Every now and then you have the ideal customer on the agenda. One who is enthusiastic about your salon, who appreciates your service, who is a returning customer and recommends you to his or her friends and family. But how do you ensure that the majority of your customer base consists of such dream clients? We are happy to share tips with you on how to build your dream salon customer base.

Focus your marketing activities on your ideal customer

When you have your ideal client seated in your chair, ask them some questions to get a little bit of insight about the profile of your customer. Ask new customers how they found your salon and what made them book an appointment with your instead of other salons. In case of a returning customer, ask them what they like about your salon, treatments or staff.

This information is golden for your marketing activities. With this knowledge it makes it easier to create visibility for your salon and to decide what kind of messages you want to put out there. It’s also recommended that you do this for customers you’d rather not welcome in your salon. So you know what not to focus on with your marketing activities.

Spread the word!

Your dream customer is surrounded by people with the same demographics, interests, taste and maybe budget. These people are your potential customers and the folks you want to focus on. Think of a nice incentive for customers to refer their friends and family. You can do this for example by offering a discount on a treatment or by coming up with a stamp card system. When the customer refers 3 new customers that book an appointment, he or she will receive a discount on the next treatment or a free product. Think about what is a nice incentive for your client so that they can put in a good word for you.

Make your perfect customer a regular

We understand that your main focus is to attract new customers. But don’t forget to put the spotlight on your existing customers. Communication, building trust and respect are a couple of factors that influence the decision to return to the salon. Good ways to maintain this is through email marketing and the notes feature in Salonized. With email marketing you stay top of mind with your customers and to stay connected.

With the notes feature in Salonized you can note down fun or important facts your client has talked about during the treatment. This way you show that you are listening to your client and this helps to build a customer relationship. All these small actions do wonders for your customer base.

Attention to no-shows

No-shows are killing for your business. They take up time, money and frustration. That’s why it’s okay to be a little bit more strict when it comes to no-shows. A good way to reduce no-shows is to ask for a deposit when a treatment is booked. It is possible to enable this feature in Salonized. Read all about setting up deposits in this help article. Are your clients not happy with paying a small part of the treatment ahead, then your calendar naturally makes room for customers who do appreciate your time and efforts.

Think about your boundaries

If you want to reduce the number of customers who hold you back in your work, set clear limits. Reevaluate the rules of your salon. They are there for a reason. Don't make exceptions to please customers. Once you stop making exceptions, two things can happen: the unpleasant clients turn into clients you like to receive in the salon or they don't come back. Which in the end is better for your salon. This way, your clientele changes naturally into a dream client list.

One last thing…

If a customer is late to every appointment or if you read in the notes that the customer has been unreasonable several times and you would rather not receive them in your salon, you can block a customer in our system. This prevents the customeren from being able to schedule an online appointment with you. When the customer books an appointment, he or she receives a message saying that it is not possible to book an appointment and that they can contact the salon.

Do you have a customer base of which you are proud and which gives you new energy every day? Sharing is caring! We are very curious about your tips.