Whether you’re building positive interaction with guests or using team-building exercises to boost stylist morale, engagement at your salon is important. What does this look like in the context of a modern salon?

In addition to social media and community events, salon retail contests can be a great way to spread brand awareness and get your guests and team more involved. If you’re searching for innovative ways to increase profits and attract new guests, try these retail contest ideas at your salon.

How Salon Contests Can Make an Impact

Everyone loves a little friendly competition! There’s nothing like a contest to get people excited about your salon. Newer guests have an opportunity to get to know your company culture and longtime guests will feel a sense of renewed excitement. At the end of the day, prizes and discounts motivate more people to participate.

Keep in mind, contests can also serve as a great way to build your contact list. The more emails and Facebook followers you have, the easier it is to get the message out about what you have to offer in the future. This type of recognition can lead to more traffic and more sales.

Perhaps the best news is that contests like these cost very little to execute, but the payoff can be big. Think of it as an affordable marketing strategy. All you need is a little time and creativity to make it happen.

Salon Retail Contest Ideas for Guests

If you’re searching for a fresh approach to salon retail contest ideas, look no further! The following ideas are ways to get your guests talking about how great your salon is and spending more money.

1. Raffles

Raffles are a tried-and-true retail contest. You can always go the old-fashioned route and give guests a ticket if they spend a certain amount on services. From there, choose a random ticket out of the box on the big day and announce a winner! You can give away something like a free massage or a basket of products.

Have an awesome prize like an iPad or weekend getaway? People will do nearly anything to win these big-ticket items. Consider asking guests to write a review of your salon to get an entry into the raffle. This helps you build a five-star reputation while getting guests involved in your online presence.

2. Scavenger hunts

Everyone loves a scavenger hunt, especially when they already have a little time on their hands sitting at the salon. Place several items in hiding places around the color bowls, dryers, or even the waiting area. Think golden shears, a bronze shampoo bottle, or maybe a photo of something. Place a sign at the front of the salon that lists which items are hidden and let the fun begin!

Be sure to advertise the scavenger hunt on social media and in marketing emails leading up to the big day. Tell your guests which items are hiding and what prizes are in store for the winning guests.

3. Spin the wheel

Incentivize your guests with an opportunity to spin your own wheel of fortune! First, set up a wheel that has several different desirable prizes. Consider free blowouts, 20% off color services, or a boost in salon rewards points.

Once the wheel is in place, allow your guests to give it a spin whenever they meet certain criteria. Some salons have it on hand for every retail purchase over a designated amount. Other salons choose to use it on specific days of the week or month for every guest spending money on services.

Salon Contest Ideas for Stylists

Think beyond salon contest ideas for guests and get your stylists involved! This gives everyone on your team something to strive for, which increases your bottom line. Here are some salon competition ideas that will have your stylists excited about the challenge.

4. Employee of the month

While your stylists get the most attention, it takes a whole team to keep a salon running smoothly. From manning the front desk to washing all those towels, there are countless employees contributing to essential daily tasks.

There are many different ways to do an employee of the month award, but one of the most common methods is having your entire team vote each month. Ask them to think about who has really been stepping up to lend a helping hand.

Award the special employee with a reward of some kind and consider posting a photo on social media and somewhere in the salon for the entire month.  

5. Top this

Most salon competition ideas revolve around top overall sales (in services or products). Mix it up a bit and award the highest individual sale instead. This encourages your stylists to upsell using products and add-on treatment services. For this one, consider a floating prize like a special trophy to keep at their station, or a bonus at month-end.

6. Selfie with a stylist

Who doesn’t love a fresh hair selfie? Of all the salon competition ideas, this one may be the most fun. Encourage your guests to take a selfie with their stylist and post it to your salon’s social media accounts. Double the entry if they post it to their own page and tag the salon!

At the end of the contest, count up how many photos each stylist was able to accumulate. Consider sending the winner to a conference or training seminar of their choice.

Want to up your game even more? Offer a small salon gift card or trial-sized product to every guest who posted a photo of the winning stylist!

Find More Time for Salon Competitions 

Spend less time working on administrative tasks and more time thinking of salon retail contest ideas with SalonBiz.

SalonBiz is a seamless salon management software tool that manages everything from online booking to automated email/text confirmations.

SalonBiz can take your day-to-day tasks to the next level. Book a demo to check us out today!