Help your salon thrive during the festive season with our top tips.
To make your December a salon success, it’s important to adopt strategic planning early to maximise appointment bookings, increase revenue and provide clients with hair that is certain to turn heads on every occasion.
Managing increased demand whilst maintaining high service standards can sometimes be a bigger challenge than we’d like to admit, but by following our tried-and-tested tips, you can prepare your salon and team for the festive rush!
When it comes to the festive season, it’s important to start planning early. Reflect on how this period was for you last year and consider questions like:
- When were the peak times?
- What types of services were most popular?
- Did you experience any issues?
By putting time into this review, you can start to predict upcoming demands. Have an open discussion with your team and ensure this is done early on to set expectations.
Whilst this may not be achievable for every salon, extending your opening hours allows for more appointments during this busy period. You may want to consider temporarily opening your business an extra day per week or offer early morning and late-night appointments to give your customers more flexibility when booking.
Giving customers more appointment opportunities avoids any last-minute rushes and minimises the risk of losing their custom if they have to book elsewhere. Communicate any changes to opening times well in advance to your clients through social media, in-salon signage or word of mouth.
Think about streamlining popular services to be able to fit more appointments. For example, if a full colour service typically takes two hours, you might want to consider offering clients a quick refresh instead – IGORA COLOR10 only has a 10-minute processing time, making it the perfect solution for those extra busy days.
Consider combining services into packages. For example, you could offer a trim, express blow-dry and style as a ‘party-prep package’.
Encourage clients to book their appointments early in order to optimize your schedule – you may want to consider offering incentives to help secure appointments well in advance.
Send appointment reminders by text to prompt those who may otherwise be a no-show and maintain a waiting list to quickly fill any cancellations. Book up any gaps in your day by offering special deals and promotions for people who haven’t or can’t book ahead.
Train the team across all areas of the salon so they can help each other during busy times, e.g. prepping the next client whilst the previous client is finishing their service.
Hiring temporary assistants or receptionists can help stylists feel less overwhelmed with administrative tasks during this period and enables them to focus on providing a high-quality service.
Although this period can be hectic, clients should still feel valued, pampered and spoilt during their appointment. Decorating the salon will create an inviting atmosphere, and including small touches such as festive treats, mulled wine or a small complimentary care service will ensure your client feels looked-after and appreciated – ultimately improving the client’s satisfaction and loyalty.
The festive season is a great opportunity to boost your salon’s revenue and build stronger relationships with your customers. It’s important to plan ahead so you can optimize your schedule and focus on efficiency without compromising on quality – so you can start the new year with happy clients and happy staff!
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