Build an experience.
Foot traffic statistics are essential in making projections regarding revenue and profits. Simply stated, salons need to secure customers to remain viable in the marketplace. Higher foot traffic in the area immediately surrounding the salon increases visibility, and the probability of more bookings and greater revenue.
Unfortunately, while being pampered at a salon or spa is an experience that has not yet fallen to the rise of technology, the notion of “if you build it, they will come” has fallen by the wayside. Consumers need to be actively pursued and invited to experience your merchant’s location.
So, how do you increase foot traffic to attract those customers? It’s all about creating an effective marketing strategy. Here are a few tips…
Incentives
Discounts are one of the most popular incentives to increase foot traffic to merchant locations. According to the 2013 RetailMeNot Shoppers Trend Report, 92 percent of American consumers are discount shoppers.
Once you have decided what incentives they will offer, they can use an integrated POS software to create a series of promotions for specific services based on their defined parameters. For example, you may want to select times when they usually see a decline in sales, like off-peak hours, and utilize an automated marketing tool to introduce a discount incentive for popular services during these times. This strategy has the potential to boost sales and increase revenue where there would normally be a lull in activity.
Once you have compiled necessary information regarding the type of incentive and the period in which the incentive campaign will be implemented, they can input that criteria into the POS system. The system is able to use that information to conduct targeted email marketing campaigns that will make your merchant’s customers aware of the discounts and allow them to book and pre-pay for the product or service.
There are many variables you can take into consideration and work with to develop a promotion that effectively markets to their clientele. Using an automated marketing tool takes the guesswork out of the process.
Community Engagement
When developing a marketing plan to increase traffic flow, it’s important to keep in mind that not all potential customers reside in the immediate area in which your merchant is located. That’s why it is important to get out into the community and get involved. Community engagement and outreach increases the likelihood of reaching potential clients in new sectors of your merchant’s service area.
Community engagement includes attending and/or sponsoring current events or creating new community events. This can cover a wide selection of options ranging from attending and participating in local Chamber of Commerce events to attending or creating festivals or fundraisers. Take the time to evaluate what’s happening and what is important in the surrounding community and get involved. Be sure to bring along marketing materials such as product samples, introductory service offers, brochures and business cards to ensure potential clients know how to reach your merchant and where to visit them. Community engagement is a beneficial process both professionally and personally.
Current Customers
Current customers are always going to be your merchant’s best support when it comes to increasing foot traffic. According to statistics, word-of-mouth marketing accounts for $6 trillion in annual consumer spending, and when it comes to spending, 90 percent of consumers say they are more likely to trust a business that a friend recommends.
Actively engage with loyal customers to get to know them and reward them for their loyalty. In return, they will voice their appreciation and satisfaction when talking to people in their inner circle. These conversations can translate into new people visiting your merchant’s salon or spa and becoming loyal customers.
Wrap Up
Increasing foot traffic is not an exact science. It involves a lot of trial and error. What worked one year or with one audience may not work the next. The marketplace and consumer spending trends are always evolving. It’s important for you to schedule routine evaluations of their marketing plan to coincide with those changes. It is also important to be flexible and open-minded when it comes to the marketing approach. Implementing these key concepts is the first step to attracting more potential customers to your merchant’s salon or spa.
Integrated with the world’s largest and most advanced Scheduling Software Platforms, REACH.ai created a seamless solution for our partners and their customers to help keep the appointment book filled and staff productive. Join us for a personalized demo of Reach.ai, our A.I. Automated Customer Communications & Marketing Platform. If giving us a call is more your style, dial 888.796.5755 for the scoop on what we offer and what we’ve been up to lately. Thanks!
