Australian winters can make for a quiet few months for beauty salons. The air is crisp and social events cool down, leading to a slow in demand for a range of services.
Some offerings – like laser hair removal, depigmentation treatments, and barrier-repairing skin services – remain hot. Yet clients are replacing event-ready peels and spray tans for early nights cosied up at home.
Research recently conducted by local beauty memberships company, aglow found 63% of respondents have reduced the frequency of their beauty service visits due to the rising cost of living. This highlights the need for budget-friendly options that allow clients to maintain their beauty routines, especially as seasons fluctuate.
Jo Blundell is the Co-Founder of aglow. She sees that the challenges salons face are numerous: “unpredictable cash flow, seasonality issues, no-shows, appointment calendars that aren’t fully booked, pressure to discount from deal-seekers, and the constant battle to build loyalty and deliver great experiences that keep clients coming back. It’s a tough industry, no doubt about it.”
How do beauty memberships work?
Despite the shift in appetite for salon services, beauty memberships are proving an effective way to keep clients accountable. “Memberships provide predictable revenue, encourage client loyalty, reduce no-shows, fill appointment books more consistently. This eliminates the need for discounting, and creates a framework for delivering those exceptional, personalised experiences that clients crave,” Jo says.
“What’s fascinating is that when businesses adopt a membership model, we see that bookings and ‘seasonality’ become far less important.”
She sees that budgets dominate behaviour, and that regardless of external factors (like cold weather and a downturn of social events), consumers have more than likely set aside a budget for their annual beauty treatments – 87% of consumers, in fact. “So the issue isn’t necessarily a lack of desire for treatments or drops in social activities, but rather juggling their budgets alongside non-discretionary expenses such as increased power and heating bills that are inevitable over winter,” Jo explains.
“Memberships provide predictable revenue, encourage client loyalty, reduce no-shows, fill appointment books more consistently, eliminate the need for discounting, and create a framework for delivering those exceptional, personalised experiences that clients crave.”
Keeping clients on the books
For those serious about their treatment plans, beauty memberships make for a great pathway to keep clients on the books year-round. aglow’s research also found that 65% of clients are likely to commit to regular treatments if offered a beauty membership plan with perks and flexible payments. “When clients are committed to a membership program, their appointments are paid for in advance, and the business’s cashflow is certain – it’s contracted, after all,” Jo says.
“The beauty of beauty memberships – pun intended – is that they’re less about what services are ‘in demand’ at any given time, and more about what each client’s personalised program includes. This is a crucial distinction that really transforms how we think about seasonal fluctuations in our industry.”
With beauty memberships in place, Jo says salon bookings are less influenced by trends and based on a consistent schedule that places the onus to show up back onto the client. “The revenue is committed for the term of the membership, and so is the client’s engagement with their beauty routine. This approach not only stabilises business income but also ensures that clients are getting the regular care they need to see real results.”
“They’re not credit-based plans – there’s no tracking of client credits or liability for future redemptions. Think of it like Netflix – if you don’t use it for a month, you still pay for it. It’s a more holistic, long-term approach to beauty and skincare that benefits everyone involved.”
“Think of it like Netflix – if you don’t use it for a month, you still pay for it.”
Customisable plans
The beauty membership types offered through aglow are custom made to suit the business and the individual, with plans usually ranging from three to 12 months. Programs take the weight of ‘selling’ future bookings out of the equation for therapists. “These are often low-cost, high-perceived-value perks like preferential bookings, bonus treatments on birthdays, locked-in pricing to avoid increases, flexible rescheduling, and complimentary upgrades. These little touches cost the business very little but significantly enhance the client experience.”
“This model also eliminates the need for discounting or deals which, frankly, have eroded business success in this industry for far too long. Clients generally want to maintain their beauty regimen and results, so it’s really about how service providers make this easy and accessible for them.”
aglow found 89% of clients would consider purchasing additional products or services if their main treatment was prepaid through a membership.
“The membership model creates a win-win situation. Clients have a commitment to their beauty goals, much like working with a personal trainer, and businesses have the security of predictable revenue. It’s a fundamental shift in how we approach client retention and business stability in the beauty industry.”
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