You may have the best product or the best service. Nevertheless, no customer will show up at your salon until they know about its existence.

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One business aspect that gives many entrepreneurs sleepless nights is advertising. There are important pillars such as reputation management, and others that come later but not marketing. If you are reading this article, then it means you are looking for some of the true and tried salon marketing methods.

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The good news is, you found yourself at the right place. Truthfully, the advertising world, like Westworld, is expansive. However, we will touch on primary areas that promise better ROI  without burning a hole in your bank account.

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Salon Advertising 101 Golden Tips

1. Create a website

Like your physical store, you need one online too. Some clients will want to book you or enquire about prices past normal working hours. With a website, you are sure not to lose so many leads.

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Don't use your site to just pin prices, allow booking, and showcase your specialties. Share useful tips through SEO-focused articles-this is called content marketing.

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2. Learn SEO 

If you have a car, you definitely need gas to go far. The same analogy applies to online assets. Without search engine optimization, you are likely to wonder how your competitors are getting clients online. If you can learn SEO, there are many freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr where you can acquire one affordably.

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3. Under how Google works

Google remains the number search engine of choice for many people. Their algorithm determines how to rank a website and posts depending on quality. 

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Therefore, if you really care about your online store, website or articles to be ranked top, then study Google's algorithm or hire an SEO professional.

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4. Try Social Media Marketing and PPC

PPC, aka pay-per-click marketing, is where you set up ads and then they are shown at the top of the search engine results. It's a fair channel to try as you wait for your new website and social media pages to grow.

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Social media marketing for salons involves creating pages as well as posting ads, just like PPC. There's a learning curve involved in both PPC and SMM. If you lack the time, you can hire a digital marketer. 

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5. Send emails

Email marketing is not dead per se. There are still who read emails but it's slowly becoming a difficult marketing medium thanks to the spam folder option

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Your newsletter needs to be done right. They either tickle or deliver a punch. Your introduction must be excellent to hook the reader, otherwise...you know. If you nail the subject, make sure the body is packed with meat, and then wrap it up with a powerful call to action.

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To avoid sending dry emails over to clients, make sure to read a bit about the tenets of effective email marketing.

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6. Utilize mutually beneficial alliances

Have you ever asked for recommendations from your product supplier? What about that hotel or grocery store you frequent? Who knows, there might be a few leads there. The rule of reciprocity demands that you recommend your clients to them as well.  To make life easier, get your hands on a fully-fledged salon management software like SalonPro.

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7. Referral discounts work magic

Any client who really loved your salon's work won't mind recommending your shop to their friends and family. Before they leave, remind them that there is always a discount for every lead delivered.

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Now, when a person has been referred, email the referee a "Thank You" note and share how much you will offer them upon their next visit.

Recommended Read: Learn effective techniques for attracting repeat clients

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8. Loyalty programs

We all are already used to Loyalty programs everywhere we make purchases. Your salon should do the same in order not just to keep but appreciate long-term clients.

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9. Claim your business listing 

By claiming your business on review sites such as Yelp and Google My Business, you stand to benefit-especially if you have multiple glowing reviews.

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Now, if someone says they discovered your business through review sites, give them a discount to encourage them to revisit.

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10. Run birthday promotions 

Make a habit to collect client details, including their birthdays. On such days, including your shop's birthday, you can send out promotions to ramp up sales.

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11. Contribute to other blogs

You want to get your name and that of your salon out there, right? Then contribute content, maybe video tutorials or articles to other salon bloggers within your city. This will also help build your personal brand as a salon business owner.

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12. Offer better and seamless services

Not really a way to bring in new leads, per se, but if your website is fast, bookings can be done online, and multiple payments are offered amongst other services, you are likely to attract and keep a huge number of clients.

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In a Nutshell 

There's a boatload of salon advertising ideas out there. Some are cheap and others cost an arm and a leg. Where possible, try as many as possible while keeping an eye on your budget.

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Optionally, if you find a few that work, stick there for a while. But once leads start going down, it would be prudent to start experimenting with other channels. 

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Last, but not least, consider making use of a salon marketing software. Some come equipped with marketing tools. Given how many are affordable and effective, that'll save you a lot of time and bucks. Toodles.

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FAQs on Salon Advertising

1. How do you attract customers to your salon?

You can start with traditional word of mouth, or run online ads, that will win you instant eyeballs but at a cost. You must set competitive prices and run irresistible discounts, commissions, and promotions.

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2. How can I increase sales in my salon business?

Once you have customers, run promotions, start a loyalty program, and don't forget to ross-sale across your online channels to increase sales as well as your shop's exposure.

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3. How do I set up a marketing plan for my salon?

It all comes down to what you want at the moment. Write all down and prioritize the list. That is a sure way to avoid spending money unnecessarily. Try discussing the details with someone who's owned a salon before if you feel lost.