How can you boost client loyalty and retention?

Providing fantastic customer care, outstanding service and a unique client experience will ensure you keep your clients coming back for more. Loyalty schemes are attractive to clients and allow them to collect points to spend on services later.

There are three main key areas that salon owners need to consider to improve customer loyalty.

Quality of service

Salons should always keep a high level of quality and tailor each service to the client's needs. Each client's need is different; therefore, building a good relationship with them and meeting their expectations will be an essential part of making them loyal to your business.

Offer a loyalty scheme

Recent studies show how crucial it is to have a loyalty scheme. Tesco, in their first year of introducing a loyalty card, increased their turnover by 28% whilst Sainsbury's turnover, who did not have a loyalty card, decreased. A good loyalty scheme mixed with high standards of service will keep your clients coming back for more.

Management system
Having the right management system will help salons to organise their marketing strategy to each client and help them track results. SALONGENIUS helps you to organise your loyalty scheme and gives you the flexibility to offer more points at quieter times or on specific days of the week. Within SALONGENIUS, you can set up both standard and advanced schemes to allow you free reign on your chosen loyalty settings. You allocate the rates both on issue and redemption - keeping you in control. Reports show you the full transaction history and liability.

What do our customers think of the SALONGENIUS loyalty system?

Matthew Baldwin, Director of Harbour Beauty says: “We are a small family run Beauty Salon working within the Christchurch area that within the past two years has moved our diary and appointment system from another well-known brand to SALONGENIUS. Part of the package that SALONGENIUS offers is the Customer Rewards and Loyalty Scheme, which initially, we were a bit sceptical of.  Our Salon used its own rewards system whereby the customer had a small card which we would stamp, and when they reached ten stamps they would receive either a discount or a free treatment. This method, although useable had its faults.

Therefore, we approached SALONGENIUS and asked for the Salon Loyalty Scheme to be implemented within our system, which was very straightforward. Firstly, we designed our own loyalty card, made of plastic, which was long lasting, and we felt confident customers would love. If you are not too creative, then SALONGENIUS can help you with this. 

After ordering the cards, SALONGENIUS record them in your system. The cards themselves are given out initially to the customers when they first come into the Salon, providing they want to go onto the Loyalty scheme. The best feature is that from the moment the customer forgets, or loses the card, the system automatically records the customer's visit and adds those points that they would have accrued to their loyalty scheme.

The system is automatic; therefore, it requires no input from the staff member and is very simple to use. Also, another good thing about the Loyalty scheme is that you can change it from your computer at any time. Everything is tailored to what you want and at what time. Also, you can tailor how much each point is then worth. The best part is that this can be changed daily, so if your Salon is not performing so well on certain days or treatments, you can offer more points on those specific days or treatments to tempt customers to try them. It really is in your hands.

Overall, an excellent system, highly recommended!”

Do you want help on setting up a loyalty scheme?

If you have any questions or need any help with setting up a loyalty scheme in your salon, please give our support team a ring on 01202 311829. You can also order your loyalty cards through as and we will even design the card for you. If you require any more information on this service please call our sales team on 01202 311826.

Introducing SALONGENIUS Brand Ambassador - Ken Main

Ken Main, Commercial Director of award winning Ellen Conlin Hair and Beauty has a new venture of head training, a new consultancy company specifically for making running a salon business easier and simpler.

Head Training covers every aspect of the salon business from brand marketing, website creation, social media and coaching and training you and your staff, giving you the necessary tools and knowledge to get your business thriving.

Glasgow based Ellen Conlin Hair and Beauty have been successfully using the SALONGENIUS salon management system for over 10 years. They really utilise the system to their benefit and we are very lucky to have such a great working relationship with Ken, Ellen and their staff.

SALONGENIUS are proud to announce Ken Main as our Brand Ambassador working alongside Head Training. Ken will be spreading the SALONGENIUS love with his customers and we are looking forward to strengthening our business relationship with Ken and his staff.

If you feel your business could do with a bit of TLC and coaching why not book a FREE 15-minute consultation with a qualified, experienced coach and they can assist you with any issue and let know what they can do for you and your business?

Call 07733106067 to arrange your free telephone consultation
or go to http://www.headtraining.co.uk

Valentines Day Marketing that will warm your heart.

For Valentine's in the salon, there are so many different ways of attracting customers, upping your retail sales and pampering your clients ready for a hot date. Here are a few ways you can utilise your SALONGENIUS system over the Valentine's period:

Valentine voucher Codes

Using your SALONGENIUS software for email marketing or texting you can send voucher codes to your highest spending and most valuable clients as Valentine's Day gifts.Your clients will be surprised. delighted and touched by the gesture. If you decide to use discounts, then just make sure they only apply on quieter days in your salon.

Fill last-minute appointments

Empty gaps and cancellations cost you profit. Identify these gaps on your software, then remind clients you still have a few appointments left with marketing texts or emails offering last-minute Valentine makeovers. You can, of course, post these appointments on your social media and don't forget we collaborate with gappt to create demand for your last-minute space!

Valentine gift ideas

Remember to promote your gift vouchers "the perfect gift for someone special" on Valentine's Day or if you have any retail left from the Christmas period, perhaps repackage as a Valentine gift. Don't forget to remind your clients in your monthly e-newsletter, by SMS, salon website, in the salon and across your social media.

Leave a hint

Print a small reminder and distribute to clients who can then carefully place them somewhere for their significant other to find! It can list a couple of gift ideas and your business's contact information too. Another idea is email clients to forward on, or post on your social media networks and ask followers to "share" or "tag" their special person.

Be Colour Safe.

New Year, new hair!

It is that time of the year where clients often fancy a change and for many it means a different hair colour; however, everyone must be aware about the risks. In the past few years, the increased use of hair dye has caused an increased rate of allergic reactions.

The chemical dye that causes allergic reaction is called para-phenylenediamine (PPD). What makes PPD the most used chemical in hair dyes, is, its characteristic to penetrate the hair shaft and follicle very easily, as well binding to proteins in the skin. Other chemicals found in hair dye known to cause allergic reactions include cobalt and glyceryl thioglycolate.

Therefore, it is extremely important to carry out a skin and allergy test to your clients every six months to check that they can dye their hair. On the other hand, managers are extremely busy and keeping up with each of your client’s allergies and when skin tests were last performed.

Here at SALONGENIUS we can help you manage your client’s skin tests and colour histories. Imagine not having to worry about having to remember to keep all your data up to date. SALONGENIUS allows you to enter the date the test was carried out, once the test has expired your SALONGENIUS system will warn you that a new test needs to be performed when the client next tries to book an appointment. This will enable all salon managers not to worry about the last time your client had a skin test and at the same time will enable staff to keep clients as safe as possible.

For greater control of colour testing SALONGENIUS clients can use myGENIUS – The first salon software to monitor client’s skin tests. The allergy alert consultation – developed in conjunction with the NHF, Toni&Guy and leading insurance companies - lets you know the last time a patch test was carried out and when the next is required. The consultation questionnaire also goes through industry standard questions to determine if a skin test is actually needed or if the client can have colour at all. The questionnaires can be electronically signed and saved the client record card meaning you always have the information on file.

Allow yourself and your stylists peace of mind as they are able to operate in accordance to the salons insurance policy and you know everyone has the tools to keep your clients safe.

Keep your salon till ringing in the new year!

Don’t be frightened of a salon ‘January Sale’

Using your SALONGENIUS software to offer targeted discounts can be a highly effective marketing tool. If your client database is spick and span, you’ll be able to send out marketing texts or emails to specific groups of clients.

A January sale clears out the deadwood, keeps the team motivated and keeps your cash flow positive. Make it work for your hair or beauty business by:

• Offering promotions on the days you’re quiet.

• Limit it to your team members who have ‘column gaps’. Experienced or established therapists and hairdressers don’t usually need to offer January promotions. Why throw your profit away?

• Pick n Mix the offers, don’t feel obliged to reduce your beauty services across the board.

• Wherever you can always add value rather than discount, this won’t impact so heavily on your bottom line.

 

Seasonal marketing offers for January and February

I know it may seem a long way off but come January your clients will be getting ready for Valentines and Sunshine!

A ‘beach-ready’ package might just appeal if you’re clients are jetting off to some sunshine after a cold and wintery Christmas. 

 Or perhaps a ‘look fabulous for Valentines’ package could help fill some quieter days in early February.

Salon event in January

Long cold days, Christmas credit card bills and broken New Year resolutions may sound familiar in January!

Break the trend and run a January event!  Ask your supplier for freebies, invite your best clients and offer a salon or spa open day with mini-treatments, goodie bags and demonstrations.  During the day is probably better as no one wants to venture out on a dark cold night in January!

Don’t expect to sell loads of retail as clients will be watching the pennies at this time of year.  You can use this event to introduce your best (high spending) clients to new services and products, give them ideas for later in the year and say thank you for being such loyal clients.

Simple! But believe me, it will repay later provided you target your ‘ideal clients’.