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4 Steps to Start Your 2016 Salon Marketing Plan

A goal without a plan is just a wish. Investing a few hours at the start of the year to write a marketing plan for your beauty salon or spa can have a huge impact on profitability for the year to come. 

Step 1: Set Your Salon Goals and Resolutions
Don’t just have business dreams, have business plans. The strategy of your beauty business is the driving force of your business, strategies create objectives to focus on for the future year. Want to reset your salon marketing routine in 2016?

Resolution number one: Make Marketing a Business Priority
Marketing is vital if you want to attract new clients, increase salon profitability, and capitalize on business opportunities. It makes business sense to give marketing the importance it deserves. Take an honest assessment of your salon’s 2015 marketing endeavors. Was there an adequate investment of time, energy or money?

A year from now:
How will your salon website look? 
How many new clients walked through your salon doors?
How much did average sales per ticket increase? 
Did guest visit frequency increase? 
Were you able to boost salon website visitors per week?
How many email addresses did you add to your database?
Did you renew an antiquated brand identity?
Did you boost client retention and client royalty?
Increase the average salon spend per visit?
Did you increase retail sales? 
Did you increase your pre-booking percentages?
Did you retain guests and attract new ones?
Did you use blogging to your advantage?

What goals from above are your primary objectives? What is your biggest goal for the upcoming year? Set about making a plan that accomplishes your business goals. 

Step 2: Determine Marketing Budget
Now its time to implement your promotional strategy to achieve the goals and objectives of your business. Promotional strategy refers to the marketing mix to attract and retain clients. 

Most beauty business marketing budgets are set between 3 – 7% of total sales, depending on the organization and size. Each additional year a salon establishment is open, the budget should increase to yield more growth. Marketing is an investment in your beauty brand, it is necessary to create the awareness of your salon brand, services and products. The salons that really make a mark understand that marketing is not a luxury but a necessity to salon growth and success.

Salon’s need to find “the” perfect percentage of marketing dollars necessary to create a continuous stream of new and repeat clients. Decide on your overall marketing budget number ($$$) and allocate those funds to marketing and advertising endeavors only.     

Step 3: Decide Your Beauty Business Strategy
The strategy you choose for your beauty business influences goals and objectives for the future year. Which one are you? 

Salon branding strategy – well designed, professional branding is how you communicate to the public why they should choose your salon above the competition. A beautiful brand strategy enables you to charge more for your hair or beauty services, gain loyalty, and attract new clients. 

Superior services strategy – differentiate your salon from competitors with well-orchestrated, superior guest services. Create optimal client satisfaction and increased return guest rates. Client is king with this strategy, anticipate guest service and product needs.

Pricing strategy – differentiates your salon from competitors by price, either communicating discounted or premium pricing. If you implement premium pricing, make sure your salon services are premium as well.

Step 4: Plan Promotions for 12 Months
Don’t have a dream, have a plan. The simplest way to write a marketing plan is to start with a calendar. Not just an agenda, but a chart-style calendar that lists each month with key seasonal events, traditional holidays and retail opportunities. Next, plan promotions, events, or incentives based on business goals. By delivering your salon marketing message through a variety of marketing channels you increase the likelihood of being “found” by your target guest. 

In 2016 digital marketing is vital if you want to attract new clients, increase salon profitability, and capitalize on business opportunities. It makes business sense to give marketing the importance it deserves. Start out by blocking out one afternoon each week devoted to salon marketing objectives, or hire a professional marketing agency to focus on promoting your salon for you.