Did you know that it’s 6 to 7 times more expensive to land a new customer than to keep a current one?
In order to stay in business, salons and spas need to be rock stars at retaining clientele. If you don’t have specific processes in place to get customers to stay, then you’re losing out on clients and revenue.
Watch this video to see if you’re committing profit-killing mistakes and learn tips on retaining loyal clients:
Client retention is critical to your salon or spa’s success. Here are our top tips for retaining clients:
HAVE CLEAR GOALS
Is your company vision and mission clear? What about your staff expectations and marketing initiatives? If you or your staff is confused, then it starts showing up in your customer service. And trust me, clients will notice.
Make sure that your team is also aware of their individual goals… what numbers do they need to hit for retail sales and service sales? These are just examples, but make sure they have the tools they need to meet your expectations. If they know what is expected of them, they will be more motivated to perform up to your standards (and your client’s standards).
PROPERLY TRAIN YOUR STAFF
Speaking of your team, are they well trained in your customer service systems? For example, does your front desk have specific instructions on welcoming new clients? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard of people trying a new salon and the person at the front desk was too busy finishing a personal call to bother looking up and greeting them! I can definitely tell you that they did not go back to those salons. (In fact, I think a couple of them just walked right out.) However, people do make repeat visits to the businesses that welcome them by name and offer them something to drink or read while they get checked in.
As salon and spa owners, we also need to make sure that our service staff is well-versed in our customer service cycle. Do your service team members know how to consult on the service they’re providing so that the client feels that his or her needs are being met? Are they upselling without feeling salesy? All of this comes with good training. (And don’t forget to pre-book their next appointment!)
ENCOURAGE CLIENT LOYALTY AND REFERRALS
Do you have a referral program for your clients? Not only are your current clients more likely to stay when their friends are also using your services, but word of mouth is the #1 way to get new, loyal clients. In fact, people are four times more likely to buy when referred by a friend. So if you don’t have some sort of referral program in place, your salon or spa is losing potential and current clients.
SURVEY YOUR CLIENTS
Repeat clients and clients who love your services are also great candidates for leaving positive reviews on Yelp, which is huge for getting new clients into beauty businesses. This is especially key if you’ve had a sour grape ruin your Yelp rating – you need 5 star reviews from your loyal customers to help potential clients realize how awesome you are.
HIRE SECRET SHOPPERS
The idea of hiring secret shoppers can be really freaky to some salon and spa owners. But when you’re in the retail and service business, it can be essential to identifying problem areas in your business. They will see what you can’t see… and provide honest feedback about it.
The secret shopper can point out when your staff is unprofessional or if there’s an uncleaned corner of the salon… before a REAL client notices these things. Have a checklist for the secret shopper to follow so that they know what areas to keep a close eye on.
Having secret shoppers review your salon/spa should be a regular activity, not just a one-time deal — after all, it doesn’t take much for training to be forgotten or key profit areas to be overlooked. We may get busy, but that doesn’t mean our client experience should suffer.
Once you get the responses back from your secret shoppers, share the results with your team and make actionable changes to the way you do things. Follow up with your staff and make sure to praise them on areas they are doing well in.
Ready to hire a secret shopper? Download our Secret Shopper Tool for a secret shopper letter and survey form. You can use our examples as a guide to create your own survey customized to your salon or spa.
So, if you want more of your clients to become repeat clients, start working on the tips we provided above. Remember, client retention is key to a thriving beauty business.
We want to hear from you! Comment below with some of the strategies you use to keep loyal customers coming back. Who are some of your favorite loyal clients? How do you track client retention?
Keep an eye on your email inbox and the Empowering You Facebook Group for our next webinar and upcoming live and virtual training sessions, we’d love to have you join us!
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