We have been opened for close to 4 months now and have roughly about 1300 customers to date. As winter is here, its much slower than summer for pedicure, manicures, waxing, and other services that we offer.

As i was thinking of doing email blast to current customers and offer them "Bring a friend that has never been into our salon, and your service is free" Not any service, but equivalent service that is purchased by a new customer.

What do you think of that to increase our clientele list? Or what should I run for winter time?

Hey,

I would work on getting existing clients to have more regular treatments. I find that clients have waxing, pedicures and manicures all year round once they get into a routeen. I would have thought that with that many clients on your books it is client retention you need to look at- a way to get current clients to come back to your salon through a loyalty scheme or money off repeat bookings. I would not give away completely free treatments with an introduce a friend offer I would give a discount but not a free treatment as the treatment becomes undervalued when it's give away.

I did that for January a few years back.

Refer a friend cards, it was a small folded card, they cut it into 2. The referred friend bought their half and it had their friend's name printed on the top (was very time consuming but looked fab). When they redeemed it they got 20% of their treatment. Then the next time the existing client visited I gave them 50% off.

I found that people dragged their friends along and some even paid for their treatments, can't think of any that remained clients and the ones that did return for a second treatment either didn't turn up or cancelled at the last minute.

Would I do it again? Nope!

Someone I know kept going to the same salon as she got a stamp each time and a bonus at the end. This may work for some people. I go back because I like the treatment.

I have a punch card which gives a way french or design on the 5th visit, and on 10th visit, they earn free manicure.

Just so slow in winter months, and would like to increase business by doing something for the current customers. any ideas?

Hi, we ran a recommend a friend scheme last year. We sent out letters to existing clients thanking them for their support and asking them to recommend a friend . In doing this they would be rewarded with £5off their treatment as would their friend. I have to say this has been the best promotion we have ever done both in terms of generating new clients and getting old clients back in the salon.

Good luck with your promo.

Instead of offering a free treatment, you could offer them a complimentary treatment to the value of £xx or put on their card a treatment they haven't taken yet and give them £5 off, such as an ebw or l&b tint or mini mani/pedi, something that won't cost you a lot in product or time but they will take as perceived value. If you gain a new client, great, if not your existing client may just make the complimentary/money off treatment a regular thing.

You'll never know unless you try and if it does work, great, keep on doing it. If it doesn't, try it once more. If it still doesn't work, ditch it and try something else, but remember to evaluate everything you try and keep a record.

xx

We do recommend a friend cards. They get handed out to existing clients, if they rec. a new client, the new one get's 10% off their 1st treatment and we credit £5 on existing clients a/c, which they can spend in-salon.

It's really popular and word of mouth is best (add cheapest) way of getting new clients. I know some people that do a 20% off for new and existing clients, but I think existing clients see £5 as a more solid offer. Avegarge spend of our clients is £25, so this is 20% anyway and new clients get the 10%, but it's the existing clients that are selling for you.

If you need a hand with wording etc., let me know. x

Our best result came from our rec a friend scheme where we sent a bunch of flowers rather than a discount. Worked an absolute treat. Plus I did a deal with the local florist for a discount.

Hey,

Refer a friend campaigns are great.

As to what you do to incent people it's simple...

- Free to open the flood gates.
- Degrees thereafter to close them.

IF you KNOW how much a client is worth to you after they've had theire first treatment you can work out if the free offer makes sense.

And it can drive ya comptition mad.

The key is getting to buy something at the free treatment and/or getting them booked back in straight away.

As long as you frame it right a free offer won't devalue your treatments either.

However, if you don't do an awesome job, or you or your staff don't sell and rebook - it can be a bug wastes of time.

Hope that helps.

Brend x

What I have done is give each client 2 recommend a friend cards. They give it to their friend who gets 20% off their first treatment then the existing client gets £5 off their next treatment. Seems to go down well and so far quite a few of the new clients have been back again. I'm thinking of going thru my consultation cards and sending out maybe a 20% off voucher to anyone who hasn't been in the last 6 months or something like that