The beauty salon industry has been growing at a 2.7% rate for the last five years and it’s expected not to drop below 2.2% a year for the next five. Building a strong brand for a beauty salon can help you get ahead of the competitors and ensure that you always have clients lining up. When branding a salon you’ll have to invest more effort in networking and winning over client loyalty as well as developing positive associations with your brand.
Build a Strong Brand for a Beauty Salon with These 5 Tactics
Make networking your primary focus
The good old networking is one of the most effective methods of both attracting clients and strengthening your brand. Today you can network through a variety of mediums. Be sure to use social media platforms to spread the word about your salon in relevant groups and on various online beauty forums and discussion boards. Offline you should go to a variety of local events, not only beauty-related ones, armed with flyers and business cards.
To network effectively you need to show that you aren’t there only to advertise. Participate in discussions and show personal interest in people and events that you attend. You have to interest prospective clients by showing them the value your salon can offer. You also have to make a positive impression and self-promotion without a relevant contribution to the discussion topic is annoying at best.
Entice customer interest (and loyalty) with superior supplies
To build a strong brand for a beauty salon you need to offer the highest value possible and use this line in your marketing campaign. Offer people the quality of service that they won’t receive for the same price elsewhere. This will require a bigger initial investment but you will also get returns on it much faster.
For this business you can offer greater value in different ways. For example, try to headhunt a renowned stylist or get quality salon furniture. Using famous brand names of beauty products and equipment in your ads will help strengthen your own brand and attract people looking for those particular things. Be sure to ruin a few special promotions when you offer some elite services at discount prices.
Launch a referral program
Having a customer loyalty program is a must if you want to build a strong brand for a beauty salon. However, you also shouldn’t miss the chance of using your current client base to attract new people. Launching a referral program will both bring you new clients and enhance the loyalty of ones you already have.
Offer discounts and special deals to both the new client brought to your salon and those, who have given them the referral.
Invest in strong visuals
Having a unique and memorable visual style is a major component of branding. It’s even more important for a beauty business, which literally strives on looks. Your salon must have a recognizable logo and style that will be a part of the brand identity. They have to be present in every element of the décor and all promotion materials, including web design and even social media avatars.
Your branding must be consistent and easily tied to your industry. You also need to make sure it’s different from every other beauty salon in the area as you don’t want to help your competitors by having your ads mistaken for theirs.
Harness positive emotions
To build a strong brand for a beauty salon you must make your clients happy so they associate their appointments with an influx of positive emotions. Offering extras, like a cup of tea or a delicious healthy smoothie will go a long way. Make your services as personalized as possible and be sure your staff upholds these principles.