By Terry Miles
The salon experience has always been the most important goal for retaining good loyal clients. While that has not gone away, the frequency of client salon visits has been dropping over the years. Now with Covid 19, increasing unemployment and the shortage of qualified hair and skin experts the challenge is going to get greater.
Facts:
1. 99% of salon and spa business relies on clients actually being in the salon.
2. Your clients are your clients, whether they are in the salon or not they are still on your client data base.
3. Traditional retail, which relies on shoppers going into shops, is in free-fall while on-line shopping is going through the roof.
Opportunity:
Taken the above into consideration now is the perfect time to turn your salon into a 24 hour business.
How does it work?:
Salons and spas will still be open to provide the plethora of services their clients love. Hopefully that will never die.
However, if clients know they are able to 'visit' your salon from their smart phone, laptop or tablet, from anywhere, they can be offered or be able to shop additional services for which they don't need to be in the salon. This is e-commerce.
What do you need?:
The first thing you need is a 4 or 5 page website for your salon. The website should include a home-page which tells them about you, your price list, your e-shop, a current promotions page, a request an appointment page and page for frequently asked questions.
If you already have a website you might be able to just add the e-shop and start trading. Your existing website might need updating or, if you don’t already have a website you need to get one.
On your e-shop you will list the brands you stock. The client will select the brand and then be able to select from the products listed under that brand. Each item should include a pic of the product as well as a description including the price. The e-shop will have an add-to-cart function and once the client has finished shopping she goes to ‘the checkout’ which shows a summary of her order including final invoice amount. At this point you have the option of selecting one of the on-line payment options or emailing the order through to your salon.
The e-shop is a function of your front desk manager and, if the salon is too busy, a second person should be trained to receive the client’s order, create a pro-for a invoice which is sent to the client and upon receipt of payment and then makes the order available for Collection at the salon or delivery via the ever-growing number delivery services that fall into ‘gig economy’.
The bottom line is we cannot just sit and wait for business to come to us rather create a shop window that allows you to stay in touch with clients at the same time letting them interact with your business. This means you will never be far from your clients thoughts.
An e-shop is not an ‘app’ which has to compete with all the other ‘apps’ clients have on their phones however, a shortcut icon can be added to your clients’ devices which creates a shortcut to your website.
During the recent lock-down, salons that have an active website with an e-shop generated turnover because, even though their salons were closed their businesses weren’t.
For more information on the e-shop concept contact us.
