9 Unique Ways for Salons to Attract New Clients

You can be the best hairdresser or nail artist in the world, but it means nothing if you aren’t working to promote your business to new clients.

Are you constantly wondering: “how can I get more clients in my salon?” Do you feel like you’re rinsing and repeating the same marketing strategies as your competitors? Are you looking for salon promotions that actually work? Almost every salon uses the same basic social media marketing techniques. They post on Facebook and Instagram, crossing their fingers that some potential new clients may see it. The problem is that social media is extremely noisy. Everyone’s doing it!

Now that’s not to say you shouldn’t be doing it of course. Used correctly, social media can be very effective. To gain that extra exposure to outperform the competition however, you’re going to have to do something different.

Let’s discover some strategies that will make your salon one of the hottest spots in town!

Exhibit at a hair & beauty show

I’m sure that you have heard of, attended, or at least seen pictures and videos of these events. Either way, setting up an exhibit at a hair show is a great way to increase your salon’s brand awareness and to get your name out there to new clients.

Hair and beauty shows are a great way to demonstrate the talents of your salon’s stylists in an environment where you know everyone attending is very interested in your profession. There is bound to be a tonne of potential new clients in the crowd!

Having plenty of pictures and videos from your exhibit to upload to your website/social media will also do wonders for positioning you as an industry leader in your community.

Have your own YouTube channel

While everyone is busy with their social media channels, don’t forget about the goldmine that is YouTube! It can be time-consuming to create video content, but YouTube is still profitable for many salons. After all, YouTube reaches nearly 2 billion users every single day. We smell an opportunity!

Try posting videos of your hair stylists working on popular hairstyles or even take it a step further and make it a step-by-step tutorial so that it reaches a wider audience (tutorials are always popular!).

Don’t worry too much about your video skills either, often people appreciate when a video looks real and authentic compared to content that is ‘over-edited’ with a bunch of effects added. Just remember that lighting is super-important! Videos are much more effective than still images in attracting audience engagement as well.

EXTRA FOR EXPERTS: Read more about the power of video with these video marketing statistics from 2019.

Posters in popular places

Although it may seem like an aging practice, print media can still be an effective way of getting your name out there. The tricky part is knowing where they will be looked at and read, instead of ignored.

Think about other businesses that have similar clientele to yours. Fitness centres, dance academies, gymnasiums, local cafes, hotel lobbies, etc. If you run a hair salon, you might want to strike up a deal with the local nail salon, and refer clients to one another. Co-marketing is a great way to attract new clients. It’s a win-win situation for both businesses involved.

The simple act of walking around your community and talking to local businesses is a great way to spread the word about your salon. You may be surprised by the number of businesses that will let you put up a poster. The important thing with this tactic is to invest the money into making them look attractive and professional.

Sponsor a charity event

One of the most rewarding moves you can make as a salon is to find a way to give back to your community. It’s going to help those in need, and make your salon stand out to potential new clients.

There are a number of different ways to give back, and you’ll have to find one that you’re most comfortable with. Every community is unique, so might want to ask around to find where you might be able to help most.

One example would be to team up with the local unemployment office, and offer free haircuts to people who are searching for employment. A fresh haircut is a great confidence booster, and can make all the difference in an interview situation.

Update your Google My Business Listing (GMB)

With “salons near me” searches on the rise, make sure you’re showing up when people search for local salons in their area. When people search for your business on Google – to check opening hours, make an appointment, or to find your address– reviews connected to your Google My Business page show up alongside the search results.

Make sure your location and contact details are correct. Link your most popular products and services through your GMB listing. Load up your GMB page with glowing reviews from your clients. After all, five star reviews are powerful social proof. So, get in the habit of asking happy and loyal customers to leave a positive review. Send an automatic follow-up SMS or email to clients and request a review. Include the GMB page link in your message.

Don’t have a GMB page set up? Don’t fret – this salon SEO guide has got you covered.

Promote a Lunch Time Package

Your clients are busy people – a visit to the salon can be a welcomed escape from the hustle and bustle of a work day. Create and promote an express service package that is 30-45 minutes, affordable and something simple that anyone can enjoy on a lunch break. 

Approach nearby businesses and drop off fliers to market your new package. After all, what’s better than sneaking in a quick pamper session between meetings? Your clients will love this service, and so will your salon’s bottom line. 

With Timely, you have the ability to bundle up a single service or a collection of services into a package, which can be sold at a fixed (and often cheaper) price. You can even track package uptake and assess how many have been redeemed over a specific time period.

Run Paid Search Ads

Be present in the moment your prospective clients are searching for you.  Make sure your salon features at the top of Google’s search results. How, you ask? Run a paid search campaign. 

When you set up your search campaign, be specific. After all, you’ll pay every time someone clicks your link, so you’ll want to only show your ad to people that are likely to book with you. For example, target people located within walking distance of your salon. You can also define the specific words a person needs to use when searching. This could include the services you offer in your salon. By being targeted with your ad copy, you’ll increase the chance that when people click your ad (and you pay), the visitor will decide to book with you. 

Extra for experts: Check out Googles’ Ad guideto get started with targeted ads for your salon.

Create an Insta-Friendly Space in Your Salon

In the world of social media, sharing is caring. Want a sure fire way to bring in new business? Having people share pictures from your salon is the best form of social proof you can get.

Set up a space in your salon for people to snap selfies after their service. Invest in a ring light to ensure your clients feel picture perfect when snapping their new do.’ Incentivise your clients to share their post-service selfie. Offer clients who share their selfie a discount off their next service. Make sure your salon has a check in point for Facebook and Instagram. If you’re not sure how to set this up, check out Facebook’s handy guide.

When people share, ask them to @mention your salon’s Instagram handle, use any hashtags you’ve created for your salon, as well as check in to the location. A selfie station generates free, word-of-mouth marketing – think of it as a modern day testimonial.

Advertise on the Radio

Like print media, people often forget how effective radio ads can be. People still listen to their radios during their commute and a captive audience like this is usually paying plenty of attention to help pass the time.

It’s not too difficult to drum up a 30-second clip that could be used on the radio. Often people don’t bother enquiring due to the perceived cost, but if you’re just targeting a local area, it may be cheaper than you think. Make sure you get plenty of honest opinions on what your ad sounds like, as it needs to have broad appeal.

Now that you’ve got a few more ideas to attract new clients, go ahead and try a few out. Whatever you decide on, make sure you spread the word about it on social media as well. Being able to post things like ‘Come see us at the beauty expo!’, ‘Check out our new posters!’, or ‘What do you think of our new radio ad?’, is a breath of fresh air for potential new clients browsing their social media.

Remember, attracting new clients to your salon is all about standing out amongst the competition. Have you discovered a unique way to increase salon clientele? Leave your tips in the comments below!

Do you want an appointment booking software with built-in marketing features? Why not give our software a spin? It even integrates with popular marketing software, like MailChimp and Google Tag Manager! Try Timely today, completely free! No credit card required. No obligations or fixed-term contracts. Start your free trial now.