Salon owners will remember the sudden onslaught of bookings when restrictions were lifted and we were able to re-open our doors. Compared by some to the Christmas rush, we had back-to-back bookings and turned over more in that first month than we usually would have in six.
But now, a quarter of the way through 2021, spending has dropped by 1.1%, with concerns that it may drop further once JobKeeper ends this week.
Spending was the weakest since last October, falling $364 million over February alone, according to preliminary ABS data published last week.
So what can we do?
According to retail specialist James White, now is the time for salons to be marketing their must-have treatments of the upcoming season.
“Have a think about what’s coming up. Mother’s Day, the cooler months, birthdays, they’re all opportunities,” he says. “Mother’s Day is the big one that you need to be jumping on right now. And it needs to be more than a poster in your window. What are you offering? A special package? Mother-and-daughter experiences? If you’re not already, you need to be getting those packages sorted and put out to market.”
The same goes for the approaching winter months, says James. “Treatments that specifically reference the cooler weather, like skin saviours, spray tans, you name it, can be your saving grace to get you through the next few months when treatments like body waxing tend to slow down.”
Of course, running the same promotion all winter long can get a little fatigued from a client point of view, which is why you need to consider changing it up. “Also, rotating your offerings will also encourage repeat business. If someone has booked in and undergone your winter skin re-charge, for example, they may not have any interest in booking that again. But it you then start promoting the ultimate winter facial, you may get them back in the salon.”
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