Targeting Students
Students will be heading back to school in just a few weeks, so now is a great time to catch their attention! They may want to be pampered with one last spa day before the summer is over. Perhaps they want a fresh look for the new school year. Or they may want to stockpile some beauty supplies. Below are a few ideas to draw them into your salon or spa:
- Advertise around the community. There are always new families moving into the area or students arriving to attend a nearby college, so make sure they know about you! To keep costs low, check for community bulletin boards at local libraries, grocery stores, schools, and other places around town.
- Post trendy or unique designs on your social media, on your website, and even in your salon. Catch your followers’ eyes and show them what you can do.
- Host a tutorial event for students. Teach them a few simple tricks for doing their own hair or painting their own nails. Remember to recommend some of your products to them. Offer a great deal for purchasing products or for booking their next appointment before they leave. If you are thinking long-term, plan to have a series of events and print off small cards so your attendees can invite their friends to the next event.
- Refer a Friend programs and group discounts are great for bringing in new clients. Give your clients a place to hang out with their friends or family. Provide them with a great experience and they will return with other friends too.
Turn Teachers into Clients
Back to school isn’t just for students; be sure to remember teachers as well. Teachers have a great influence on the people and the community around them. They invest their time and energy into their students and provide them with the education and skills to contribute to society. Show your appreciation to them:
- Have a monthly Teachers’ Appreciation Day. Offer them a discount, provide a free service upgrade, or double the loyalty points they receive from that day’s purchase/service.
- Bundle together a few of your retail products and promote them as a gift for teachers. Be sure to have a business card or a menu of services in the bundle and possibly even a coupon.
- Hold a contest. Have teachers enter a draw and have students/parents nominate teachers too. The prize can be a gift basket (see above) or it can be service-based, liked a free spa day. To make the contest go viral and ultimately increase your brand awareness, you can even offer a prize to the winning class. Everyone loves a pizza party!
Don’t forget the parents!
Back to school is also a time of change for parents. They may be worried for their child’s first day at school or they may be relieved to get the kids out of the house for a few hours each day. Either way, now that the kids are at school, they deserve to relax:
- Pick a weekday or a few hours when your business is typically quiet and offer a salon or spa special. You can draw in stay-at-home parents or even working clients who have a day off or who have flexible hours. This will help you fill your appointment book in the quieter parts of the day.
- Connect with the teachers and administration of nearby schools. Ask if you can provide a stack of coupons for students to bring home to their parents or explore the possibility of advertising in a school newsletter.
- Support the community. Consider sponsoring a youth sports team, hosting a block party, or giving back to a local charity. Build awareness of your spa/salon, all while making your community a better place. People will take note when you are investing in the future!
