everything to do with RETENTION!)
4) Effective Needs Assessment (Educating your team to effectively find out what our customers need so that we provide the exact service requested the first time!)
5) Experience
that has your customers toes curl! (What niceties are you offering
that set our salon apart? Do you offer 5-minute scalp massage,
hand massage, etc? They should be wanting more!)
6) Customer Incentives (Offer rewards for referrals, monthly promotions, etc. Get our customers involved in your business.)
7) Up-Service (The more services (preferably chemical) that they receive the more dependant they are on your salon!)
8) Rebook (Make sure they rebook to secure your future!)
9) Thank them!
10) Follow up! (Be sure that you have a follow up system to make sure that they were happy with their services.)
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