Customer small business financing solutions delivered through a single, online application.
Loan Types
Free access to multiple funding solutions
See funding solutions from 75+ nationwide lenders with a single application.
Apply for financing, track your business cashflow, and more with a single lendio account.
Home Running A Business How to Build and Retain Your Salon’s Client List
One of the biggest challenges you can face as a stylist is figuring out how to attract and retain customers. No matter how technically skilled or experienced you are, how to build a base of loyal clients often seems like a mystery.
So what does it take to keep clients coming back? To demystify this process, we’ve compiled a few ways to build a loyal following.
Create a Seamless Online Experience
One of the first places your clients will visit is your website. Potential clients should look at your website and gather information about your services, prices, and contact information. Make this process easier by ensuring your website provides everything they need to know about your salon. Additionally, your online booking experience should be simple to navigate. Give customers the flexibility to change appointments as needed and optimize your website for mobile.
Another critical aspect of your business’s online profile is your reviews. More than 91% of people read online reviews before making a purchasing decision. To stand out from your competition, ask your best clients to write 5-star reviews on well-known sites like Yelp and Google.
Develop a Relationship with Your Customer
Clients come to salons not only to look their best but to feel great, too. A key part of your job is to develop a rapport with your customers. Each time recurring customers come to your salon, treat them like it’s their first time sitting in your chair. Maintain a friendly attitude, ask about their personal lives, and frequently check in with your client throughout the duration of their appointment. Studies have shown that people love discussing themselves more than any other subject. Here are a few probing questions you can ask customers to keep them from snoozing in the chair:
By letting your clients know that you genuinely care about their needs, they’ll be less likely to turn to someone else.
Create a Marketing Strategy
A solid marketing plan will help you establish your credibility and give customers a sense of what you offer. Check out these marketing channels you can use to build your brand:
Keep Up with the Latest Trends
The beauty industry is ever-evolving with new products and techniques. By continually sharpening your skills and knowledge, your clients will look to you as a beauty expert. Some of the best ways you can stay informed about the latest trends include attending trade shows, workshops, and classes. Below are a couple of resources you can refer to:
Rebook Appointments
You’ve done your research, marketed your business, and wowed your client. What follows afterward is just as important: booking the next session. Gently remind your customers to schedule a follow-up appointment if they want to maintain their new looks. If all goes well, your client should feel excited about coming in for their next appointment. If you have a resale license, you can also use this opportunity to upsell customers on products to help them maintain their looks at home. Booking regular appointments with your best clients ultimately leads to more revenue for your salon.
Attracting and retaining clients is an end-to-end process. You want to build a seamless customer experience from the moment your clients discover your business to booking their next appointments. By creating and marketing your online presence, developing strong relationships with your customers, and continuing to hone your skills, you’ll never have to worry about finding and keeping great clients.
Zoe Weisner is a burgeoning freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. A former product marketer, Zoe writes about finance and small business-related topics. When she’s not hunched over a keyboard, she enjoys exploring the peninsula and binge-watching Korean dramas with her pint-sized poodle. She has a BA in Philosophy from Smith College.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for industry news and business strategies and tips
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for industry news and business strategies and tips.