We’re creeping up on the time of year filled with ringing bells (door bells from the Amazon delivery guy, of course) and probably our busiest month in the salon—when every client rides the thin line of Cindy-Lou-Who-level happiness and a Say Yes to the Dress holiday special, gone wrong. Chances are you are one of the ones who fell victim to the holiday's sneak attack, and you're now low-key panicking while trying to pretend you’re too cool for holiday sales anyways.
Well panic no more, here are a few small tips to make your holiday season sales a hit.
Give them some extra wiggle room
There are some small things, like extra long return windows, that can make your customers feel cared for and also not so stressed about when they purchase. We personally love offering no-questions-asked product returns through January 15th on any gifts bought after November 15th. If they aren’t stressed about whether it can be returned on time, they’re more likely to purchase now and less likely to forget that awesome gift idea they stumbled across in your salon.
Give them some starting points
Just like you stage a house so someone can picture themselves in it, you should also give your customers the same leg up on gifting ideas! We love printing small gift guides with our favorite go-to product combos and having a dedicated areas devoted to “best sellers”, “for him” and “treat yo self” ideas. (psst, don’t tell me you’ve never bought yourself a stocking stuffer or two). If you have a website, make sure your home page reflects limited time sales and specials as well as bringing that gift guide to the digital side! Remember to include key terms like “while supplies last” so they know that they might miss out if you wait until the last minute.
This season is a time for giving
Consider doing a specialized giveaway this season. They don’t take a lot of preparation, just a solid plan.
Idea #1: The Countdown The traditional 12 days of Christmas/festivus giveaway. Depending on your product spread, you can have a particular product on sale each day, a different kit on sale each day, or sell by line/ The key to this is letting people know the sale is coming in advance so they can prepare and game plan for their biggest wish list items.
Idea #2: Give & Receive Giveaway Have your clients submit a nomination on social media tagging your salon, explaining why your friend deserves some pampering, how they when above and beyond for others, etc… for a chance to win an epic makeover day for you and a friend. Not only will you get some killer referrals, but you get to give back and it’s an amazing story to share of how your brand likes to lift those around them.
Idea #3: Partner with a local business Think of it this way, you both don’t have to work very hard to get double the foot traffic. You could partner with a local restaurant or wine bar to offer a “pamper package” or “date night special” with a service gift certificate and a bottle of wine or a specialized dinner certificate. We’ve found these do well in more affluent areas that are looking for more experiences and less stuff.
Bonus: Offer some gift wrapping or bags without your logo on it. While it’s tempting to see your pretty brand everywhere you can, you want to be remembered as the place with the amazing gifts, not the gift that we had to hide behind the tree.