Tips for Retaining Current Salon Clients

Whether you are a stylist or a salon owner, your goal is to attract new clients and retain current ones. Many people may think that gaining new clients is most important, but retaining clients is how you can keep your business going strong. Keeping an engaged clientele can keep your book of business full year-round. Here are some of our pointers for keeping your current clients around for longer!

Create the Ideal Experience

Going to a stylist is a chance to not only look beautiful, but also to feel relaxed and pampered. Here are a few little steps you can take to up your service experience:

• Stay approachable and allow clients to vent about their problems.
• Take time on your appearance before heading into work each day: clients want stylists who have a polished and professional look.
• Show that you care about your client by asking them about topics they mentioned in their last visit.

As long as your services are on point, it’s the little things that will keep clients coming back to you. The more you do to elevate your service experience, the longer you can keep your clients around!

Incentivize New & Returning Clients

Think about incentives to get clients to return for another service. Some salons offer a rewards program to help clients earn a free service after a certain number of salon visits. Another incentive could be to offer a significant discount on a new client’s next visit to your chair. A creative way to get new and returning clients with the same promotion could be to offer a free or discounted service for returning clients if they refer new clients. Getting your current clients to advocate for your business is a great way to build your brand and expand your opportunities!

Book Return Appointments in Advance

One mistake stylists commonly make is to not mention a customer’s next visit. Explain how busy the upcoming months are for you and ask if they’d like to reserve their spots in your book now. You could also suggest a regimen for them to follow to meet their hair goals. You may also want to consider sending text or email reminders as their appointment approaches if it’s more than a few weeks away. This can help them keep their commitment or give them the opportunity to reschedule if something has come up.

Stay Consistent With Each Service

It’s not uncommon for hairstylists to become friends with their clients, especially if they have been serving the same client for a long time. Beauty professionals need to remember that the client and the services come before anything else, so be mindful of not becoming overly comfortable with your clients. Bring your very best each and every time you work on a client. Put in as much effort for regulars as you do with new customers. Try to be accommodating with repeat clients too. Established clients will appreciate you squeezing them in for a last-minute appointment.

Build a Brand

Whether you are a stylist or a salon owner, you are providing an experience for your clients. Creating the best and most convenient experience for your clients can extend to the ways that you engage online. Maintaining an active presence on social media allows you to engage with your audience at any time and provide opportunities to find new clients. Your social media presence also functions like a resume. New and repeat clients will check out your social media feeds to evaluate your work and find ideas for future styles they want to try out. You can also ask clients to join a newsletter and send out an email blast when you have new and exciting content to share. How you engage with your audience is ultimately up to you, so be creative and find your voice!

Learn With American Institute of Beauty

Are you looking for an opportunity to start or advance a career in the beauty industry? American Institute of Beauty offers comprehensive programs for beauty professionals at all stages of their careers. With campuses conveniently located in Largo and St. Petersburg, students are able to complete courses on a part-time or full-time basis. Contact us online to learn more about our programs, or call the admissions teams at Largo (727-532-2125) or St. Petersburg (727-826-0969) to get started today!