It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out or if you’ve been running a hair salon for years, marketing ideas for a salon will have to stay a top priority if you want to run a successful business. However, finding hair salon marketing ideas that actually do what they should—bring in new clients—is not an easy task, and can be extremely time consuming.
Let’s face it, as a sought-after hairstylist such as yourself, you don’t have time to do endless research on the best hair salon marketing ideas to help your business grow, so we’ve done all the work for you.
The bottom line is, no matter how great your in-salon service is, word-of-mouth marketing is not enough and before you know it, your brand will fall behind and you’ll find it harder and harder to make ends meet.
The methods that used to work, don’t any more in this digital age and you need to adapt your hair salon marketing if you want to make it in 2023, including something as simple yet highly effective as offering an online booking option.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we cover all types of hair salon marketing ideas that will ensure you’ll get feet through your hair salon doors.
Hair Salon Marketing Ideas to Keep You on Top of Your Marketing Game
It’s difficult to be different in today’s day and age. That is why you should do whatever you do…better!
So, even you read any of the tips below and think, “I’m already doing this and it’s not working,” or “The hair salon next door is doing it and it’s not working for them,” then keep in mind that everything has been done before; the secret lies in doing it better than anyone else.
1. Build a Website
This is a biggie. If you’ve been in business for a while and don’t have a business yet, then get on it NOW! If you have a website but it hasn’t been bringing in any business (you think), then it’s time to update it; something is clearly not working.
Consider changing the feel. Remember, when your clients visit your website, you want them to experience a taste of what they will when they physically walk into your hair salon. If luxury and relaxation is what you’re going for, then that is what your website should project.
You may also want to consider adding features like online appointment booking and payments to make current and prospective clients’ experience with your salon just so much more convenient and professional. Webba Booking is a great booking and scheduling plugin to consider, especially if you built your own website using WordPress.
Having a website for your hair salon is essential because it puts your business out there—it opens up a wider audience, and makes your business looks more credible and professional. What’s more, it gives you a platform to showcase your portfolio and services, as well as share any specials or promotions you may be running.
As mentioned, you don’t have to spend any money creating a stellar business for your website. WordPress is a great place to turn with many professional templates to choose from, and with plugins like Webba Booking, you can offer your clients what they need to return time and time again and keep your business going.
2. Provide a Loyalty Program
It’s much easier to retain existing clients than attracting new clients. That’s the truth of the matter and if you accept that fact and make plans with that in mind, then your hair salon marketing will be more successful from the get-go.
By offering a loyalty program, your existing clients will feel appreciated for the time and money they spend at your salon every time they get a discount.
It is a cost-effective way to promote your hair salon because the only expense you have is printing the loyalty card and giving up some of your time and of your product (shampoo, conditioner, and styling gel) for the free treatment.
Your clients will feel (and look) like a million bucks after their free pamper session as “thank you” for their loyalty and will most likely book their next appointment while there!
The chances that they’ll recommend you to a friend or family member they’ll see that day is very high, as well, so although you’re targeting existing clients, you may be drawing new feet in a round-about way too, and should any of them show up at your salon…
3. Offer Referral Discounts
Although your client just had a free treatment as part of a loyalty program doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from getting a discount because they happened to bump into a friend on the day and told them all about you.
The bottom line is that if you’re a good hairstylist, your clients are already talking about you. Now, if you’re a good businessperson, you’ll turn that conversation into future appointments by linking it to a discount. One example would be to say for every referral, an existing client gets a 5% discount.
Another example would work much like the loyalty program where there’d be a card and after, say 10 referrals, the client could get a free color, cut, blow and dry.
4. Show Your Business Ethics
Clients love to support businesses that care about similar things they do. By teaming up with charities, you show prospective clients that their money will make a difference, even if just in a small way.
You can use your salon to help raise funds for local chapters of charities, or offer up the space to host events or activities.
Participating in cut-a-thon events is a popular way hair salons have been making a charitable contribution over the years but there are many other ways you can contribute.
Even becoming an environmentally-conscious hair salon and using only products that are good for the environment will boost your brand image and draw a specific type of client to your salon. People want to take care of the planet and are looking to spend money at places that want to do the same.
5. Encourage Salon Selfies
Yes, you need a selfie station in your salon. Let’s face it, our world is dominated by social media and you want your brand to be along for the ride.
So, choose a wall, plaster it with your logo and flashy lights and décor—make it scream your brand’s image—and then get every client to take a selfie there after you’ve worked your magic. To take it a step further, create a custom hashtag and get your clients to use it when they upload their photos to their social media.
That way all your great work will be easy to find and available for the world to see. Exactly what you want!
6. Allow Online Bookings
We touched on this earlier, but this is such an excellent and overlooked marketing idea that it needs its very own moment. Allowing your clients to make salon bookings online gives them a level of freedom many people take for granted.
The ability to do it whenever, wherever. For example, a woman just bumps into her friends who got her done for free at her go-to hairdresser as part of a loyalty program. Her friend thinks she looks amazing and decides on the spot she has to go.
She does a quick search for the hair salon, finds the website, and sees they do online bookings. Two quick clicks later and she has an appointment for the next day at 3 pm.
This is only one of the benefits of including an online booking system but this benefit should be enough reason for you to check out Webba Booking. The appointment email or SMS reminder functions are also great options to consider as it can ensure that your clients remember exactly when they’re supposed to be sitting in front of you.
But you can use it in another interesting way: to include short hair care and styling tips as value-add to your clients when you remind them of their appointments. You see, the more you give to your clients, the more you get.
Final Thoughts
Coming up with smart hair salon marketing ideas can leave you scratching your head. As mentioned, most things have been done before and it is extremely difficult (near impossible) to come up with something that hasn’t been done before.
That is why you should take what has been done, try to find a new angle, and if that isn’t possible, just try to do it better than anyone else. Another great tip is to use whatever you can to help you.
For example, WordPress is great if you want a professional looking website but you don’t have the money to pay someone else to build you one. Similarly, Webba Booking is an appointment booking plugin with so many features, it will optimize your time, automate your business, and offer your clients the convenience they need.
Whatever you do, be persistent. Most people give up because they don’t see results right away. Success takes time. You’re not going to achieve it if you give up in a few days or weeks.
