Six weeks. That’s how long most of the Australian beauty industry was locked down. And during that time, many salon owners reassessed just what it was that made their business different. Some utilised practices to keep them afloat during the pandemic. Regardless, many have been forever changed.
Here’s a rundown of some changes that your salon may have made, or could make, and keep, even when the pandemic has long gone.
Social media interaction
There was a time that this was our only contact with our customers, and feedback is that they loved it. So why stop now that our doors have re-opened? “Fact is, we’re a digital society. And if you consider that a customer may visit your salon every four to six weeks, that’s a lot of time in between that you could be engaging them with videos, tutorials or live sessions,” says digital marketing expert, Janice Carlton. “Our digital habits were amplified during isolation. And they’re likely here to stay.”
Online sales
Many salons ramped up their e-commerce offerings, in a bid to sell product to customers, even while their doors were closed. Janice suggests that keeping on top of this could only be a good thing. “The thing with online shopping is that once you’ve seen how simple and efficient it is, you become a bit of a convert. So if someone loves your product, but it’s no longer on your site, chances are they’ll find a site that does sell it.”
Push your gift certificates
There’s a good chance that gift certificated became your go-to product throughout the pandemic – selling them meant that you had cash in the till, even while you couldn’t deliver on the treatments. Now, however, the holders of those gift cards are going to be chasing in. And there won’t be cash entering your till when they do. So continue to push those certificates. “Extra points if you can get someone using a gift voucher to purchase one,” says business advisor Thomas Francis. “Why not create a deal whereby they get a 10 per cent discount on a gift certificate if they purchase one at the same appointment that they cash one in? It’s a discount, sure, but some money in your till is better than no money in your till.”
Visit the #BEAUTYSTRONG hub at https://www.professionalbeauty.com.au/beautystrong/
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