Get more customers into your salon with well-planned email advertising.
It is common these days to request an email address along with your customer's mailing address and phone number. Many businesses add contact information to a computerized database used to send blast emails, promoting specials, information on the company and sales pitches. Because people receive so many emails every day, it is important yours stands out as something they look forward to. When you're planning your hair salon advertising campaign, consider ideas that give something extra to the customer, whether it is a discount or a peek into your best practices.
Coupons
According to some calculations by The Wall Street Journal, a person who clips $25 worth of coupons per week could save over $100,000 over the course of a lifetime. Although $25 may be the cost of a cut and style in your salon, consider offering some sort of percentage-off, buy one-get one or free product coupon in your next salon email. Because there is so much spam (annoying, fake ads that are sent in bulk to unsuspecting email accounts, sometimes with fraudulent scams or blatant rip-off sales pitches), customers need a way to weed out the chaff. By offering them a coupon for your hair salon, your email advertising may become something they actually anticipate and look forward to seeing in their inbox. Consider coupons such as "$10 off your next trim," "Full highlights for the price of a half-head," "Free conditioner when you buy a shampoo" or "20% off any service."
Show the Hair
As a hair salon, the main service you're selling is hair cutting and styling. Whether you specialize in highlights, punk styles, perms, hair for older people or cutting kids' hair, your email should show examples of your best work. Someone who skims an all-text email from you may have no idea what they're reading about or why your company is contacting them. Make it a regular part of your process to photograph the best clients' styles; offer a slight discount if customers allow their photos to be used. Then, including the examples in your email with a little bit of text, such as "Ed B. relaxes after getting the popular Clooney/Caesar cut, which helps mask the signs of age-related hair loss and reduces the appearance of gray" or "Soleil enjoys her double-process highlighting with a bit of punk pink stripes." You can even include a link in the email that readers may click to launch a special portfolio or slide show of your stylists' best work.
Survey
If you've got someone who is computer-savvy on the salon team, consider implementing a customer survey with your next email campaign. Your survey can ask questions about whether a client is happy with her latest style, what processes she would like the salon to offer, what products she uses regularly and what other salons she goes to in your area. (Free survey construction sites are also available online.) You can offer a prize drawing for all survey participants, such as free foils or a free basket of products. Inviting a customer to take part in a survey makes her feel like you value her opinions, keeps your name in front of her and continues your relationship.
