If you own or manage a hair salon, you know how important bringing in both previous and potential customers is. And while filing up appointments ahead of time is always great, walk-in appointments are valuable, too. But it’s not always easy getting potential customers to just walk into a new beauty salon. So to help you get started, here are a few simple tips for increasing your salon’s foot traffic.
Prioritize Customer Service
In the service industry, the customer should always come first—this is why it’s crucial to make customer service a top priority. Each customer, whether they’re new or a returning client, should be treated with respect and made to feel special the moment they walk through the salon door. You should offer the services clients ask for or talk about, all phone calls should be returned as soon as possible, and you should offer clients certain amenities, like free water and Wi-Fi.
You can even go further than basic customer service and allow clients to enter raffles regularly, offer classes, and even host events. Making your customers feel welcome will always make them want to return—and better yet, they’ll tell their friends about your salon.
Have the Right Equipment
Having modern and updated equipment is essential for a growing salon. Having the right hair salon equipment can make a big difference—when clients walk in and see high-quality equipment like comfortable and stylish salon chairs and organized barber stations, they’re going to feel more comfortable.
You can even post about updated furniture and equipment on social media pages, telling consumers about the changes you’re making to the salon to better serve them. New salon furniture can completely transform your space, so make sure to invest in the best barber equipment and station furniture possible.
Try New Marketing Methods
Marketing is something every business should put a lot of effort into—after all, if no one hears or knows about your hair salon, no one is going to come in. You should cover all the basics of marketing, like making sure you’re active on social media and adding keywords and links to your website. You can even put flyers up at local grocery stores or send out email blasts for appointment reminders or current specials. But if you’re really looking to focus on consumers in the area, you should consider geofencing.
Geofencing marketing companies help businesses create a marketing campaign that focuses on consumers within a geofenced area—using GPS coordinates and other factors like zip codes and IP addresses, businesses can choose a target area and advertise only to consumers within the designated area. This can allow consumers to receive ads for your salon when they’re in the right place. This will encourage them to check out your business because they’re already in the area. Geofencing can help you save ad spending and get more walk-ins from consumers who are nearby.
Ask for Referrals
When it comes to services like hair styling, word-of-mouth marketing is everything. Clients leave your salon and if they’re happy with their hair, they’re likely to tell their friends about your business—so it’s important to take advantage of this. Give clients some business cards to give out so more people learn about your business. You can even offer a deal for clients who do refer your salon to a friend to give them something to look forward to.
Foot traffic is important for small business owners, especially in the service industry. And even if the business days are slow, you can work towards bringing in more local customers—with the tips discussed in this article, you’re sure to bring in more foot traffic in no time.
