How to Convert New Salon Clients Into Regulars

Salons need fresh faces to stay open, but the ultimate goal of most salon owners is to attract a core number of regular customers.

With so many salons and spas, it can be hard to convince clients to stay loyal to you, even if you offer impeccable service.

This is why you have to go above and beyond to make the client experience at your salon worth repeating.

However, it’s not all about the way you do nails or lashes.

To convert new clients into regulars, you should show them how your salon provides more value than the competition. Pre-bookings and discounts are just some of the ways you can achieve that.

So, let’s take a closer look at five excellent methods to keep your clients returning.

Leave a Great First Impression

Wowing the customer from the moment they walk into your salon with a warm approach and excellent service doesn’t only leave a great first impression; it can also turn the newcomer into a regular.

Since there’s no second chance for making a first impression, you have to ace it immediately.

The first step towards this goal is a warm welcome.

You should greet your clients as soon as they enter the salon to show you’ve acknowledged their presence.

This may seem trivial, but a warm welcome is an essential part of great customer service.

Next, you’ll be able to leave a lasting impression by showing that you treat each client as an individual.

You can, for instance, use consultations to determine what treatments would benefit a client the most and adjust your approach according to their preferences.

For example, the staff at Evolve Salon and Spa in Virginia consult with clients before each treatment, regardless of the service.

Source: Evolve Salon and Spa

Bear in mind that even some subtle elements of service in your salon play a role in creating great first impressions, such as the attitude of your staff.

Encourage them to approach clients with positivity and confidence, always giving them undivided attention.

According to Kristi Valenzuela, a salon consultant, first impressions can make or break the client’s experience.

Here is a list of mistakes she commonly sees that dim that first impression:

• Lack of consistency between team members
• Poor language and communication skills
• Lack of knowledge on services, products, and pricing
• Failing to go above and beyond with the guest experience
• Poor systems at check out

By eliminating these mistakes, you’ll let the quality of your services shine through.

So, if you want to convert new clients into regulars, you have to give them a reason to come back. Every detail matters, so it’s important to personalize your approach.

Hopefully, the effort you put into creating a spotless first impression will result in many returning clients.

You can see real-life proof of how impactful this can be in the salon review featured below.

Source: TripAdvisor

As you can see, the client in question tried several salons in the area and clicked with none of them.

But when she visited Camden Beauty Spa, the combination of a great first impression and a satisfying treatment converted her into a repeat client.

On the whole, even though your services are the crucial component of the success of your salon, don’t underestimate the significance of the little things that form the client experience.

Ask For Their Feedback

You can convert new clients into regulars by asking them for feedback and taking it into account. This practice will improve their next experience and show you value them as a client.

There’s no growth without feedback.

Feedback, whether positive or negative, is an excellent stepping stone for your decisions regarding your salon’s future.

Positive feedback lets you know which practices to keep. For instance, if one client liked the complimentary drinks you provide, others would probably enjoy them as well.

Negative feedback, on the other hand, can help you determine where your salon can improve. You shouldn’t be afraid of it; use it as a learning experience instead.

The following image shows an excellent example of what negative feedback can do when you acknowledge it.

Source: Google

When the client first visited the salon, she had a complaint and voiced it to the receptionist.

By her next visit, the problem was resolved, and she was able to enjoy the treatment—so much so that she even left a five-star review to show other clients that the salon is willing to cater to their needs.

Note that the owners responded to the review and thanked the client for the feedback, proving they care.

So, how can you collect feedback, seeing that some clients are hesitant to speak their minds?

Luckily, all you have to do is ask.

You should ask the clients if they’re happy with the service. Encourage them to share if they have any suggestions, or if there is anything they especially liked.

Sometimes just the awareness that someone wants to hear what they have to say will be enough to entice them to speak their minds.

Another way to get feedback is with online reviews. You can ask the clients to post reviews on Google Maps, your Facebook page, or your website.

Provide clients with direct links from your website to make the process more convenient, as this English salon and spa did.

Source: Obsession Salon & Spa

Asking for feedback shows clients you value their opinion and are willing to improve.

Online reviews are especially significant because they affect how potential clients see your salon.

In other words, they can shape your salon’s reputation, so do your best to read them and respond.

Still, don’t forget that feedback is only beneficial if you act on it. By implementing improvements based on client feedback, you demonstrate your dedication to their comfort.

Offer to Book Their Next Appointment Right Away

When you leave booking their next appointments to your clients, you risk seeing them months later than you’d like, if at all.

So, to ensure they return, you should offer to book the next appointment for them while they’re still in the salon.

The timing of your pre-booking offer also matters.

Some beauticians choose to offer pre-booking at the end of the appointment, while the client is paying.

However, Elizabeth Morris, a salon owner, advises against this practice.

In her podcast, she talks about how waiting for the last moment rarely brings success.

The client is already thinking about their next errands, and if you asked them to pre-book at checkout, they’d probably say: “I don’t know my schedule yet; I’ll just call in.”

That way, months can pass before the client returns.

Instead, Morris suggests finding the right time during the appointment to bring up booking the next one.

“In every type of beauty service, there’s a moment in the middle where there’s a lull, like when nails are soaking or the client is wearing a mask before a facial. These are your opportunities to tell them who you are and why you want them back.”

You could explain that pre-booking allows them to ensure they have an appointment regardless of how busy they or you are.

However, booking the next appointment too much in advance carries the risk of the client forgetting about it. You can prevent no-shows with appointment reminders.

Our booking solution, Zoyya, sends clients automatic reminders before each appointment. This helps reduce no-shows while allowing beauticians to focus on salon work.

All in all, offering to book appointments in advance is a reliable way to turn new clients into regulars.

It means more traffic for your salon because you can shorten the time between the appointments.

The clients also benefit from pre-bookings; they get to avoid frantic last-minute booking and keep their look fresh for as long as possible.

Incentivize Them to Return

The best way to attract clients back to your salon is by giving them small rewards, such as discounts or complimentary services.

However, this strategy is only effective if clients redeem the incentives during their next appointments.

You can see many salons offering a discount for first-time visitors. Here’s an example of a 25% discount that the hair salon Studio 6 provides to new guests.

Source: Studio 6

However, while this technique can help you acquire new clients, it will do little to help you turn them into regular customers.

To entice the clients to come back, it’s better to offer discounts for future services.

For instance, this association of London beauty salons offers 10% off at all locations to clients who book the next appointment in advance.

Source: Live True London

A ten percent discount won’t damage your salon, but it can motivate clients to book your services again.

Similarly, you could provide coupons for small complimentary services to present the next time the client returns.

Such services could include hand massages, scalp massages, or any other treatments that don’t require much time or product.

An additional popular incentive is a friend referral discount, like the one in the image below.

Source: Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa

As the image shows, all Mitchell’s Salon clients get 20% off when they refer a friend, but only after the friend has visited.

To sum up, people like receiving discounts and freebies.

Knowing that, you should find a way to work incentives into your salon’s offer to prompt clients to become regulars.

Start a Loyalty Program

If you want to achieve client loyalty, it’s wise to reward it.

Loyalty programs will help you establish relationships with the clients and give regular clients something in return for supporting your business.

For example, many teleoperators are quick to offer discounts or lower rates to attract new customers while neglecting the existing ones.

Fortunately, the beauty industry views clients as more than money generators.

Salon workers and managers have a more personal relationship with clients and are therefore more appreciative of loyal clients.

A great way to show this appreciation is through loyalty programs.

Stamps, points, physical cards, virtual point base; there are multiple ways to implement a loyalty program in your salon.

The element all these variations have in common is that your customers collect points and later redeem them for discounts or products.

That way, you encourage clients to keep returning to your salon.

Loyalty programs are completely customizable, and you can tailor one according to the services you offer.

For instance, this Australian hair salon uses physical cards and allows clients to redeem rewards after collecting four stamps.

Source: The Lounge & Co

If you’re worried that bringing their cards to each visit would be too much of a commitment for them, you could go with a digital system for tracking points and rewards, as Zeka, a Washington-based salon and spa, does.

Source: Zeka Salon & Spa

The spa makes the point collection process effortless. They track the points; the only thing the clients have to do is keep coming for treatments.

Likewise, consider simplifying the registration process as much as possible.

Customers don’t like spending time filling in registration forms, so you should either enter them into the program automatically or only collect crucial information.

Either way, once you enter a client into your customer base, you’ll be able to re-engage them along the line and inform them about new products or promotions they may have missed.

Conclusion

Good salons know how to attract new clients, while excellent ones know how to convert new clients into regulars.

If you want your clients to return, you should make them feel valued.

You can do this by asking for their opinions and taking them into consideration when planning improvements for your salon.

A different aspect of client retention is showing them what they gain by being a regular.

Walk them through your loyalty programs or discount schemes to let them know how grateful you are for their business.

To conclude, the key to converting new clients into regulars is making sure they’re happy in your salon and providing them with benefits they can’t find elsewhere.