Starting your own salon: 5 tips for gaining new customers

You have decided to start your own salon. That's great! Whether you've worked for an employer or are taking your first steps directly from a training institute, it's an exciting challenge.

At Salonized, we have years of experience working with entrepreneurs from all areas of the beauty industry. Our service doesn't stop at offering software, but we are also a helping hand in the entrepreneurial process for all beauty professionals.

You've come up with the name of your salon, had a logo designed and have a beautiful corporate identity (if you're not ready yet, read our blog with a step-by-step plan). Time for the next step: how do I build a loyal customer base?

If you've just started your salon and the opening storm is slowly receding, it's clear what the basis of your customer base is at the moment. Time to focus on strategies to make your business a lasting success.

1. Grandma always said that patience is a virtue

Patience is something we have very little of, but it is something that pays off. Of course, you've been going through the process of opening your salon for years. To those around you, you are just around the corner and have yet to make a name for yourself. Project it onto yourself; when you book an appointment for a treatment, you want to find your own space where you feel comfortable. Then it is of course important that you make a splendid impression.

You will also find that clients come back to you later, because in the meantime they have compared salons and you have come out on top.

Also online, it can take a while before you have earned your place in the search results. Google does a technical assessment based on the content of your website. The more you work on your website and the more often you update it, the more you will benefit from a nice position in the search results.

2. What makes your salon unique?

As a salon owner, differentiating yourself from the rest is a challenge, but certainly not impossible.

Of course, it's not limited to the high quality of your treatments, think about the experience. Your treatment chair, the music, even the kind of tea in the cute teacup you serve. Your location can also be a unique selling point. Is your salon located in a picturesque spot? Make use of it!

Be creative. There are countless things that make you unique. And it can already simply be in the small details.

3. Referral promotions such as the Salon Friend's Voucher

A great promotion to run in the first few months after opening is a Friend's Voucher. Give your clients a coupon that they can give to their friends or family promising them a discount if they make an appointment as a new client.

The nice thing about a so-called referral action is that you can use it in various ways. You can choose to give a discount if they make an appointment together, or give a discount to both individually. The possibilities are endless, but the goal is the same: more new clients in the salon.

4. Salon promotions with local entrepreneurs

Joining forces goes a long way. Make yourself known in the area around your salon and make nice deals with local entrepreneurs. Combi deals, exchanging discount vouchers. The cooperation does not even have to match in terms of services, your match is the region. Make sure you make good arrangements, so one of you doesn't get the short end of the deal.

5. Win the trust of potential customers

Your website and social media are the image of your salon. So make sure you have a well-organised website with nice pictures. Read about how to determine the basis of your salon website in this blog.

Your social media is also a user-friendly tool you can use to show off your work to the outside world. Post before and after photos, short videos of your salon and show off your staff. People like to see the faces behind a company.

Looking for more step-by-step plans? We regularly share checklists on our blog with tips for a good salon website and how to set up a loyalty programme.