Grow your client base: diversify your audience

If you want to grow your salon client base, it's important to diversify your audience and think about those clients you're not currently reaching. "It's not all that long ago that hair salons had only one market," says Alan Revitt, Commercial and Marketing Director at SBH UK & Ireland. "Nowadays, salons need to cater to a diverse crowd, from young women, to older men, to children. "Identifying target markets to ensure that your salon isn't missing out on business opportunities is vital to success." Here, Alan shares his top tips on how to cater to diverse groups of customers. The gender game Although most salons are open to people of all genders, it's important to remember that a significant proportion of your efforts may best be spent targeting the gender that spends the most money on salon services: women. Our latest Beautiful Britain report found that the average woman in the UK spends £1,033 a year on essential hair and beauty treatments. That said, today’s men are more style-savvy than ever before and the male grooming trend is definitely here to stay. If other salons in your area are heavily focused on treatments for women, try expending some effort on marketing male grooming treatments to appearance-conscious men to steal a march on competitors. Men are increasingly looking beyond the standard haircut and opting for specialist treatments such as male hair colour, facials, massages and hair removal, so it is important to ensure your salon can offer a selection of treatments if you’re targeting the male market. Drop some promotional cards at offices near your salon to invite men to try some of the quick and easy grooming treatments (such as aromatherapy scalp massage, using scents such as cedar and sandalwood, and nail treatments) during their lunch break. To ensure that you are not alienating men from coming to your salon, try updating the space to be more gender-neutral. Having sleek, modern interiors without frills or fuss can make it much more appealing and less daunting to men. In addition, it doesn’t hurt to have magazines such as GQ, Esquire and FHM along with newspapers on hand in salon reception and the waiting area to strike the right note. Age matters If your primary customer base is women, take some time to think about making the most of that market. Teenagers are great potential customers and offering “mother and daughter” packages could be a great way to expand your market. Having specialised services to cater to different teenage style tribes can ensure that you have something that will make every mum and daughter happy. Birthday party packages offering hair styling and goody bags with after-care products are also a great way to build up your customer base and increase retail sales. Make it easy for mums Mums-to-be and new mums are also a good customer group to market to. They will be looking for guidance on how to handle the changes to their hair during pregnancy and post-birth. Providing a hair care guide (with information that is supported by the NHS) for mums-to-be show that you recognise the hair concerns your customers may have. If customers decide to colour their hair during pregnancy, consider offering special deals on highlights, lowlights or semi-permanent dyes as these treatments will be more gentle. Fluctuating hormones may also play havoc with hair, so ensure that you have the right hair shampoo and conditioner to address any changes to texture and moisture levels. New mums will often want a hairstyle that is quick and easy but not all women wish to have a shorter hairstyle. Providing a low-maintenance hair upstyles ‘kit’ for new mums, which include easy-to-follow styling guides for simple plaits, ponytails and buns along with the necessary tools (hair ties, hair grips and a bun ring), could be a great way to help customers style their hair at home. In addition, some women experience some hair loss post-birth so it is important to make sure your employees are trained to provide help and advice sensitively.