The advertising and how to get clients thread

[Beautification]

Every time i search for advertising i see a couple of threads with a max of like 4 answers so wondered if we were aloud to put it all into one.. I'll start it off with as many as i could think of!

We all need as much help as we can get with finding new clients and which advertising works and which doesn't.

 

[Beautification]

Salon advertising:

-A board
-Website
-Promotional offers
-Offers by text and email
-Sending birthday and Christmas cards with vouchers(or by email)
leaflet drop
-free website's like gumtree.com and vivastreet
-facebook group
-if you do nails make sure you show of your work on your own nails..the same with spray tans and thing's like minx.
-car magnets or stickers
-local magazines that get distributed in your area
-ad in the local newspaper
-hand in leaflets to places like estate agents, travel agents etc(ask the person in charge if they can post in staffroom)
-contact your local schools near to xmas and summer ask about their fairs and have a stall their
-have a digital photo frame in the reception area or on your nail bar for clients to see with pictures of your nails etc.
-free business cards off vistaprint

 

[lisa82]

Hey great idea!! Can't think of anything more at the mo, you've put down all the ones I would say I think! I'll have a think, hopefully someone else will be along soon with more ideas too :hug: x

 

[spn01]

just a couple to add, that don't cost much:

* ask for referrals from your existing client base - ie say you are wishing to expand your business and are looking for a few more clients, I would give them some business cards with a personal message on the back, inviting the friend/referral to the salon. Most clients are more than happy to spread the good word with a smile and they already have the advertisement on their fingers and/or toes or if you are beauty from the service they received.

* a sandwich board sign on the pavement - this worked for me when I arrived in a new town, I had it out for 2 weeks, then the above suggestion worked from there so far.
2 full sets for the price of 1. - i did not discount the full set, the first friend paid the full price and the second friend received free (they can sort out the finances between themselves) this way I had 2 potential clients, sure I got some that just wanted the "cheap" full set, however others were very impressed, rebooked and have become valued clients. I figured I was still making a good return on my time and did not have any unknown return on an advertising bill.

hth's:hug:

 

[Beautification]

They're great ideas, i hope lots of people reply with their ideas of what they think may work or what they have used in the past.

 

[Helen v]

I think they are all nearly covered but also wedding fairs, leisure centres or sports clubs, and nearby hotels or b&b's can all be good for drumming up trade. One of the best promos we have ever done was this new year. We did a mail out to our current customers giving them a £5 reward to recommend a friend who also got a £5 voucher towards their first treatment. I cant think of anything else at the mo that has been particularly successful other than our actual location.

 

[Skidleybop]

Hi there

I've recently set up my own Bio Sculpture nail business in the West Midlands and am very slow indeed. Can anyone help me in terms of free advertising please? I've advertised on the Gum Tree and had 2 clients already, but I would like to know if there are any other good, free sites out there? I'm desperate for clients!:cry:

Thanks

 

[loubylou]

Facebook,
freeindex,

if you google free directory's it brings up loads, hth

 

[Bagpuss]

Free advertising is great but sometimes it is well worth investing some money into advertisiing...do you have a local rag...like a little booklet with all the local businesses in...?? we have one round here called The Directory" and i got alot of work from it. Usually it isn't too expensive either.

 

[VHunter]

Offer a "promotional" set of enhancements to someone that works in the public eye such as: bank teller, waitress, bar, clothing retail sale's lady, etc......

THEN encourage her to 'advertise' you and offer a free infill/rebalance for every 5 referrals that have an appointment with you. Keep her pocket full with a stack of your cards, as many as she can pass out. Encourage her to write her name on them so that potentials can tell you who referred them.

I was lucky, someone referred a waitress to me. Then she referred two of her co-workers. Now I have 3 waitresses advertising for me, while they work. Since they all love nail art, their nails are 'attention-grabbing' and customers enquire about me.

I also have 2 store retailers. Same thing, both love art...

Having these clients has caused a large boom in my client base.

Go to local fundraisers and offer Gift certificates for their raffles. Usually, they'll advertise from where they obtained the prizes. This helped me too.

TAke all the pictures you can of clients nails, even if it's a repeat of something. Tag them on facebook. Then THEIR friends on THEIR friend's list will see their nails and YOUR work.
This has gained me several clients as well.


hth's

 

[wah-nails]

Our biggest advertiser has been our blog. We get many hits on our blog, which our clients, new and old, use as inspiration for when they come in for their treatment. I've been so busy just opening the salon that i have seriously neglected advertising, which i am gonna hit hard in the new year...

Mums is a good one too. A Coffee morning for the few hours the child is at nursery is a good promo...put posters up in school noticeboards...

We've also done MANY events where we get the client (the party organiser) to pay us a fee and we do the party goers complimentary nails. This works well everytime as the queue for nails is usually so large that the nail techs dont have time to see everyone. The girls who are left waiting usually come to the salon in the following few days and pay!

 

[Helen v]

Hi there

I've recently set up my own Bio Sculpture nail business in the West Midlands and am very slow indeed. Can anyone help me in terms of free advertising please? I've advertised on the Gum Tree and had 2 clients already, but I would like to know if there are any other good, free sites out there? I'm desperate for clients!:cry:

Thanks

Hi you could try doing a google search for the service you offer and see how other sites come up, Vivastreet is another good one. With regard to comments about local newspapers or village directories, for us they have been useless however for a friend of mine the village monthly local directory has been brilliant. Our best form of advertising came from advertising on our local radio station. this was expensive but brought us great name recognition, not much actual business at the time though. HTH