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You know what bothers me? How awkward it is for businesses to get their hands on a person’s email address. Asking for it just seems too sleazy, doesn’t it?
I mean, it is definitely not the topic that casually comes across when one of your clients is doing her hair or nails. And yet, this is something you, as a responsible business owner, should consider doing more often.
If not for the reason that no one else does it due to awkwardness, thus literally giving you a competitive advantage, then because you care about your clients and wish to provide them with the best service available in the long run.
Why should emails be your number one priority?
You, just like any other business owner, are probably well aware of a nice little concept called marketing. It is a set of activities aimed at attracting new blood into your otherwise prominent list of clients, right?
Wrong.
Marketing never was and never will be about new people. At least not entirely. Retention and loyalty should be your priorities because in our social media-filled world a loyal customer is the best ad campaign one might imagine. People bring in new business to salons using word of mouth and this strategy works much better than anything else SMM may bring to the table.
That noted, email is one of the few retention marketing tools actually delivering results. It does so for 2 primary reasons:
- You gain access to a person’s entire digital life through the only tool people check more often than their own reflection – their smartphone.
- You don’t have to sell your salon service to a stranger! If an email is in your database that means a person willingly agreed to hear from you and is generally engaged with what you have to offer.
Why asking for an email is a great thing for everyone?
You are a great person who hates spam in their mailbox, right? This means you will not be spamming others with the useless content of letters from Nigerian Princes that are $100 short for some reason.
On the contrary, you will be sharing useful updates and promoting your business through added value. Letting people know you have a 20% discount on manicure on Fridays doesn’t harm anyone, but brings in more people from you and gives better access to glamorous nails to a wider audience.
Or, in simpler words – everybody wins, and if there are no losers, what is stopping you from asking for and using that email?
Best ways of getting into your client’s mailbox?
When you are in a person’s mailbox consider that person to be on your booking schedule. If not today, then in a week or a month. Time isn’t of the essence here, but rather the fact that you’ve just scored yourself an engaged customer.
But how does one gather an impressive email base for marketing purposes?
- Start with building up trust. You know that you will only be sending offers of value to others. Your clients, on the other hand, do not. To them, you are yet another Nigerian Prince wannabe in their mailbox and you will retain that status until proven otherwise. Start with providing a great experience first. Then, when your client is satisfied with the service and willing to return to you later on you may proceed with marketing efforts.
- Automate the process, Getting an email one at a time will take too long for you to come up with an extensive base. Try running a contest with a prize of a discount certificate that requires email for entry and use a viable system to keep track of the data.
- Award referrals. Allow for people to advise your salon to others and give them a treat in return. The ”treat” can be anything from a cookie to a free cut. It isn’t as important as the chance you give to others: they can score a sincere “thank you” from a friend and whatever you are offering is just the icing on the treat.
Do you have any other email tricks up your sleeve? Please, share them with us in the comments section.