BUILDING A CLIENT BASE SOFTWARE

One easy way to do this is to make sure your website is quick to load - according to research, slow-loading sites cost retailers nearly £2billion in lost sales.Ĭonsider using booking software so clients can make their booking any time, day or night. The final step to finding new clients is making sure it’s as easy as possible for them to book in with you.

And this means they could easily be converted to ongoing clients.įor a successful refer a friend scheme, you’ll need to put a worthwhile incentive in place: for example a discount for your client and their friend. Not least because, as friends of existing clients, they are likely to fit your target customer profile as well. This is where a refer a friend scheme could help. But with so much competition from other salons, it pays to incentivise your existing customers to spread the word. Word of mouth is a brilliant way of finding new clients, with more than 80% of people saying they trust the recommendations of friends and family. Just make sure you optimise your website by using keywords any potential new clients might type in. Not only can you be totally in control of the appearance of your own site, it will also help people find you on Google. Instead for a really effective online shopfront, you also need your own website. And while it’s great for reaching existing and new customers, it shouldn’t be your only online presence. Over 90 million small businesses use Facebook. With Facebook ads you can create a target or custom audience in your area, so make sure your ad is clear in what it is you’re offering, looks gorgeous and really sets you apart from your competition.Īs with any advertising, set yourself goals and always analyse your results to see how effective your ads were… and if it’s worth doing it again. Not only that, you can send people to specific landing pages to really showcase your business. With pay-per-click adverts (which you can manage through Google Ads), you are actively targeting people who are searching for hair or beauty salons in your area so it’s worth spending money to make sure you appear high up in the search results.

Two ways to target the customers who are likely to book with you is by using Facebook ads and pay-per-click adverts on Google. If you’ve set money aside for advertising your salon, then make sure you’re strategic about how you spend it. If you give your new client a great treatment, chances are they’ll come back. But even if you don’t, why not shout about your walk-in offering on your website and social media channels? This is only really effective if you have a lot of passing trade. And to really entice new customers in, you could offer a discount on any walk-in service. Accept walk insĪn easy way to fill your empty slots with new clients is to advertise the fact you accept walk-ins. When you’ve pinned this down, you can then make sure your photos, logo, colour scheme and website wording all tie in with your brand personality.Ī salon that truly knows who it is and who it’s appealing to is much more likely to find success than one with a confusing and unclear brand. And the starting point for any branding is working out exactly who your customers are: what’s important to them and what will make them walk into your salon. Your salon personality is key in getting new clients through the door. And while it’s great for reaching existing and new customers, it shouldn’t be your only online presence.” “Over 90 million small businesses use Facebook. This will help you build relationships with any potential new customers. Think about creating ‘how to’ tutorials or posting uplifting messages and photos on Instagram. She adds, “We all naturally gravitate to people and brands who are positive. Business coach Liz McKeon recommends being a voice of positivity to stand out among all the bad news overwhelming everyone. Or you may even have had to temporarily close your business.īut that doesn’t mean you can’t find new clients for when things are back to normal! And the easiest way if you’re at home is through social media. With the coronavirus outbreak, you might be finding existing clients are having to cancel. With some of the websites, you’ll also have the option of setting automatic off-peak or last minute discounts to fill your empty slots.

You may have to pay commission or other fees but might decide it’s worth it for the number of new clients you’re reaching. Some of the most popular booking sites include Treatwell, Beyou and the newly launched WhatSalon? Want a ready-made pool of customers just waiting to book in with you? Then the answer could be joining a hair and beauty booking site.

Building a client base