Friday 7 December 2007

Nail it this Christmas



It seems every year Christmas comes around all too soon, and we are dragging out the tired old decorations and same old special offers, in the hope we can inspire and entice clients to have something wonderful and new. Traditionally ‘Party time’ the Christmas holidays and new year festivities can only mean a boost to your business and with a little enthusiasm and encouragement, our clients will look good and feel great as they step out the doors of our salons.
Offer
It is best to start early reminding people to think ahead. Sending out a newsletter to introduce some exciting new Christmas offers and products is a start, and ideally done at the beginning of November. Special offers don’t just have to be for funky fingers and relaxing treatments…tie two treatments together and offer discounts, never give your time away, just tailor the treatment for the occasions. Every little black dress is accompanied with some slinky sandals; offer a pedicure along side your manicures and some toe art with a bit of bling. Nail extensions and eyelash tints or waxing with manicures, all your skills can be utilized. With a straight ‘money off’ discount for both, your diary will fill up in no time. You must also remember these clients might just enjoy their new experience and rebook again. New bookings or referrals are also a great way to offer a discount and attract new business, as this is an expensive time of year, any savings are welcome. In my experience the clients will always end up spending more any way; with additional encouragement from you to purchase stocking fillers, gift vouchers and other treatments during their appointment.

Gift vouchers will go along way to maintain your business during the quiet times, all those purchased vouchers have to be redeemed in the New Year, with potential new clients and a busy diary for January. Remember the husbands and boy friends find it increasingly difficult to buy for their partners, and a healthy gift voucher for their loved one can save them the trauma of ‘getting it wrong…again’. Offer a discount on your Vouchers, perhaps 10% off if they buy over £30. This will increase revenue over the busy period without having to work the extra hours. And when everything calm’s down in the New Year, you will be able to give more time and energy for your new clients, whom, fingers crossed, become loyal. Your diary should start filling up now, get all our regular clients to pre book their appointments until February, thus avoiding disappointment. You must prepare for the new business your promotions will bring in so pre plan your New Year offers and by mid December start promoting them.

Promote
Decorate your salon with products and get your clients in the mood, dressing the tree with mini bottles of polish hung with a pretty ribbon, which can all be sold before Christmas, is a neat and effective idea, you could have a couple of mini trees, all colour coordinated. Hang glass or silver Christmas balls in your window and with nail varnish decorate them, showing your special offers and discounts, in the new winter colour range. Buy a little gift for your regulars to encourage loyalty, wrap them and leave them under the tree until their appointment. Send out a Christmas card to your entire data base, regardless of who they are, and remind them of your special offers. Even those clients who have not visited you on a regular basis would welcome a card and invitation to book. Two weeks before Christmas offer mince pies to your clients while they wait, mulled wine, hot chocolate and marshmallows create a little bit of heaven, in this hectic and frenzied period. Offer them a treat and make them feel special and wanted.

And Apply
These Holidays are a perfect excuse to get out the bling and sparkle your way through the dark nights, but not all of your clients would enjoy having design nails. Offer them something different, a little bit extra… holly or snowflakes on just one finger might just entice them to be more adventurous! Christmas gives you endless ideas for nail art, hand painted or 3D. Have your glitter acrylic powders out and ready, reds and gold’s go perfect with anything you would wear, as long as it twinkled, and the darker the colours this winter the better, metallic’s and chocolate, purples and greens. Lead by example, wear your nails with pride, and show off those perfect 10. Clients can not visualize how design nails will look, and if you indulge your inner fantasist, maybe they will too.

I wish you a great Christmas this year, and hope it is a profitable success, remember attitude is everything, make your customers feel special and your business will shine.




This article was written for and published in the December 2007 addition of Health and Beauty salon Magazine.

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