3 Ways Salons and Spas Can Start Preparing for the Holiday Season Right Now

By Denise Prichard

Throughout the year, arguably one of the most challenging aspects you deal with is coming up with unique ways to attract new clients and keep your business top-of-mind with your existing customer base. However, if you start planning your marketing efforts now, you can make sure your business is organized and profitable through the rest of the year. The holiday season presents your business with an opportunity to increase revenue before the year's end—that’s where an effective holiday marketing strategy comes into play.

Here are three ways you can start planning for the holiday season now:

1. Offer weekly in-house service specials

Each new week comes with the opportunity to freshen things up. Try something like $10 off your next massage or beauty service the week after Thanksgiving, or a free $25 gift card for each $100 gift card purchased. Remember—these don’t have to be anything big (or costly for your business), just something for clients to feel appreciated—and to get excited to rebook their next appointment. A little buzz can go a long way in terms of attracting more clients to your business and keeping your existing ones happy.

With tools like Messenger[ai], you can make sure your clients are informed of all your holiday specials this season with text announcements you can deploy to your entire customer base in a snap.

Need some help planning out your holiday promotions? Download our holiday prep calendar for salons and spas.

2. Focus on retail specials

Whether or not you plan to participating in Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, you can make a substantial profit from the retail you sell in-store and online. With Mindbody’s Marketing Suite, you can easily send out customized email campaigns and use two-way text messages to promote your holiday offers. Here are some specials you may want to consider offering through the end of the year:

Offer product bundles as a holiday gift set (cinnamon-infused body lotion or pumpkin spice bath products, anyone?)
Give out free, mini-sized products or samples with full-sized product purchases
Give customers who spend $50 or more on products 20% off their next purchase or service at your saloon or spa
Offer free shipping on all online orders

Want to incentivize staff to sell more product? Think about creating a leaderboard in the staff lounge or hosting contests with Insights to encourage some healthy competition to boost sales.

3. Gift cards are always a good idea

Especially with the holidays near, gift cards can play an important part in the success of your salon or spa. Think about it—gift cards are the perfect gift for both you and your clients.

For clients: Gift cards are excellent options for last-minute shoppers to purchase for their loved ones. Many clients want to gift a beauty product or experience at your spa or salon but don’t know exactly what to get—making gift cards the perfect solution. Make it even easier for shoppers with pre-set gift card amounts and/or festive gift card packaging.

For you: Gift cards are guaranteed revenue for your business. They've already made the purchase, so if clients forget to redeem, your money is already in the bank.

Check out our guide for more on how to succeed with gift card sales.

When done right, a creative marketing strategy can help set your business apart this holiday season. By using these tips, you’re well on your way to ramping up revenue before the end of the year.