14 Effective Ways to Attract New Clients to Your Beauty Salon

Attracting new clients is probably the biggest challenge in the beauty industry. Sure, you have your regulars, but you’ve probably noticed that the list decreases over time. Your clients might move away, change habits or simply disappear.

To back this up, we’ve looked at some statistics for you, and it turns out that beauty salons lose 10-25% of their clients every year. Don’t worry; this is completely natural, and there’s not much you can do about it.

However, while you can’t stop your clients from leaving, you can always attract new ones, and below are 14 effective ways to do just that, so keep reading.

Target Your Desired Clientele With Social Media Ads

Social media marketing is becoming a powerful marketing tool for good reason. For instance, research shows that an average person spends at least 50 minutes a day on Facebook.

We advise you to use this information to your advantage and advertise your salon through social media ads.

Facebook and Instagram ads allow you to target their users by age, interests, and location. Therefore, you can handpick the type of client you want to focus on with your ad.

For example, you can target clients near your location and offer a discount on their first visit. Everyone loves a good deal, and you will attract lots of new clients from your area in this way.

Below is a very good example of this.

Source: adchief.io

The ad appears on the feeds of users who fit the desired customer profile in the set location, thus increasing the salon’s chances of reaching more clients.

In short, social media ads are a great way to get some new clients in your salon, and you even get to choose what type of client you want to attract.

Create a YouTube Channel

You might not realize this, but YouTube is a potential goldmine when it comes to attracting new clientele to your salon.

Creating YouTube content can be quite time-consuming, so many salon owners focus only on their social media accounts. Here is your chance to outshine them since YouTube can be very profitable for your salon.

Regarding your video content, there are several things you can do. For instance, you can make a video of your employees doing some popular treatments.

Another thing YouTube is famous for are tutorials. People love to learn new beauty tips and tricks, and you can really show off your expertise in a tutorial. Below is a good example showing how to do a facial, step by step.

When it comes to filming and editing, you really don’t have to be a professional. People don’t care that much about these things, and a less staged approach is often better. However, good lighting is a must!

All in all, you can’t go wrong with creating a Youtube channel for your salon, and you’ll get some new clients in no time.

Keep Your Google My Business Listing up to Date

You probably know how important it is to have a listing on Google Business. However, many salon owners neglect to keep it up to date.

Over time, you will probably change your working hours, phone number, prices, or even location. Sure, your regular clientele will be familiar with the changes, but your potential new clients might not be.

You see, you can attract many new clients thanks to Google. For instance, ”salon near me” searches are powerful because they are highly likely to entice people to seek out your services.

Source: Google

When your potential clients google salons near them, you want them to find only relevant information necessary to book an appointment.

Imagine if you changed your salon's phone number and forgot to put the new number on your Google my business listing.

A potential client would try to reach you on your old number, get frustrated, and find another salon, one that updates their information. Wouldn’t that be a shame, especially since you can easily avoid this type of situation?

Simply put, be diligent about keeping your Google listing up to date because otherwise you might lose potential clients.

Invest in Pay-Per-Click Ads on Google

Speaking of Google, investing in pay-per-click ads is another tried and true way of attracting new clients to your beauty salon.

Wouldn’t you like to have your salon show up when someone looks up “best brow technician in my area?”

To achieve just that, you should run a paid search campaign. Since you are paying, you’ll want only people who are most likely to become your new clients to see your ad, so be specific when you set it up.

Make sure to define the keywords needed to find your salon. For example, you can include specific services that you offer. If, for instance, lash lifts are your expertise, make sure everyone in search of a good lash lift sees your ad.

Source: Google

When you’re using Google Ads, you are promoting your salon to people who are already searching for one, so make sure that they find yours and that your ad sparks their interest.

Set Up an Instagram-Worthy Spot in Your Salon

In this day and age, the power of taking selfies cannot be ignored. So, setting up an Instagram-worthy spot in your salon is a really cool way of attracting new clients.

The best way to do that is to craft up a selfie wall! This should motivate your clients to take selfies and share them on Instagram, which will get you some new clients in return.

Now, remember that the photos your clients take spread the word about the quality of your services, so make sure you show them in the best light possible. Or, to be precise, in the best lighting possible to make sure they’re really looking their best.

Also, get some props for your selfie wall; you don’t want a blank canvas. For example, some flower decorations will go a long way, like in the example below.

Source: Instagram

Finally, don’t forget to put the name of your salon on the wall and just sit back, relax and wait for the new clients to start rushing in.

Advertise in Popular Places

Even though social media is taking over the advertising industry, regular advertising is not dead, so don’t forget to promote your salon in some popular places.

This can be tricky and needs to be done smartly. You need to find places where your ads will be seen and read, not ignored.

Think about all the places with a similar clientele to yours and place posters or leave leaflets there. Fitness centers, local coffee shops, hotel lobbies, and malls are all excellent places to advertise your services.

Source: Pinterest

As you can see in the photo above, you should use posters and leaflets to promote ongoing or seasonal offers. Also, always invest some time and money into making your flyers and posters look professional and attractive.

In conclusion, advertising in popular places will get you some new clients for sure, just be smart about it and do it in the right places.

Attend Various Shows

Beauty shows are a great way to show off your employee’s skills, and you can be sure that everyone attending will be interested in what you have to offer. So try to make an appearance in as many as possible.

But there is no need to stop there; you should attend all the shows where your services are relevant. Wedding shows, fashion shows, etc., are also great places to demonstrate your expertise.

Source: theweddingcommunity.com

Not only will you meet a multitude of potential clients during the shows, but you will also be able to use the footage afterward. So make sure that you take plenty of pictures and upload them on your social media.

Having photos from the shows will go a long way in making you seem more professional, and do wonders for your reputation. Potential clients will be able to see that you’re up to date with all the new trends, which will launch you to the top within your niche.

So, remember, attending various shows is a must if you want to get noticed by new clientele.

Get Involved in Community Events

Believe it or not, getting involved in community events can also attract new clients to your beauty salon.

Giving back to the community is a beautiful, selfless act. It’s also an act that will make your salon stand out in the eyes of the consumers.

There are numerous ways you can do this, for instance, by hosting a fundraiser or organizing a charity event. For example, a free manicure for the residents of a local retirement home is a great way to show off your skills but also the kindness of your heart.

Source: grayingwithgrace.com

You can also host a fundraiser for a sick member of your community and offer your services in exchange for raising money for medical care.

Another thing you can do is to sponsor a team. For example, The Local Honey, a hair salon from North Carolina, sponsors a dance team, and we are pretty sure that they are getting lots of new clients thanks to that.

Basically, if you do good deeds, you will definitely get new clients in return.

Partner up With Other Salons in Your Area

It might sound counterintuitive, but it might be a good idea to partner up with other salons from your area in a joint effort to attract new clients.

For the best results, we suggest partnering up with a beauty salon that offers different services than you. For example, if you own a brow salon, you might want to partner with a hair salon.

Source: creativeimages.edu

The idea is that you promote each other to your clients. They already trust their stylists and will likely listen to their recommendations. Besides, what could be better than pairing a great hairstyle with beautifully shaped eyebrows?

So a hair salon can have posters and flyers for your brow services and recommend your salon to their clients looking for some top-notch eyebrows.

All in all, you should look into partnering up with another salon because it will bring you some new clients for sure.

Host a Giveaway

One thing’s for sure; everyone likes free stuff, so another way to catch the attention of new clients is to host a giveaway.

You can give away a gift card, a free service, discounts, a pamper day at your salon, or some luxury products.

The best place to host a giveaway is, of course, on social media. Facebook and Instagram are your go-to networks for this purpose.

All you need to do is come up with a great post and ask your followers to like it, comment on it and share it. Don’t forget to ask them to tag their friends because in this way you can get some new followers and therefore potential new clients as well.

Below is an example of how to do it.

Source: Facebook

Freebies require a small investment, but they’re sure to pay off in no time with some new clients filling up your calendar.

Come Up With Creative Promotional Packages

Creative promotional packages are a great way to entice your existing clients and attract new ones.

Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day are all great opportunities to create a promotional package.

Below is an example of a Mother’s Day package that offers full service for a discount price. With this package, lots of daughters made their mothers feel special and appreciated.

Source: Pinterest

You can post about your promotional packages on your social media accounts and make flyers and posters.

It’s also important to mention that you should start planning your promotions 6-12 months in advance and be creative. For instance, you can add a unique mother-daughter ageless facial to your Mother’s Day package.

You don’t even need a particular date to do promotional packages. You can promote a lunchtime package instead, for example.

People are busy, and they will love the idea of getting something done on their lunch break. An express service package in 30-45 minutes should do the trick.

To sum up, promotional packages can be an excellent opportunity to attract new clients if you’re creative enough.

Make Booking an Appointment a Breeze

Once new clients find you, it’s your job to make booking an appointment easy and fast for them.

Traditional phone call bookings can be an annoyance for busy clients, mainly because they can make an appointment only during working hours.

Also, you don’t want to lose potential clients because the line was always busy when they called, so they just gave up.

To avoid these situations, you can add a “book now” button on Google My Business or offer reservations on your website.

However, our recommendation would be to use a booking app. Created with salons in mind, booking apps are developed to allow your clients to select treatments and book their appointments by themselves.

Our own booking app Zoyya does exactly that and much more, so make sure to check it out.

Source: Zoyya

In short, booking apps and other online solutions will make your life easier and save you a lot of headaches—while getting you a lot of clients.

Incentivize Word-of-Mouth Referrals

The best possible promotion your salon can have is a loyal, satisfied client. Statistics show that 92% of people rely on word-of-mouth referrals before making a purchasing decision.

Sure, your clients will encourage their friends and family to visit your salon, but you can take this a step further.

Online ratings and reviews are probably one of the best ways to attract new clients. Everyone wants to go to a good salon, and the best way to find one is to keep an eye on reviews. So make sure to ask your clients to leave them on your website or social media.

Just look at the reviews for this nail salon—don’t they make you want to go there?

Source: ttcnailsspamarlborough.com

You can also start rewarding the clients who bring new people to your salon. For example, you can offer them a one-time discount and do the same for the new client they are bringing.

So, yes, referrals are one of the best ways to promote your business and should not be overlooked.

Partner With an Influencer

With the growing power of social media, one of the best ways to make your salon stand out is to partner with an influencer.

Beauty influencers have hordes of followers, meaning they have unrestricted access to a whole pool of clients you haven’t met yet.

We all know that influencers look perfect and that an average consumer wants to have their skin, nails, or eyebrows. So, clearly, having an influencer promoting your salon will do wonders for your business.

Furthermore, you don’t even need to use big names; a local influencer will do just fine since they are easier to partner with, and add an air of authenticity to the entire endeavor.

Just picture a beautiful popular micro-influencer posting a photo of her perfect skin or nails and tagging your salon.

Source: sunnystorm.marketing

While making sure the influencer tags your salon in their post is crucial, other things are also important. For instance, you should always make sure that they also check in to your salon when posting and to use specific hashtags if you have some.

Influencer marketing is one of the hottest trends for beauty salons right now, so don’t hesitate to harvest this powerful resource.

Conclusion

Attracting new clients is one of the biggest struggles for every beauty salon.

Keeping your calendar full is a never-ending battle, especially now, with the pandemic. You simply need new clients to stay in business.

To help you out, in this article, we’ve listed 14 effective ways that will attract some new clients to your salon in no time. We hope these tips will do their part in keeping your calendar full, and your clients happy.