A young child having her hair blow dried
It can be daunting to start a business at the best of times. The most immediate difficulty is actually bringing clients through your front door. However, a few tips can help you make the most of your business without too much trouble or expense. These tips help you show people who you are, what you can offer, and what they can expect.
Advertise
It is important to advertise what you do to bring customers through the front door. Bigger isn't better when it comes to advertising and can be seen as desperation marketing. For example, a massive ad offering 30 percent off all services might make your potential customers ponder the stability of your business. You'll find it's better to focus the ad on something unique that your salon offers that no others do.
Take note of where you choose to advertise as well. Advertising for a salon in the men's gym isn't going to generate a lot of business. Try to focus on places where your target audience might be. The Yellow Pages, or whatever directory you use, is a good place to go as well.
Specials
Focus on special offers when you can. Remember that as the seasons change, people will want different things. Summer is a great time of year to advertise special offers because many clients will be going on vacations and will want to look their best.
For loyal customers, offer specials on treatments that they might not usually have. If you can manage it financially, freebies are an excellent way to introducing new products to customers as well.
Staff
Customers look at your staff members for an impression of their skills and abilities. Having staff with well styled hair can put customers at ease, and they will have more faith in your services. Most important, staff members who treat clients well will more likely have a steady flow of clients coming in the door.
Reception staffers are also vital as the telephone is still the first port of entry for many people approaching your business. Make sure your staff members keep everything up to date when handling appointments, especially cancellations and and changes that occur.
Social Media
Social media are used by many small businesses now. Using a website like Facebook or Twitter is a far cheaper way of advertising to existing customers. It's much easier to keep old customers than it is to get new ones, so it's always a good idea to let them know you're thinking about them. Update your status and tweets with new offers and promotions. Facebook is also a great way of getting feedback from people because they can leave opinions of your service on your page.
