NB: This is an article from Gooroo Group
Here are some ideas on how to use Closely for your beauty services business:
1. Take your Offline Promotions Online
You may already run weekly specials, promote special events or offer product discount sales at your establishment. Closely makes it easy to take these offers online, empowering you to reach customers who increasingly access information about local businesses from their computer or mobile device.
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Simply create online offers and post them regularly (and automatically) to your social networks to remind customers of your offers and attract them to the business when you most need it. Your online offers will supplement your offline efforts to increase your overall reach and visibility. Offers may include:
A- Introductory offers for a new stylist, technician or location
B- Holiday promotions (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day)
C- In-store product sales and clearance
D- Specials on a particular new or existing service
E- Special group events (spa party, mother/daughter makeover)2. Promote Your Business to a Wider Audience – Attract New Customers
If you are seeking new customers, Premium Distribution provides a valuable way to deliver your Closely promotions to a wide new audience. You will be able to capture the email address of customers who purchase the deals to promote to them via your own email marketing efforts in the future.
To increase the long-term value of these new customers, give them a chance to sign up for future special offers by signing up for your email list or social networks after their first appointment. For extra VIP treatment, give select happy customers a Private Deal for their next service and give them the option to share with friends who ask about their experience.
These rewards allow you to reward and engage the client on the spot, encouraging repeat business and reducing the chance that your new customers don’t stay “one visit wonders.”
3. Increase your Yield – Manage Your Resources
You want to ensure that your chairs are filled and your staff is busy, but not overwhelmed. Closely allows you to optimize your promotions to:
- Increase business during slower times: Run Offers for particular days and times and set up Deals with bonus times, where customers will receive more value for their voucher than at other times.
- Run special deals to manage product inventory: If you have items that need to be sold, create a promotion for a particular product or product line. Offers and Deals can go live immediately, getting the word out to customer when you need them most.
- Grow and engage your following on social networks: Provide valuable incentives for customers who connect to your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts.
- Integrate with your online booking system: Closely provides a couple of distinct advantages to businesses that use an online booking system:Promote services with high fixed cost or overhead: Some services require expense on your part whether they are being used or not. Creating specials for these services ensures you have a steady stream of appointments and remain profitable.
- The application allows you to upload special codes for Deal purchases that can be entered by the client when they schedule an appointment with your online booker. Including instructions to use this code on the Deal page and voucher will enable you to better manage the new business in your existing schedule, and provide a reminder to staff when the client checks in.
- In addition, the ability to purchase the deal immediately allows customers to buy when they are not yet ready to schedule an appointment, providing you immediate revenue and the promise of a future appointment.
4. Increase Revenue per Customer
Promotional offers don’t have to cannibalize your existing customer revenue—a loyal client doesn’t need a special offer to make a hair appointment with a favorite stylist. When increasing revenue is your goal, upselling and cross-selling to existing customers can achieve results without cutting into regular business. Closely can help as follows:
- Bring your infrequent customers back more often: Increase awareness of your offers and deals by posting them online, on your website, and by distributing them via email, providing clients with a fresh reminder to visit
- Promote luxury services with a higher profit margin: Increase sales of services in your spa where you have more room to discount, but still provide an incentive for a reluctant client to try something new
- Increase your in-store or ecommerce product sales: Encourage sales of the products you use during client services by giving the customer a Private Deal for their first purchase. If you offer online sales of salon products, distribute special Deals and Offers to your email lists and social networks to encourage customers to make a purchase between appointments.
5. Reward your Clients- Create Loyal Customers
It is typically more expensive to acquire clients than to keep them, and in the spa and salon industry, loyalty goes a long way. Closely’s long-term advantage allows you to reward customers and create a loyal customer base. Here are some ways Closely can help:
- Cross-sell complementary services: Create a selection of Private Deal cards to have on-hand for regular clients. When a loyal customer has an appointment for a cut, hand them a Deal for a color service (and vice versa.) Cross-selling with Private Deals lets the client know they are valued, and allows you to sell increase your revenue per client without giving away the services they use already.
- Promote loyalty on your email list: While your regular customers value your relationship and may be apprehensive about presenting an impersonal Daily Deal voucher to you, they will appreciate a special Deal expressly created for them. Sending Deals to your best customers via email gives them a reason to look forward to seeing your updates in their inbox.
- Increase client referrals: Include a URL and/or scannable QR code on your business card that connects to a Closely Deal for new clients. Distribute these to your happy customers so when someone asks where they got that great cut, color or manicure, they can connect the curious prospect to a place to purchase a service instantly.
- Increase your customer base with gift certificates: Offer your clients a special to receive a gift certificate for a friend with a purchase for themselves.