In today's competitive market, clients want more than great customer service—they want an experience. "It's not enough to simply think out of the box," says Noreen Young, author of Entertaining in Your Salon (Glamour Group Publishing, 2004). "Salon owners need to dream up even more ways to build loyalty by entertaining clients. You have to spice it up." In her book, Young, who owns Noreen Young Studio in Jacksonville, FL, shares her marketing ideas and recipes designed to attract clients and keep them coming back. "My goal is to have all salon guests think that every day is a catered affair and to take their breath away," she says. Here, three ideas from Young's book that can easily be adapted in any salon.
 Entertaining in your salon |
BEAUTY BUFFET
As a morning event, offer your clients bagels with cream cheese, fruit, and tea or coffee. After they finish eating, introduce your beauty buffet—a table of your amazing retail products ready to sample. Place each item on silver or gold trays available from party or catering supply stores. Take off the lids, mark each product with signs that say "Treat Yourself" or "Try Me!" and provide disposable spatulas. Encourage your guests to touch, smell and experience them all and watch your sales soar.
ESPRESSO AND A SERVICE TO GO
Take a lesson from coffee houses—they're only selling joe, but they're bringing in the dough. Here's a way to liven up your beverage service: Offer clients an espresso and an express service such as a quick cut or trim, a mini manicure or pedicure or a 30-minute facial. This concept works great for time-challenged women and for those who want to sample a service at a lower price. Treat them right and they will come back.
TREAT YOURSELF, HELP OTHERS
Kathleen Sather of Kathleen's Day Spa, Monroe, WA, thought of this simple but brilliant promotional idea called Treat Yourself—Feed the Hungry. Each client who brings in 12 cans of food is entitled to buy one service and get one free. The collected cans are then donated to the local food bank.To order Entertaining in Your Salon, visit, www.noreenyoungpro.com