Most salon and spa owners know that in today’s digital world, text messaging is a top recommended way for businesses to connect with their clients. But they’re not always sure how to go about it, and they don’t want to risk irritating their customer base with unwanted messages.
Here are our top tips for using SMS messaging to grow a salon or grooming business — without being intrusive.
Create a Dedicated Phone Number for Texting
Your clients don’t like getting a text from an unknown number any more than you do. The most important element of successful text marketing for salons — and yet the most often overlooked — is a phone number dedicated for texting that is unique to each business location. Make sure that number is two-way enabled so clients can text back!
Every text to clients should come from that dedicated number — marketing campaigns, automated notifications, confirmations, reminders, etc. Clients will recognize the incoming message as your business, improving the chances they'll respond and engage.
Provide Ways to Opt In and Opt Out
By federal law, businesses can send marketing texts only to clients who have explicitly opted in to receive them. Plus, they must provide a clear way to opt out at any time. This may sound complex, but it's actually simple. (And, it ensures the client isn’t getting surprise texts they didn’t agree to receive.)
An easy, effective way to obtain client consent to receive texts is to put language beside your online booking button stating that: by booking this appointment, you are opting in to receive operational and promotional texts from this business. Then, make double-triple-quadruple sure you provide an opt-out with every text you send them.
As always, consult with a legal advisor if you’re uncertain as to how the law applies to your business.
Less is More
Your clients may appreciate you, but they don’t want or need to hear from you all the time. Be thoughtful, be judicious, and give them a chance to respond before you hit them up again with the next SMS message or offer.
Have Current Client Info
In a beauty business, staying up-to-date is essential, and that applies to your client info! Make sure you have valid contact information for all clients, including phone numbers.
This may require a bit of cleanup — for instance, an extra step in the check-in process as you validate their contact info. It's always worth the effort to know your messaging is going to your clients, and not some digital black hole.
Pinpoint The Timing
Sending marketing texts at the right time of day is essential. That means identifying the time periods that are the least disruptive to your clients, when they’re more likely to be able to respond and engage.
There is no cookie-cutter “right time” to send a marketing text. That’s determined by your unique client base. You don’t want to shoot a special offer or new service announcement to clients right when they're preoccupied with getting ready for work or picking up kids from school.
Consider the lifestyles, daily schedules, and personal preferences of your clients, and optimize your messaging around the times of day they're generally available.
Create Targeted Campaign Audiences
The number one reason beauty business owners hesitate to use text marketing is fear of seeming spammy.
The best way to avoid that is to remember: Every client doesn’t need to get every marketing text.
Make sure your clients only get texts relevant to them by creating well-defined audiences for different marketing campaigns. Use technology that enables targeted list segments. Then, take the time to create and use them thoughtfully.
That way, your amazing deals on smoothing treatments or pedicures aren't being texted to people who have shown no interest in those services.
Keep Messages Short and On Brand
No one is going to read a long, rambling text. Get right to the point with the purpose of your message. Include one simple, direct call to action paired with a link so they can answer that CTA in the moment.
As far as the content of your messages: don’t get too salesy, and don’t use a tone or language in your marketing texts that you wouldn’t use anywhere else. Your clients have gotten to know your brand voice. The more “like you” your messaging sounds, the more favorably they will respond.
Measure and Refine
Text messaging rarely takes off as a marketing tool for those who just set it and forget it. To really optimize the business-building powers of texting, owners need to evaluate results from every campaign, then use that data to inform future marketing messages.
Make sure your texting technology lets you pull meaningful campaign reports on metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and client response time. This is valuable data that lets you determine how your latest campaign performed, and where you might need to adjust to improve your next one.
Remember, what you don’t measure, you can’t manage.
Jozlyn Miller is the Senior Education Manager for Boulevard, which recently launched text marketing capability to its software for self-care businesses. Get more info here.
