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S.T.I.R. (Strategies to Improve Revenue) is a clever little acronym we created to help you adopt the mindset needed to move forward with your tanning beauty business in a new, much different retail environment.
Let’s face it, business as we once knew it has changed and operating your salon after this crazy pandemic requires you to adapt your way of thinking. The reality is that the upcoming months will bring many new challenges and this may lead to slower days, weeks and even months; but in order to stay retail relevant, we need to accept the New Normal – as bizarre as it may seem.
To boost their bottom line and invigorate sales, salon operators are constantly looking for new ways to incentivize customers to spend more. On average, with 30-40% of typical clientele still coming to tan, it’s important to reach out to these existing loyal customers, offer great deals to new and existing customers, and ramp up your marketing efforts to refresh your name in everyone’s minds. And YES, it is possible to take advantage of the months ahead because it is a great time to focus on your current customers and take charge of online, Facebook and curbside sales while everyone is so conscious of supporting local/small businesses. Just because your doors are now open doesn’t mean you should stop online, Facebook and curbside sales … in fact, it’s vital to make this the New Normal!
If you haven’t already, it’s time to organize your database and beef up your email, text, online and social media marketing campaigns! Your social media following and email/text list are crucial tools for reaching out to your existing clientele, gaining new followers and enticing them with the amazing products and services you offer.
It’s genius – and doable – to utilize and strengthen all of the popular social media platforms. When it comes to emails, just make sure that your messages are mobile-friendly and quality over quantity is always the best rule. Texts must be short, engaging and to-the-point. Also, when working with social media such as Instagram, make your posts fun and involve your customers/influencers to make it worth their while to view it.
With a large percentage of all purchasing decisions taking place at the counter, it makes perfect sense to feature product displays in your salon … the only catch is that with fewer people able to be in the salon at one time, how will you reach the masses as you once could? This is where it actually becomes fun and you have the opportunity to really think outside the box. For example, consider live social media sales (such as Facebook Live) or what I like to call “the home shopping/QVC approach,” which gives people a place to experience the joy of shopping versus the chore of buying. It can be a huge benefit to salons, helping you adapt to the New Normal while making it easier for people to discover and shop the best tanning lotions, body care products and services available. This live or even “edited and pre-recorded” Facebook broadcast should go no longer than 20-40 minutes and focus on no more than a few products or a service, or both. It’s also vital to educate viewers on the products that are needed for at-home tanning and after-tan care to promote long-lasting color, like specially formulated body wash, tan-extending moisturizers and SPF products.
Happy selling … on every platform you can!
David is a National Educator for Sun Evolutions, offering brands including Supre Tan, ProTan, Fiesta Sun and Hempz. He is a face-to-face sales and beauty product fanatic who gauges his success solely on his effectiveness at selling real product to real, live salon guests.
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