It might be hard to believe it now, but one day the Coronavirus will be behind us, and it will be time for our industry to get to the important business of rebuilding.
Economists refer to “the lipstick effect.” The phenomenon occurred throughout the Great Depression of the 1930s and during every recession since. Financially hobbled shoppers may not buy cars or diamonds, but they still indulge in small guilty pleasures; makeup, facials, skincare, and manicures.
So while your customers will also have likely suffered a blow to their own income during the Coronavirus pandemic, they too will be looking forward to seeing you throw your doors open. Here’s how you can prepare.
Tell your customers
It goes without saying that social media is going to be your best friend throughout the re-opening process. Once you have a date for your opening, shout about it. Tell your customers you’re ready to take bookings, and remind them of what treatments you offer. Build excitement by doing a daily countdown to your opening date, and update your Instagram Stories with your personal thoughts and feelings behind the opening; customers will be empathetic to how you’re feeling. “Social media is one of the most powerful mediums you can use to help grow your business and future-proof it,” says Nicole Wells of Spa and Salon Divas, and author of Future Proof Your Salon: 7 Ways to Secure your Salon’s Future.
Get your bookings in
Whenever the day comes that we can all get back to our salons, one thing’s for sure; we need to be making money from day one. With that in mind, start taking bookings well in advance. Update your social media and your website, alerting customers to the fact that spots are filling up fast, and encourage them to to book in.
Starting today, you can create a waiting list for specific treatments. Spend time educating your followers about the treatments, and place names on a waiting list with a promise to alert them the moment you have the go-ahead to open your doors. “Having your clients excited about your re-opening will be infectious,” says marketing expert Lana Martiz. “They won’t want to be told you have no space left, and will jump on the waiting-list bandwagon.”
Get your staff ready
Presumably, you would like to have your original staff back on deck, and if they’re available and willing, then that’s perfect. That said, some workers may not have had the financial security to wait for you to re-open and may have found alternative employment. With that in mind, the moment you get a whiff that you may be coming out of lockdown, make the calls to all your staff and enlist any new casuals you may be needing.
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