How To Market Your Salon Business Part 3

We're finishing our discussion on marketing your salon and the three essentials to building a great salon business, and getting to the very rewarding aspect of making your customers into a solid loyal client. We've already discussed getting new customers (part 1) and then treating them with respect and good customer service, (part 2) so now the final step. 3. Conversions to clients - this is where you make a difference in marketing your salon, and where you begin to build a business. You've already given them a number of quality sessions no matter what the services were that you fulfilled. And you don't follow the crowd but do things differently, you send thank you cards to every client, every time they come in. Wow, what's that all about? Well, it's about taking a customer and transforming them into a loyal client. A bond with your customer is what you're building by exceeding their expectations. Simply by giving great customer service and bringing some other small but significant acts of care and concern to them. Listening is the place to begin, do you know how to listen ... really listen to what your client is trying to tell you? Did you know that listening is an art and has to be learned because almost all of us would rather talk and tell others what important things we have done, (it promotes our egos you know) rather than ask some pointed questions and actually listen to the response? How's your telephone skills? Do you know that there are methods to answering the phone and start up a conversation that gives your customers a reason to come in? Heck, some of the hairdressers that I've talked to on the phone were so disconcerned on the phone they'd have to pay me to come in. Gosh that was incredible talking to them; (yea right!)and I can assure you that I didn't become a 'client'. You have the skill to take your customers to client status if, you will work for them to prove your honesty and integrity and respect of them. And that doesn't mean that you have to let a person belittle you or take advantage of you. You know, some of the funniest times in business is when you fire a client that has no respect for you. And it's gonna happen every so often that you just can't seem to find an open slot for them. Ha. Although, building a loyal client is definitely the best thing you can do to grow your business giving you the capacity to grow to the size that you're comfortable with. These days of economic uncertainty don't have to be the end of your business if ... you're be proactive in caring for your customers and use smart ways to attract new ones. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, as a matter of fact there's an awful lot that you can do for very little investment. But understand this ... you will have to work for your customers, that much has changed. And they are in the drivers seat and the hairdressers that are diligent with this will win in the end. You can be a success when you market your salon in small incremental steps, using these skills in an easygoing manner with your clients. Want to dazzle your customers further? You can with some simple strategies that will build them into loyal clients. Just try it and see for yourself. n