Grow Your Salon's Clientele with Zero Budget: 12 Proven Strategies for Success in the Beauty Industry

Attracting more clients to a high-value service salon without a marketing budget involves leveraging free or low-cost strategies to increase visibility and enhance client relationships.

Here are some effective approaches:

1. Create The Ultimate Customer Experience:

The number one way to get repeat customers is to focus on delivering exceptional service to every client.

When you create an unforgettable experience for each client, they will remember you.

A delighted client is your best advocate. Never underestimate how much people who love your service will RAVE about it. If you’re not already doing these things, here are a few ways to stand out.

The first and most important aspect of your customer experience is how great your service is. So do the best job you possibly can. Your service shows (literally) and will be your walking-talking business card.
1. Take the time to measure out brows, communicate with your clients so they feel heard and listened to and make sure you know and understand exactly what they want. Notice their demeanour; do they really want to hear about all of the celebrity gossip? Or do they just want to sit back and relax and let you take care of them? PAY ATTENTION.
2. When they feel listened to, you’re more likely to deliver what they want, and then they’ll feel like a million bucks walking out.
Keep your workspace visibly clean, organised and hygienic. I can’t believe I have to say this, but seeing dirty or unclean beauty salons still surprises me. This is a non-negotiable must!
Burn oils via diffusers, add a subtle aroma that helps relax your clients and enhance their olfactory (AKA their nose) experience. You can buy really nice 100% natural oil blends and stick to one that’s pleasant and not too overpowering.
Play nice background music in the salon with a theme that isn’t too loud or aggressive; you want to set an ambient tone; they are coming to you for the best service and experience. If this style of music doesn’t suit your salon, go with whatever theme you want to produce; just keep it consistent.
Another one I can’t believe I have to say, but be polite when speaking to your clients. I went to a high-end local hair salon that was recommended to me, and it was the absolute worst beauty experience I have ever had. The stylist was rude and impatient and did a very half-assed job. You better believe I told everyone who would listen and never returned, and for someone who spends thousands of dollars each year on beauty, they missed out on a very loyal customer.
Lastly, run on time! It’s incredibly frustrating to book an appointment with a salon only to be waiting 15 and up to 30 minutes to get into the appointment you booked. People book appointments for a reason; don’t make them wait. Schedule enough time for your appointments and time between them to clean up and be ready for the next appointment.

2. Google My Business Listing

Ensure your salon is listed on Google My Business.

This improves your visibility in local search results and allows clients to find important information like your location, hours, and contact details.

Make sure your hours are correct, many people rely on Google My Business for opening hours information, and often, small businesses don’t bother to update it.

Remember to include some pictures of your salon; people want to know what the store looks like and what they can expect when they walk inside.

So jazz the place up and give the photos some character. I recommend professional photos because they are worth their weight in gold, but if you’re not in a position to enlist the services of a professional, then great lighting and your phone camera with a variation of flat photos and portrait style should suffice until you’re in a better financial position.

3. Referral Program

Implement a referral program where existing clients get a discount or a free service for referring new clients.

Word-of-mouth is powerful in the beauty industry, and sometimes, all it takes is a little push, like a free or discounted service, to push someone over the edge to tell their friends. Here’s a tip whilst you’re talking to your clients delivering your service.

Ask them, “Who do you know who needs some brow love?” of course, insert your said service.

It’s important to ask “Who they know”, not “If they know”.

That simple shift will help get the conversational juices flowing of who they can recommend you to.

Ask this to your repeat clients only; if they are return customers, we know they like or love your services, so they are the best people to ask.

Once you ask them during the service, follow up later with a text with the details of the referral program and a link to leave a review! Speaking of which…

4. Leverage Online Reviews:

Encourage your clients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Yelp, Google, and Facebook. Potential clients often check these reviews before deciding on a service.

According to Dixa, “79% of customers put as much weight on customer reviews as they do personal recommendations; on average, reviews produce an 18% uplift in sales. And 86% of people hesitate to do business with a company if it has too many negative customer reviews.” I’ll say this in the simplest terms I can: you can never have enough great reviews, so don’t stop asking for reviews. EVER.

A great way to gather ongoing positive reviews is to run a monthly competition for your clients where you give away a free service or product each month to someone who leaves a review within that period, which leads me to my next point.

5. Email Marketing

Collect email addresses from your clients and send out a regular newsletter.

In the newsletter, announce your review competition and what they can win. Make it easy as pie for them by sharing the link of where you want them to go specifically and even preview some of the reviews other happy clients have shared in the email.

Share updates, special offers, beauty tips, and new services.

Tools like Mailchimp offer free basic plans for email marketing if you don’t already have an email service provider.

6. Partnerships with Local Businesses

Collaborate with local businesses such as gyms, boutiques, or spas.

You can offer their staff a discount in exchange for them recommending your salon to their clients.

You can also leave flyers with special referral offers specifically for those referred clients.

7. Loyalty Program

What Others Say

Your Paragraph text goes Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Autem dolore, alias, numquam enim ab voluptate id quam harum ducimus cupiditate similique quisquam et deserunt, recusandae. here

Name

Create a loyalty program to encourage repeat business.

Offer rewards like discounts or free services after a certain number of visits.

People are coming to spend money anyway, and if they

feel like they’re getting a bargain, they’re gonna be stoked.

So keep them happy, and keep them saying nice things.

If having a punch card for a free service like a coffee shop is not the aesthetic you want in your salon, offer them 10% off if they book and pay in full for their next service.

The pay-in-full part is important; they must pay in full to receive the discount!

8. Local Networking

Attend local business networking events.

Building relationships with other business owners can lead to referrals and to them linking back to your business website from their business.

You can refer each other as long as your services don’t compete and you both offer exceptional service.

9. Offer Workshops or Events

Host beauty workshops or events in your salon.

This can attract potential clients interested in learning beauty tips and seeing your work firsthand.

Focus on relevant topics, offer hands-on experiences, and leverage your team’s skills.

Promote the event through social media and in-salon channels, and consider offering exclusive discounts to attendees.

Post-event, follow up with a thank-you message and a reminder of any special offers.

Regular events can help build a loyal community and increase word-of-mouth referrals.

10. Maximize Social Media Storytelling

Utilize the power of social media storytelling to showcase your salon’s unique personality and services.

Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, client transformations, and educational content on platforms like Instagram and Facebook Stories.

This not only humanises your brand but also keeps your salon top-of-mind for existing and potential clients.

Engage with your audience by asking questions, running polls, and responding to comments.

By consistently telling your salon’s story, you can build a strong emotional connection with your audience, leading to increased loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals. Also, your audience wants to see your personality, make it shine through.

11. Ensure Client Loyalty And Longevity Through Salon Subscriptions

In the competitive beauty industry, clients are constantly seeking the best deals and experiences.

If they’re going to invest in regular salon services anyway, it’s crucial that they choose your salon over others.

By offering a subscription model, you’re not just providing convenience; you’re creating a sense of belonging and loyalty.

It’s a proactive approach to ensure that when clients decide to commit to regular beauty treatments, they do it with your salon.

To make this strategy effective, it’s essential to have a watertight set of terms and conditions for your subscription service.

Clear, fair, and transparent terms will build trust with your clients and protect your business. Outline the benefits, payment terms, cancellation policies, and any other conditions clearly.

This legal framework will ensure that both you and your clients have a positive and straightforward experience with your subscription service, fostering long-term relationships and sustained business growth.

12. Run contests and giveaways

Running contests and giveaways is a great way to engage your salon’s audience and attract new clients.

Here are some key points:

Set Clear Objectives: Identify your goals, such as increasing social media followers or promoting a new service.
Choose Enticing Prizes: Offer attractive prizes like free salon services or beauty products make sure that they are relevant to what your salon offers.
Create Simple Entry Rules: Make participation easy, such as liking a post or tagging friends, sharing.
Promote Widely: Use social media, your website, and in-store signage to spread the word, if you’re going to do this, make it count!
Engage Participants: Keep participants engaged with updates and reminders.
Announce Winners Publicly: Publicly announce winners to add credibility and excitement. But let them know that you’ll be texting or emailing everyone else with something special.
Follow-up: Thank participants for entering and invite them to visit your salon with a special offer. Make the offer enticing and one where you know you’ll they’ll want to rebook with you.
Analyze and Learn: Evaluate the contest’s success and use insights for future promotions.

Contests and giveaways can effectively increase engagement, attract new clients, and create buzz around your salon.

Important: Earnings and Legal Disclaimers

We believe in hard work, adding value and serving others. And that’s what our programs are designed to help you do. We can not and do not make any guarantees about your own ability to get results or earn any money with our ideas, information, programs or strategies. We don’t know you and your results in life are up to you. Agreed? We’re here to help by giving you our greatest strategies to move you forward, faster. However, nothing on this page or any of our websites or emails is a promise or guarantee of future earnings. Any financial numbers referenced here, or on any of our sites or emails, are simply estimates or projections or past results, and should not be considered exact, actual or as a promise of potential earnings – all numbers are illustrative only.

Privacy Policy