More ways to promote your business

[Sarah 38]

Tess

Thats really interesting, as I'm setting my prices for treatments and trying to decide whether to charge what I'm worth or charge what will have customers coming back more regularly in a recession! I'm home based so it's a tough decision.

I tried a promo this month for tanning, a bring a friend and your treatment is half price. It's bombed! I have contacted some charities and Golf clubs with good success so this thread has given me some great ideas! Keep it going!


Sarah E X

 

[Blue Rose]

Tess

Thats really interesting, as I'm setting my prices for treatments and trying to decide whether to charge what I'm worth or charge what will have customers coming back more regularly in a recession! I'm home based so it's a tough decision.

I tried a promo this month for tanning, a bring a friend and your treatment is half price. It's bombed! I have contacted some charities and Golf clubs with good success so this thread has given me some great ideas! Keep it going!


Sarah E X

Charge what you are worth!!!

Plus it gives you leeway to do offers & promotions when you're a bit quieter. If you start off low & find it a struggle you will find it very difficult to raise your prices.

With your offer for the tanning, it could just be bad timing. I've done offers before that have gone really, really well one month & nada another month so don't get too despondent just yet.

Good luck with it all

 

[Carlalouise]

Hi

I've just started at a Beauty Salon in Bournemouth town centre (self employed) where there doesn't seem to have been a lot of advertising, this sounds like a great idea as we have a lot of insurance/financial companies in the town centre.

 

[redsadie]

I think it's about time this thread was made a 'sticky'! It's been recommended so many times in the past few weeks. How does a thread become a sticky?

Sarah. xx

 

[FloJo]

This thread is fantastic! I too am a newbie and I want to make sure I take full advantage of the festive season!

I have just had my gift vouchers designed so I am going to start contacting local schools etc to ask about raffle prizes.

xx

 

[Lynne Baker]

I'm very touched by all the lovely comments on this thread. Thanks!

 

[Tess Warwick]

Sticky ... please :smack:

 

[clementine]

love this Lynne, you are a STAR :hug:

it's so full of tips I've bookmarked it!

thank you

Sarah
x

 

[jessiemw90]

This is amazing
I just want to thank everyone for all of the great advice.

 

[ruth85]

Brilliant ideas and Im so glad I read it. Lynne, you must be an amazing business woman

Right, I'm off to promote!! :lol:

Thanks Lynne x

 

[kimmi2506]

i have a question i have recently gone mobile after renting rooms in salons how do i promote if i have nobody to email and how do i promote my pamper partys i have done a website that has had a lot of views but nobody has enquired where am i going wrong please help is there something wrong with my website or the way im doing things i feel im fighting a no win battle it doesnt help that i live in wythenshawe no many people i no get treatments round here helppp

 

[Lynne Baker]

You go to where your potential clients go!
This might be playgroups, NCT, WI, gyms, creches/schools etc.
You also go networking where you'll have a ready made audience - google ladies business networking Manchester and see what pops up. Most important thing there is to make sure you get other people's business cards as then you have the makings of your mailing list.
You take a look at Stallfinder and then have a few stalls at Christmas/school fayres.
Greater Manchester - Stallfinder Ltd. UK stallholders events fundraising and party plan

Make friends with the local coffee shops and find which ones are home to the school run mums, then leave a bunch of flyers there. I gave my local coffee shop owner a free shellac and got loads of business from that!

Enjoy!

 

[deedee84]

Lynne, I've seen you mention going along to business networking I have cone across lunches etc I could go along too but what do you do at them? What to expect worried I'd go make a fool of myself

 

[Lynne Baker]

You tell people who you are, what you do, and what sort of clients you're looking for. If you let the organiser who you're new they won't make you go first and you'll get the opportunity to hear how other people say their pitch.
Here's a link to help you develop what you need to be saying at these events.

The Perfect (Elevator) Pitch - BusinessWeek

 

[SprayTan Man]

Some really great advice there Lynne, its good see people helping others.

I work quite closely with companies in marketing and promotion and one thing really stands out with salons (and indeed this whole industry) - they tend to verbally run each other down! It's a terrible habit and not very professional.

I was at a local salon last week and the girl cutting my hair spent the whole time complaining about how the salon down the street was using this "cheap stuff" and "trying to put her out of business" etc.. etc.. all negatives!!!

In the end i just switched off and afterwards decided to go elsewhere in future. All the work she had done to get me as a life-long client burnt up in 20 minutes! She was just too negative.

My advice to salons etc.. your clients are like gold dust!!! They will come back if you are positive, non judgemental and dont run folk down - keep your prices fair and dont be greedy in these bad financial times - people remember getting ripped off.

Also, if you are a salon owner, keep an ear on what your staff are saying to your clients - they can be your worst enemies!

 

[Charme]

This is such an inspirational thread. I am so glad I have salon geek to turn to and even more glad to have found lynne and her wonderful help.

I just feel so revved up now and can't wait to get to work tomorrow to put these wonderful ideas into action for myself!!!!

Thank you thank you thank you!!

I hope I can help people with these soon xxx

 

[Charme]

Hello!

Well after reading this thread last night I went to a children's play area with my daughter this morning, which was already plannd with some friends, and there just happened to be two sure start centre's events going on.

I used my new found inspiration and some guts to approach the centre workers with the isea that I would donate some 50% off vouchers for them to use as fundraiser prizes and they jumped at the chance. The best is yet to come...... I have been invited for a meeting to arrange some pamper evenings at the sure start centres for the supported familys that they are helping at the monent!!! woo hoo!

thanks again for this super duper thread xxx

 

[Verve Designs]

I originally put the following in another thread- but thought it might make more sense to put in here as well.....

Just thought i'd share something with you all that we've tried at our salon in the last few months or so.

We're based in a town with lots and lots of service industry type companies and call centres.

Lots of these companies run sales incentives and just general morale boosting competitions and are looking for prizes, and the majority of the workers are female (thats not too sexist I hope..its a fact! )

Anyway- we approached a few of these companies and offered up vouchers as prizes for salesperson of the week or whatever they run- in return for posters put up (that were designed by me of course) around the place and a mild promotion of our business.

It just struck me as a way of promoting ourselves to literally hundreds of people for the sake of a few vouchers.....and its working.

P.S didnt see the post above before I plonked this in here- would be nice to think you did that after reading my original thread! it works!

 

[tina]

hi
you say in return for mild promotion of your business, what do you mean by that, just wondering how I would word that.
thanks

 

[smooth]

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