Mala McAlpin When it comes to marketing your business, the majority of salon and clinic owners focus entirely on exploring new leads to generate more clients. But often, there is a wellspring of untapped potential within an arm’s reach – all you need to do is look to your existing clients for some assistance.
It’s easy to forget just how useful your current clients can be. You’ve converted them, they’re in the system, and many of them are regulars, so how could they possibly up your client numbers any further? Well if you think about it, many of your regulars are most likely already out there promoting your business for you, for free.
Despite the constant changes to the technology, communications and social media industries, there remains the timeless, unwavering power of word of mouth, and “where do you get your brows/skincare/nails/injectables done?” are still very real, relevant questions that come up in conversation regularly amongst friends. If your clients are happy with the services you provide them, of course they will be sharing the details if somebody asks. This response is, of course, an instant, tangible lead that is likely to result in new enquiries. And there are plenty of ways you can maximise this valuable word of mouth exposure and encourage new leads by looking to your existing database.
Request reviews
If you send a post-treatment follow up email, this is a perfect opportunity to request that clients share their experience via a review. Facebook and Google make this process very simple for consumers, so why not provide clients with links to your coinciding pages and request they share their experience with others? This needn’t be sent only to new/post-treatment clients – depending on your booking system, you should be able to filter customers based on their visit dates, frequency etc. so it may be a good idea to email this request to your loyal followers that you know would love to share some kind words. It may even be worth offering an incentive for clients to complete a review, whether it’s a complimentary gift or discounted service. If you’re nervous to engage in the world of online reviews for fear of negative ones appearing, not to worry – there are ways to combat these, and once you build a successful review portfolio, the rewards vastly outweigh the negatives.
Set up a referral program
A timeless classic that works. Clients love a discount wherever possible, and offering clients a discount for both them and a friend once their referral comes to visit, will usually prove a great success. Don’t forget to mention this program on your website, social media and newsletters.
Keep an eye out for media or ‘Influencers’
If you have any clients that work in the media in the beauty space, take the opportunity to chat to them about editorial. Perhaps they might be working on a piece that requires some quotes from an expert in your field, or maybe you’re offering a new treatment that they might be interested in covering. The same applies to any bloggers or social media Influencers with noteworthy follower numbers – have a chat with them about whether their visit/treatment might be of interest to their audience, and encourage them to tag you in their posts. This will give your business a little boost in credibility, and hopefully in social media engagement as well!
