Whether you have one salon in a small town or a multi-location business in the city, the goal is the same—you want salon client retention strategies that lead to dependable revenue and growth. The easiest way to accomplish this is to focus on your existing guests.
In this article, we’ll go over the importance of focusing on salon client retention and give you some strategies you can use to foster greater client loyalty.
![SalonBiz | Help Clients Prepare for Their Visit](https://salonbizsoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/GettyImages-164020990-1024x678.jpg)
Why Focus on Salon Client Retention?
While it can be tempting to chase new clientele, improving your salon client retention rate is the best way to find lasting success. Here are a few statistics that show just how important keeping your clients loyal is to your business:
- 80% of your future revenue comes from 20% of your current clients.
- A 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits by 25-95%.
- Existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products, compared to new customers, and spend 31% more.
- Almost 60% of your business comes from repeat customers.
- Poor customer retention costs businesses in the U.S. nearly $137B per year.
Looking at these numbers, it’s clear that you must ensure you’re doing everything you can to strengthen your existing client relationships. Investing in the guest experience can help you provide consistency and value that keeps guests coming back! Plus, you have greater potential to recruit new business organically through referrals.
So, where do you begin? Here are seven salon client retention strategies you can put into practice right away.
1. Nail the First Impression
First impressions are everything. Guests, new and returning, should immediately receive a warm welcome upon entering the salon. From smiling faces at the front desk to comfy waiting chairs, every detail matters. Consider offering guests a cup of coffee or a magazine. Small efforts can make a big impact.
Once they’re in the chair, it’s up to your stylists to nail the consultation. Train them to be active listeners with the goal of learning more about every guest’s unique style. You’re bound to have repeat clients if they feel valued in addition to looking fabulous!
Nailing the first impression is one of the most important salon client retention strategies to help you earn a repeat guest.
![SalonBiz | Client Retention Strategy](https://salonbizsoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SalonRecovery.jpg)
2. Maintain Your Retail Inventory
Retail sales are directly tied to your salon client retention average. It’s important for stylists to educate guests on the products they’re using during each appointment. Plus, they should dive into other customer service suggestions that are highly personalized.
By building trust and becoming the go-to expert on the products they love, your stylists form lasting relationships with guests and provide an experience that feels more like a partnership than a sales pitch.
3. Book Follow-up Appointments Right from the Chair
Most salons with a high salon client retention rate consider booking follow-up appointments to be a high priority for keeping clients. Encourage your stylists to schedule another appointment with guests before they walk out the door.
With SalonBiz’s Pocket Salon app, booking clients is easier than ever, allowing your guests to schedule their next appointment right in the chair. Many of our customers cite this capability as one of their top salon client retention strategies.
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4. Offer Great Perks & Rewards
Don’t fall into the trap of only extending promotions to new guests. After all, your repeat guests should feel the love and appreciation for being loyal! If you don’t have a rewards program in place, now is the time to start one.
From punch cards to point-based systems, there are several different ways to engage loyal clients. Find the best option for your salon that incentivizes and rewards your best guests. From value-added services to complimentary products, there are plenty of ways to provide perks.
5. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate for Salon Client Retention
With the average salon guest going six to eight weeks between appointments, it’s important to stay in touch. Communicate effectively with marketing emails that keep your guests in the know about any new services, promotions, or products.
Let this communication spill over into your social media strategy as well, sharing similar messaging on Facebook or Instagram.
6. Make It Automatic for Guests to Access Services
How do modern salons retain clients? They make it easier than ever for guests to access the wonderful services they provide.
Throw out the old-fashioned processes that create a bottleneck at the front desk, avoid another phone call or task on their to-do list, and make it automatic.
![SalonBiz | Social Media Marketing](https://salonbizsoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20-Tasks-For-Your-Salon-Opening-And-Closing-Checklist-1024x684.jpg)
7. Ask for Feedback
Never stop growing. Feedback and reviews can fuel your salon to continually improve and make changes for the better.
Having feedback tools built into your salon software makes it easy to gauge the quality of your client experience. With SalonBiz, for example, you can set it up so your clients receive a follow-up email after their appointment asking for their Net Promoter Score—or a ranking of how likely the client is to recommend your business to a friend.
After giving their score, clients will have the opportunity to provide feedback about their experience. If their feedback is positive, they’ll be prompted to leave a review, via our Listen360 integration.
Increase Your Salon Client Retention Rate with SalonBiz
Taking advantage of salon client retention strategies and tools can have a big impact on your bottom line. These small, yet important, practices can drive guest loyalty and help you maximize business growth.
If you’re searching for even more ways to enhance your guest experience, SalonBiz is the answer. With features like integrated payment options, online and mobile booking, and email marketing templates, our software can truly do it all. If you’d like to learn more, please watch our recent webinar below.
Schedule a demo today to see what SalonBiz can do for your salon!